Caracol

Caracol’s Winner from the iFly The Angler’s Edge Event

admin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:21:24 +0000

Born and raised in Houston, TX and having been fishing for as long as I could hold a rod, it was shocking to my fellow anglers that I had never in my 35 years ever fished the Texas Coast. Well that trend ended this week, when upon winning an iFly Angler’s edge raffle underwritten by Carocol in Port O’Connor, I was awarded a free night stay and a full day of fishing with any guide of my choice. After hearing Tom Horbey present earlier this summer at an iFly event, I knew he was my guy. My goal: to see what the Texas Coast had to offer in terms of variety. Having traveled several times half way around the world to the Indian Ocean and other remote destinations, I was excited to see what I would find, my biggest question…would I find anything of any size?

So this past Monday off I drove. The drive was so quick and so easy, I had to ask myself why hadn’t I done this before??? The two days on the water with Tom enlightened and delighted me beyond my wildest hopes. Not only was the water clearer than I had anticipated, but the variety of fish which presented itself during my adventure there was thrilling. Tom was a great host and guide with his enthusiasm for the sport of fly fishing and for his habitat. I came back from the trip more knowledgeable and more excited than ever about this sleepy little fishing town of Port O’Connor and its productive flats, levies and channels. It was every Houstonian sight-caster’s dream. And only 2.5 hrs away. Did I mention my awesome accommodations??? I stayed at the Poco Loco, recommended by Tom, and was greeted by the owner himself, Mike (who was playing cards in the “living room” with other residents) with an ice cold Coronita. My room was fully stocked with FREE bags ice, sodas, snacks, candy, juices, Starbucks coffee and Tabasco. The A/C was great and cranked down nice and low to keep my sun-burnt body more comfortable and I slept like a baby.

The only blip on the scene was the lack of tarpon. Tom assured me that they do exist, but that they just do not love a strong southwestern, which I encountered both days. Alas the fight with my 21lbs Jack and 28.5 Bull Red more than made up for the no show of the tarpon and was well worth the sore arm and stomach the next day. There’s nothing like sight casting your 12wt to a 20lbs plus fish!! The Bull Reds made a great showing and were all over the place feeding on huge crabs riding the tides out to sea. We must of seen 50 over the course of 2 hours crashing the surfaces left and right. Needless to say, I can’t wait to head back down again to try for the Kings and Tarpon…and maybe a few flats’ redfish on the side. Thanks iFly for hosting not only the Caracol’s raffle, but the event in which first peeked my interest in the Texas Coast and introduced me to Capt. Tom Horbey this past May. What a blast! Here’s to keeping lines tight and work light!

Meredith McCord
Owner/Janitor
The Mad Potter: Paint-your-own-Pottery Studios

Visit iFly’s website: iFly

Caracol Fact Sheet

admin — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:24:34 +0000

Description: A project of Trend Development, Inc. and Forestar Real Estate Group, Caracol is a premier master-planned community located along the Texas coast in Port O’Connor. Located in an historic area known for its abundant outdoor sporting and recreational opportunities, the new development features 74 home sites, 70 of which are canal-front where residents can tie their boats off right outside their homes. Caracol’s canals offer residents easy access to the Gulf of Mexico and multiple bays and can accommodate offshore boats.

Architecture: Inspired by West Indies beach villages and exclusive canal communities on the Florida coast, careful consideration was taken in the design of Caracol. The gated entryways, brick and concrete-paved drives and lush, tropical landscaping compliment the region’s architectural heritage and natural beauty. In addition, homes are designed to feature a blend of indoor and outdoor spaces to create a deeper connection to the coast.

Fishing: Caracol’s close proximity to the Intracoastal Waterway makes it a unique deep-water fishing destination. Offshore rigs just five miles from Port O’Connor docks are ideal places to fish for sailfish, marlin, tuna, dolphin and wahoo. Port O’Connor also boasts the largest and deepest bay system on the Texas Gulf Coast. Favorite fishing spots include Matagorda Bay, Espiritu Santu Bay and San Antonio Bay. These waterways are full of redfish, shark, flounder, pompano, gafftop, whiting, croaker, sheephead, drum, jack crevalle and Spanish mackerel.

Birding: Bird watching is a popular recreational activity along the Texas Gulf Coast, with Port O’Connor being one of the best birding areas in the state. For the last five years the area surrounding Port O’Connor has held the record for the most bird species spotted in the nation, including the Whooping Crane. At nearly five feet tall, the Whooping Crane is the tallest bird found in North America. They fly south each October from Canada down to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, which is only miles from Port O’Connor.

Shelling: Whether a serious or casual beachcomber, Port O’Connor offers numerous shelling opportunities including, the jetties along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the Gulf beaches adjoining Pass Cavallo and several spots on Matagorda Island.

Matagorda Island: A short boat ride from Caracol is pristine Matagorda Island State Park. Matagorda Island offers a variety of activities including fishing, swimming, shelling, hunting, camping and birding. Matagorda Island is unique in that it is almost completely in its natural state. There are no convenience stores, condos, vendors or even electricity allowed on the island. Just miles and miles of unblemished beaches. The island is also home to the Matagorda Island Lighthouse, the state’s oldest operational lighthouse.

History: Port O’Connor began in the late nineteenth century as a fishing settlement called Alligator Head. As it grew in popularity with both permanent residents and tourists, the community took on more municipal-like characteristics, earning the formal name as the town site of Port O’Connor in 1912. Port O’Connor’s heyday spanned the ten years from 1909 to 1919, resulting in growth that has yet to be matched. Excursion trains used to run on weekends to Port O’Connor and an estimated 10,000 tourists came every summer.

About Trend Development, Inc.
Trend Development, Inc. is a small, privately held, Texas real estate development group, with multiple large-scale projects in Texas in various stages of development and construction, including the master-planned communities of Gleannloch Farms and Long Meadow Farms.

About Forestar Real Estate Group
With offices in Austin, Atlanta and Dallas, Forestar Real Estate Group has been in the real estate development business for nearly half a century. Forestar and its affiliates currently have over 78 projects in eight states and 12 markets, including all the major markets of Texas. Forestar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Temple-Inland, Inc., an Austin-based Fortune 500 company.

Caracol Offers Sport Fishing at its Finest

admin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:45:40 +0000

HOUSTON, TX (April 23, 2008) – Bounded by the Intracoastal Waterway, Caracol, a premier master-planned community located along the Texas coast in Port O’Connor, is ideally positioned to cater to the avid fisherman. The community’s prime location on the Intracoastal Waterway allows fisherman access to rich, deep-sea waters within minutes, a unique advantage when fishing along the Texas coast.

Caracol’s canal-front home sites allow residents easy access to the Gulf of Mexico and multiple bays and can accommodate large offshore boats. Caracol residents also have the convenience of tying off their boats right outside their homes.

“We designed Caracol with the deep-sea fisherman in mind,” said Rob Fondren of Trend Development, Inc. “Our close proximity to deep waters make Caracol a highly-desirable location for the serious fisherman.”

Caracol is located in a historic area known for its inshore and offshore fishing. The waters just off the shores of Port O’Connor are teeming with red snapper, king, ling, tarpon and jack fish. And further offshore, the deep water abounds with sailfish, tuna, dolphin, wahoo, and the much sought-after blue marlin.

As a result of its reputation for world-class fishing, Port O’Connor is home to the Poco Bueno fishing tournament, the number one offshore fishing tournament in Texas. Each July Port O’Connor is flooded with hundreds of fisherman who participate in the competition.

About Caracol
Caracol is a premier, master-planned community located in Port O’Connor, Texas. Upon its completion, the canal community will feature 74 home sites that range in lot widths from 40 ft. to more than 100 ft. Prices begin in the $100,000s. Plans for a second phase of Caracol feature a mid-rise condo community situated on a marina.
Caracol is a joint development by Trend Development, Inc. and Forestar Real Estate Group. For more information about Caracol visit www.caracolcoastal.com.

About Forestar Real Estate Group
Forestar Real Estate Group Inc. (NYSE: FOR) operates in two business segments: real estate and natural resources. The real estate segment owns directly or through ventures about 373,000 acres of real estate located in ten states and thirteen markets in the U.S. The natural resources segment manages about 622,000 net acres of oil and gas mineral interests, sells wood fiber from its land primarily located in Georgia, and leases land for recreational uses. Forestar’s address on the World Wide Web is www.forestargroup.com

* High-res renderings available upon request.

Trend Development and Forestar Announce New Residential Community by the Sea

admin — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:59:36 +0000

HOUSTON, TX (November 19, 2007) – Trend Development, Inc. and Forestar Real Estate Group are pleased to announce the grand opening of Caracol, a premier master-planned community located along the Texas coast in Port O’Connor.

Bounded by the Intracoastal Waterway, Caracol is located in an historic area known for its inshore and offshore fishing, shelling and birding. The new development features 74 home sites, 70 of which are canal-front where residents can tie their boats off right outside their homes. Caracol’s canals offer residents easy access to the Gulf of Mexico and multiple bays and can accommodate offshore boats.

“We are excited to bring this unique community to the Texas coast,” said Rob Fondren of Trend Development, Inc. “Port O’Connor has been a favorite vacationing spot for my family for years and I am excited to share it with those who have a similar love for coastal living.”

Inspired by coastal beach villages and exclusive canal communities on the Florida coast, careful consideration was taken in the design of Caracol. The gated entryways, brick and concrete-paved drives and lush, tropical landscaping compliment the region’s architectural heritage and natural beauty. In addition, architectural controls have been set into place to preserve the community’s casual, yet upscale lifestyle.
Home sites begin in the $100,000’s and range in lot widths from 40 ft. to more than 100 ft. A welcome center is located onsite and is open seven days a week.

Plans for the second phase of Caracol, feature a mid-rise, condo community situated on a marina.

* High-res renderings available upon request.

Trend Development and Forestar Celebrate Opening of New Residential Community on the Texas Coast

admin — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 18:02:58 +0000

Trend Development Inc. and Forestar Real Estate Group recently held a grand opening celebration for Caracol, a premier master-planned community located along the Texas coast in Port O’Connor, Texas. Kay Love, who traveled from Austwell, Texas to attend the event, was the lucky winner of a $100 gift certificate from Frontgate. Rob Fondren of Trend Development presented Love her prize.

*High-res photo available upon request.

Grand Opening Event This Saturday for New Coastal Community in Port O’Connor

admin — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 18:12:28 +0000

WHAT: Trend Development, Inc. and Forestar Real Estate Group will hold an event to celebrate the grand opening of Caracol — a premier, master-planned community located along the Texas coast in Port O’Connor.

WHEN: SATURDAY, JULY 14
10 A.M. – 4 P.M.

WHERE: Caracol
Port O’Connor, Texas
2nd & Intracoastal

WHAT ELSE: Located in a historic area known for its inshore and offshore fishing, shelling and birding, Caracol features 74 home sites, 70 of which are canal-front where residents can tie their boats off right outside their homes. Caracol’s canals offer residents easy access to the Gulf of Mexico and many bays and can accommodate offshore boats. Lots begin in the $100,000’s.

The event will feature prize drawings, children’s activities, refreshments and guided boat tours of the surrounding bays. For more information about Caracol and its grand opening event, visit www.caracolcoastal.com.

Caracol to Pull the Plug on Development’s Canals

admin — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 18:15:41 +0000

PORT O’CONNOR, TEXAS (September 6, 2006) - Centrally located on the Texas coastline, Caracol is a sophisticated community offering gated streets, and direct access to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico.

Designed by Wilson Miller, a world renowned planner, featuring architectural and design guidelines that protect the integrity of the community, and offering the ability to dock an offshore boat at your own back door, Caracol can be compared to famous, exclusive gated communities in Florida, California, and the Bahamas.

Located in Port O’Connor, a small coastal community famous for its quick access to the Gulf, Caracol is an easy drive from San Antonio, Austin, and Houston. Perfectly situated for both bay and offshore fishing, this masterplanned community offers canal living, gated concrete streets, tennis courts and beautiful landscaping. Future phases include proposed condominium sites, a marina, & swimming pools. Residents will find a level of sophistication and luxury that has yet to exist on the Texas Coast.

This Thursday, September 7, 2006 Caracol will officially “Pull the Plug” and let millions of gallons of water rush into its 6 canals. The arrival of Caracol will usher in a new era for Port O’Connor and Calhoun County. Dozens of spectators are expected to attend the private party surrounding the event to christen the community.

Caracol is a joint project of Trend Development, Inc. and Forestar Real Estate Group, each of whom bring unique strengths and a local Texas perspective to the development. Trend Development, Inc. is a small privately held, Texas real estate development group, with multiple large-scale projects throughout the State in various stages of development and construction. Trend Development, Inc. is known for being uniquely agile in the development arena. Forestar Real Estate Group, with offices in Atlanta, Austin and Dallas, has been in the real estate development business for nearly a half-century. Forestar and its affiliates currently have over 70 projects in eight states and 11 markets, including all the major markets of Texas. Forestar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Temple-Inland Inc., an Austin-based Fortune 500 company.

Editor’s Note: For more information on Caracol, or for photos of the project, please visit the Caracol website at: http://www.caracolcoastal.com.
Contact:
Lauren Brindley
(713) 623-2466
Email: lbrindley@trenddevelopment.com

SOURCE:
Trend Development, Inc.