For years I have gone down to Galveston Island annually just to visit the beaches and ride the ferry. I mean how can you live this close to the Gulf of Mexico and not go to the beach at least once a year? Last year in 2008 I didn’t make it. What with the vacation up in NC and there abouts then hurricane Ike. The island did not allow non-residents access for a long time. And so we went for my birthday, the weather was not the best in fact it was very overcast and somewhat sprinkley and coldish. They are rebuilding but there is still a lot of damage. Complete shopping centers are shut down, blue roofs everywhere, piles of rubbish and several lookie-loos like us.
The big fishing pier on the seawall was gone, in fact all the fishing piers and the dikes made of granite boulders were gone-save one. The water was choppy and the tide was coming in, we took a few photos and talked about how it was before. There were trucks where they shouldn’t be. Can you see the pickup truck stuck just past the little red shack on the washed out pier.
The big fishing pier on the seawall was gone, in fact all the fishing piers and the dikes made of granite boulders were gone-save one. The water was choppy and the tide was coming in, we took a few photos and talked about how it was before. There were trucks where they shouldn’t be. Can you see the pickup truck stuck just past the little red shack on the washed out pier.
Over in the Strand district they had a water line mark on the buildings, as we stood at street level the line was probably 14 foot high. Some of the shops were open with a few wares to sell. There was a Civil War reenactment group making a dry run rehearsal for the Dickens on the Strand event that happens in December. The Elissa was open for tours and we had not done that before so we did this time. UTMB (University of Texas Medical Branch) had to shut the doors, the damage was too extensive and thousands of people lost their jobs. Not to mention the ones that lost work because of the closed business.
Boats where they should not be
Boats where they should not be
We took the ferry over to Bolivar Peninsula, it is kinda hard to describe…
Missing houses, subdivisions, people; there are still missing people presumed drown.
Most of what was standing is not habitable and a few were being worked on.
The ride was mostly silent as we were struck by the devastation that is still so evident after Ike.
On a happy note: so far so good on both the PADs (poem/photo a day) challenge
4 comments:
Incredible, the damage that storm brought, isn't it? Here's hoping the people who call that home are able to rebuild, resurrect a life from the aftermath.
Peace.
Wow. I loved Galveston when I visited a decade ago. So sad. Like New Orleans. Great pics, btw. Peace, Linda
The day the hurricane blew in I listened to a man being interviewed. He and his eight year-old son were staying in their home to ride out the storm. I wondered, at the time, what kind of parent would dare risk his child's life. I've wondered, often since, if they made it.
Sad. Nothing here is permanent.
We went through hurricane Katrina (MS gulf coast which was extremely damaged). I can so relate to these pictures which, I'm sure, don't show the magnitude of the destruction. We still have slabs, abandoned buildings, washed out roads, businesses that are gone and not coming back and it's been 3 years now. We learned a hard lesson that year...you don't fool around with Mother Nature.
Post a Comment