NEAR PORT MANSFIELD - A group of fishermen said their weekend adventure turned into an expensive nightmare out on South Padre Island.

Alfred Voegtle along with his friends decided to go fishing early Sunday morning near the East Cut Jetties.

“I bought bait, started driving up beach access 6, we entered in and we start heading north,” he said.

Voegtle said they drove along the shore for 25 miles until they got to a popular fishing spot directly east of Port Mansfield.

When they arrived, he said their vehicle got stuck in the sand.

“We spent a good three and a half hours to four hours to dig out our buddy’s truck. Getting underneath it, jacking it up, and putting what ever under the tires. Really trying to get traction to get ourselves out of there,” he said.

Voegtle said their cellphone service only allowed them to contact 911.  He said the dispatcher couldn’t connect them with any towing service. However, they sent a company out to the place.

A-Pro Towing, a South Padre Island towing company, had to make two trips to find them. They sent out two vehicles to get the job done.

The owner of the company said the truck was pulled out of the sand by 9 p.m. He said he had to travel 45 minutes west beyond the East Cut. He said it tends to be marshy in that area.

According to the owner, the bill was set at $3,500.

“We did give them a heck of a discount. Any regular company is going to charge $6,000 to $7,000. This is not a tow. This is a recovery,” he said. “The roads are extremely bad. Sand is extremely soft. In some of those marsh areas, it’s like quicksand.”

The owner said the high price is the sum of the nine hours they spent out on the beach. He said people need make sure they have the right truck and right tires for tough terrains.

“You might come to a point where you’re not going to recover your vehicle, and your vehicle is going to stay out there,” he said.

The bill has not been paid. The owner said the towing bill is currently being disputed by both parties. He said he’s filed charges against the person he pulled out, claiming the client stole services.

There is a group in the Valley that can help a driver get back on the road or to a safe place. The RGV Mud and Sand Recovery Group provides free services to anyone in need.

Recovery member David Floyd said the group helped stranded drivers in some of the major floods that hit Weslaco last year.

“If you’re even broke down on the side of the road, if you need a jump, your tire fell off, we’ll go out there and we’ll help you free of charge,” he said.

Floyd said people can reach out to them through their social media group. He said someone will get in contact with the person to help them in their situation.