All I really wanted was this beach. We ate and drank wine and shopped and wandered the streets but all I really wanted and all I really needed, was this beach.
Dogs, friends, a glass of wine and the beach = Bliss. You don’t have to have everyone you love in the same place to be happy. Just one happiness trigger will do it. And the edge of the world on a sandy beach is one such trigger for me.
Shrimp boats.
While we had the sun it was bright almost harsh in its insistence.
Later in the afternoon the clouds closed in but I did not care. I was at the beach.
Portuguese Man-o-War – is named for a ship full of men of war. Ships that crossed the oceans under sail in fleets of the thousands. They were designed in the 1500’s – I guess their canons were the sting.
The houses were all very pretty and some quite magnificent – the houses in Pirates Beach, where we are staying, were built from the 60’s on when the rules changed to allow development on this area of land up to the beach so most are contemporary in design.
Many of these tall houses on their sturdy poles are large and beautiful but it was the beach that we walked with great gusty breaths that held my attention, the pretty architecture was tended with the merest of glances.
There are quite a few bylaws. One such By law was interesting – all the houses have to be above the high tide a certain number of feet. Every time there is a storm the beach changes and if the tide decides to come in around the base of your home (and it did this to a row of houses built along the waterfront after Ike the hurricane in 2008) your home is now on State property and will be demolished. (It takes a good year of seasons for this decision to be made) as far as I can see there is no compensation. You just lose your house. The sea (aided by bulldozers) takes it’s property back.
This is a well-documented law and comes as no surprise to the homeowners. This is a volatile coast and the poles and storm shutters are a testimony to the storm readiness of the locals and visitors. I would say that no-one takes their presence here for granted.
Also all the houses have to be built on stilts – very high stilts too. I cannot find the exact height in my research but the nuber has changed over the years so as the houses get higher and higher off the ground the newer they are. I am going to photograph more of these houses for you today.
The house my friends own is set a ways back from the sea – it will never be in danger from the tide but it is storm ready. This is, after all, a Barrier Island and will receive the first hit.
Today my friends and their dogs and I will walk the beaches as often as we can and eat and drink and talk for hours as we have been, then later drive back to the city to go to the movies – I flyback to the farm tomorrow. It is still very cloudy, again no sunrise. But again I slept with the windows open in the night – listening to the rustle and call of the night birds against the backdrop of the confident all-powerful and insidious cat purr of the sea. She is a cruel mistress the sea.
As I write it is 69F/20C. Perfect temperature for wandering the beaches and bayous with all the Beware fo Snake signs.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Celi.
WEATHER in Galveston.
Sunday 03/04 20% / 0 in
Generally cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 76F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph.
Sunday Night 03/04 30% / 0.01 in
Mostly cloudy skies early. Isolated thunderstorms may develop late. Low around 70F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
WEATHER at the farm.
Sunday 03/04 0% / 0 in
Plentiful sunshine. High near 50F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph.
Sunday Night 03/04 0% / 0 in
Mainly clear. Low 31F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph.
The Kitchen's Garden 
55 responses to “BEACH”
There is nothing that puts me to sleep better than the muffled thunder of surf… Every word you’ve written about that beach, that feeling, resonates wonderfully. It sounds like my Happy Place. Let the sea wash away everything except the moment, leaving you clean, empty and strong, ready for whatever comes next. Peace, Miss C. We’ll see you again soon 🙂
Yes – I begin my weary journey backwards tomorrow – so I am thoroughly enjoying today!
I had to grin — one of my favorite places to birdwatch is at Pirate’s Beach — the LaFitte’s Cove Nature Preserve at roughly 11 Mile Road and Stewart Road. I don’t know exactly where you are, but I have a darned good idea. Enjoy that beach!
I am not sure where exactly I am either!!
I was looking forward to you getting to the sea.
I stayed somewhere like that but further east on the same coast – St. George Island in Apalachicola Bay. Tides aside, I believe new stilt houses are designed to be wind resistant in a hurricane and that the legs are set in a reinforced concrete foundation.
Yes – the winds must be incredible for them to make a law to get the houses off the ground.
Absolutely wonderful
it is isn’t it!
I love all these interesting places that I would never see without you. Blue bottle stings I remember well. Enjoy your last day at the seaside. Laura
We have blue bottles at home too but they are so tiny – these things are a good size – and scary
wow- I’d be building my home far from the shore. and the jellyfish is iridescent beauty
The portuguese man of war is a collection of small organisms within that blue balloon – they must be amazing to see floating about in the deep sea..
Perfect times. Beautiful beach. Enjoy every moment!
The best advice..
O the sea! I lived right on the artic coast for five years, and while it would freeze up in those cold dark bitter winds, my love for the sea when it was open was endless, I remember the first time I saw the coast in B.C. and then I have been up and load the West coast in the states, I have ridden horse’s on the sea edge. I have only been to a few beaches on the eastern coast of the United States (still to see the eastern provinces in Canada but my favorite sea time was in Norway.. it was brief.. only there for a week but it called me home in a way.. I loved that I got to stand at the same place as my great-great grandmother did..
Enjoy your beach and the call of that water.. Sounds like you are refilling yourself in a way.. Beautiful!
Very interesting about the poles and raising the houses, we had the same in the north, the houses are built on poles but not for the same reason, we had to live on the raised houses due to the perma frost heaving as the houses need to be able to move up and down to a point with flex and also because of the winds, they are built to sway when we get hurricane style winds..
Oh that is interesting – here iit is certainly for the storm winds but the frozen ground heaving a house up is interesting.
Only temporary….back to the farm tomorrow! i still do not know the cause that mafe you disappear to the sea side
I did not disappear – I brought you with me – as i said yesterday – I am on holiday with friends
Our trip this winter to the beach was a huge delight for this high mountain desert person. I enjoyed your trip. Thank you for sharing!
That’s what blogs are all about – sharing!
🙂
Sounds so delightful. So glad you are having this beach respite. What an amazing trip. I loved seeing the school through your eyes and perceptions too.
Yes – the school was wonderful for me too – had not been in an American school since the 70’s.
There is nothing like an ocean to sing to the soul. I miss the ocean more than I can say and have very little experience with it. I think it calls everyone.
Yes, I think you are right – it calls to us all … c
Reblogged this on Ancien Hippie.
the light is more intense here in south Texas, I guess. Soak up as much as you can!
It is brighter – I think – but maybe it is just seeing the full sun after so long/ I don’t know
I hear you. Two of my last three days I managed to walk on a beach, two different locations. Heaven. Our dog Diesel loves it too. Imagine Boo and Ton there!