Finally, after a long hot day in the car (how do you Houstonians survive the summer?) we arrived at
Galveston Island just in time to take a sunset stroll along the beach. Despite warnings from well-meaning ne'er-do-wells, who foretold of wrecked beaches and disastrous conditions at the site of
Hurricane Ike's wrath last year, the beach was in fine form. In fact the crowds this year far exceeded our previous visits!
There were definite signs of damage, from beach houses down the west side of the island missing great chunks (if not swept away altogether) to the hotel on the pier closed down in a shambles (Melissa always thought that was a bad idea)! But for the most part, hotels, restaurants and sundry businesses along Seawall Blvd. were open and thriving with tourists. And despite heavy surf (the
red flag flew the entire time)the beach was teeming with people!
The beach was our main attraction and so we spent every morning and evening frolicking in the surf (as best we could) or playing in the sand. Cassie laid traps for unsuspecting beachcombers to fall into, but alas was foiled by the incoming tide and falling into her own traps!
I am a testament to modern day sunscreen. After three days of "fun in the sun" I did not return to the Sooner state as a lobster. And despite the red flag warnings by the lifeguards, no one was drowned or dragged out to sea. The surf was definitely a force to be contended with, though. If only any one of us knew the first thing about surfing. We had to be content with flopping about the saltwater surf in floaty rings! I swear I totally tubed one awesome wave, though, dude!
