Epic Roadtrip - Galveston

Fish swim in aquariums at the Rainforest Cafe in Galveston on Monday, July 19, 2010.



photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com


See a larger version of this slideshow.

Fayrouz Hancock visits the Moody Gardens Aquarium and enjoys dinner at the Rainforest Cafe followed by coffee on The Strand in Galveston on Monday, July 19, 2010.

Tropical Storm Edouard hits

A monument to the victims of the Storm of 1900 stands on the Galveston Sea Wall as swimmers mock Tropical Storm Edouard in Galveston on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008. The storm's eye came ashore near High Island, Texas in Galveston County.

photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com



Swimmers mock Tropical Storm Edouard in Galveston. Some flooding is expected throughout the region as the storm moves further inland.


Many businesses remain closed as Tropical Storm Edouard blows through Galveston.


The Robert C. Lanier ferry of the Texas Department of Transportation's fleet continues operations across the Galveston Bay during Tropical Storm Edouard.


Flags struggle to stay attached in Tropical Storm Edouard's winds at an RV Park near Rollover Pass in Gilchrist.


Gulls fly backwards in Tropical Storm Edouard's winds as an RV Park near Rollover Pass floods in Gilchrist.


Carol Vidrine holds her head as several feet of water flood her home in Gilchrist during Tropical Storm Edouard.


A beach house is isolated by floodwater as Tropical Storm Edouard continues in Gilchrist.


Wooden lawn objects and a dock wash through a Gilchrist neighborhood during Tropical Storm Edouard.


Gilchrist neighbors Curtis Morgan (left) and P.J. Vidrine (right) swap tales during the tail end of Tropical Storm Edouard.


Timmy Daigle rides an all-terrain vehicle through his neighborhood during Tropical Storm Edouard in Gilchrist.


Gilchrist neighbors P.J. Vidrine (left) and Curtis Morgan (right) examine wreckage from a beach house balcony during the tail end of Tropical Storm Edouard.


Timmy Daigle (bottom) checks on his neighbors Carol Vidrine (left) and her mother Juanita Hall (right) during Tropical Storm Edouard in Gilchrist.


Curtis Morgan sits on the side of his hot tub and waits for waters to recede during Tropical Storm Edouard in Gilchrist.


Entergy employees Terry Phillips (left) and Alvin Sullivan (right) work to restore power during Tropical Storm Edouard in High Island. Thousands of residents were left without power in Jefferson and Chambers Counties. The storm's eye came ashore near High Island, Texas.


Please also see Calm before Edouard.

Calm before Edouard

photos © Mark M. Hancock / ZUMA

Maintenance worker Rickie Mosley installs storm shutters on a rental property in Galveston in preparation of Tropical Storm Edouard on Monday, Aug. 4, 2008. The storm is expected to hit Galveston County on Tuesday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.


Maintenance worker Rickie Mosley (left) and resident Anthony Kennison install storm shutters on a rental property in Galveston.


Flowers grow in the dead air near the Flagship Hotel in Galveston as Tropical Storm Edouard grows in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center has issued a Hurricane Watch from West of Intracoastal City, La. to Port O'Connor, Texas.


Miguel Tecuanhuey of San Antonio makes the most of the waves in the Gulf of Mexico near Galveston Beach.



A dog retrieves a ball from the Gulf of Mexico on Galveston Beach as Tropical Storm Edouard starts to show in Galveston.


Lauren Bronstein, 15, (clockwise from top, left), Spencer Hoffman, 14, Hannah Hoffman, 12, and Briana Bronstein, 11, play on Galveston Beach.




(above) A gull rests as anglers fish on a jetty near Galveston Beach as Tropical Storm Edouard approaches.

(left) A man rides a unicycle along the Sea Wall in Galveston.



Texas Department of Transportation ferries continue to operate on a calm Galveston Bay as Tropical Storm Edouard approaches Galveston. The main shipping channel was closed to tankers.


Daniel Munoz boards up his bicycle and surrey rental shop on the Galveston Sea Wall in preparation of Tropical Storm Edouard in Galveston. The storm is expected to hit Galveston County on Tuesday morning.

Please also see Tropical Storm Edouard hits

Wish you were here

A Texas Department of Transportation sign in Shenandoah warns motorists on Interstate 45 in preparation of Tropical Storm Edouard on Monday, Aug. 4, 2008.

© Mark M. Hancock / ZUMA


The storm is expected to hit Galveston County on Tuesday morning as a Category 1 hurricane. The National Hurricane Center has issued a Hurricane Watch from West of Intracoastal City, La. to Port O'Connor, Texas.

Please also see: Calm before Edouard and Tropical Storm Edouard hits.

Egrets, I've seen a few...

... but in the end, I shot them my waaay...


Two great egrets trade places on a tree at Smith Oaks bird sanctuary in High Island on Friday, April 25, 2008.

© Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com



Families of great egrets nest on a tree at Smith Oaks bird sanctuary in High Island.

Smokin' shark

© Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

Anglers pose with a shark caught during a chartered fishing trip on the Fisherman's Wharf in Galveston on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2006.

Rollover Pass needs funds

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Lacy Wallace of Anahuac (left) talks with Jack Reynolds of the Gilchrist Community Association (right) at Rollover Pass in Gilchrist on Friday, April 25, 2008. Reynolds is trying to get new members to join the non-profit Gilchrist Community Association.


Brothers Terry Baughn (left) and Charlie Baughn (right) fish at Rollover Pass. The non-profit Gilchrist Community Association pays $1,051 each month for sanitation and dumpsters. They currently only have enough funds to maintain the pass through the end of June. If funding isn't received soon, they may need to fence off the area to prevent the public from coming to the pass area.

Please read, "Rollover Pass might need to fish for funds to stay open" by Christine Rappleye.

Coastal flood watcher

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Buddy Self of Vidor watches as waves break over the end of Rollover Pass on the Bolivar Penisula on Tuesday, March 18, 2008. A coastal flood statement was issued for areas in Southeast Texas. The expected storm moved north and spared Southeast Texas while flooding areas in North Texas.

Reach for the sky

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Sabine Pass' Justin Nguyen (No. 3, left) and High Island's Miles Loop (No. 24, right) battle for a pass during a high school football game in High Island on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007. The homecoming game was the first played on the field since Hurricane Humberto. It was played during the day because the stadium's lights haven't been replaced.

Hurricane Humberto slideshow

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

To make the show play better, CLICK HERE to view only this post.

Hurricane Humberto developed from a tropical depression into a strong Category 1 hurricane in 18 hours. Most Southeast Texas residents went to bed expecting a bad storm and some morning flooding. Instead, Hurricane Humberto hit hard and fast. For residents of High Island and surrounding communities it hit with unpresidented fury.

Luckily, there was only one hurricane-related fatality.

Tropical Storm Humberto

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Waves are stronger than normal on the Gulf Coast near High Island on the Bolivar Peninsula on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007. Tropical Storm Humberto is expected to make landfall overnight according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Humberto is expected to possibly make hurricane status before making landfall this morning somewhere between High Island and Sabine Pass. It is a slow-moving storm and is expected to bring between five to 15 inches of rain as it passes through the area.

Area residents are urged to avoid non-essential travel. Avoid underpasses and don't attempt to drive through water unless the road is clearly visible.

The Beaumont Enterprise will present up-to-the-minute reports on local conditions throughout Thursday. Please check the Web site as we'll be transmitting from the field and updating frequently. The photo staff will begin reporting shortly after sunrise (or light allows). The photo stream should begin about 7 a.m. Central Time.

The newspaper has developed Texas Hurricane News. It's a comprehensive site with checklists, evacuation maps, hurricane tracking maps, post-storm advice and other features. It contains useful advice for anyone living along the Gulf or East coasts. The NOAA color-enhanced Gulf IR images are updated each 15 minutes.

Lamar University, LIT and their affiliates are closed Thursday. Many school districts and businesses throughout Southeast Texas will be closed on Thursday due to anticipated flooding. Other school districts plan late openings or other delays. The newspaper is tracking school closings and road conditions on this page. Otherwise, please check your local school district Web sites for more information.

Good luck, stay dry and stay safe,

Post script: Humberto amplified from a tropical storm into a strong Cat. 1 Hurricane and hit five miles from where this image was made about 12 hours after the image was made.
 

Preparing for the worst

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Jack Kleinworth of Houston installs plywood over the windows of his beach house in Gilchrist on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007.


Jack Kleinworth of Houston sizes plywood for the windows of his beach house in Gilchrist. Although Hurricane Dean isn't expected to hit Southeast Texas, Kleinworth and many others along the coast prefer to be prepared for the worst.

Flash flooding

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

A truck turns from Highway 124 into the Market Basket parking lot in Winnie on Friday, July 6, 2007. Area flooding made several streets impassable in Chambers county.


Riley Thornton, 5, of Lufkin floats on his bodyboard over North Gayle Street in Gilchrist after flooding covered the Bolivar Peninsula street.



Vehicles take turns driving through clear passes on Highway 87 in Gilchrist after flooding covered parts of the highway. Area flooding made several streets impassable in Galveston County.

Tricolored Egret

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

A Tricolored Egret (right) begins to fly with a nesting stick as a Snowy Egret (left) rests at the Smith Oaks bird sanctuary in High Island on Thursday, April 12, 2007.

Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary video

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
Video © Mark M. Hancock / NewsEagles.com

I'll try to continue "Movie Mondays" and post a video each Monday until I get this VJ stuff figured out. Google uses .mp4 compression (5M vs. 129M files). The sound is good (use headphones), but the video doesn't compare. It's better than .avi, but it's nowhere near the original .mov. Soon enough, we'll be able to upload the full files in a matter of minutes, but this is where technology is today.

This video of the Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary includes images from earlier this spring. It's 2:12 long. Enjoy.

Bolivar batteries

A tour bus passes the retired Bolivar Lighthouse on Wednesday, May 23, 2007. The lighthouse is made of iron and was completed in 1872. During the Great Storm of 1900, the lighthouse saved keeper Harry Claiborne, his family and 125 people who took shelter in it. More than 6,000 people died across the bay in Galveston during the storm.

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise


Battery 236 remains chained shut to Fort Travis Park visitors at the tip of the Bolivar Peninsula. The batteries prevented Union forces from entering the Galveston bay system.


Battery Ernst remains off limits to Fort Travis Park visitors at the tip of the Bolivar Peninsula. The first military structure was built on the site in 1820 to protect the Galveston bay system from invaders.


The north entrance to Battery 236 remains chained shut to Fort Travis Park visitors at the tip of the Bolivar Peninsula. The batteries were available for residents needing shelter from hurricanes during the first half of the last century.


This is the final set of a three-part series on the Bolivar Peninsula preparing for its summer season. Please also see Bolivar beaches and Bolivar business. Please also watch the entire slide show. It lasts one minute.

Please see the YouTube version of this slideshow. Please set your YouTube viewer to 1080p to see the show in high definition.

Bolivar business

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

James Burch of Conroe Golf Carts delivers a shipment of carts to Gulf Coast Golf Carts on Wednesday, May 23, 2007. Businesses and residents along the Bolivar Peninsula are ready for Memorial Day weekend and the traditional start of the summer tourist season.


Chainsaw artist Kevin Kavanaugh works on one of his signature pieces at Tiki Loco in Crystal Beach. Kavanaugh sells his work from coast to coast.



Chainsaw artist Kevin Kavanaugh works on one of his signature pieces at Tiki Loco. Locally, his tikis are featured at the Beaumont Botanical Gardens in Tyrrell Park and at the Bolivar Peninsula Cultural Foundation art gallery.


Chainsaw artist Kevin Kavanaugh works on one of his signature pieces at Tiki Loco. Kavanaugh said most of his raw materials would have gone in a landfill if he hadn't rescued them for his tikis.


Chainsaw artist Kevin Kavanaugh works on one of his signature pieces at Tiki Loco in Crystal Beach. He's made and displayed hie art at the roadside location more than a year. Business has been good for Kavanaugh in Crystal Beach.



Latitude 29.2 owner Russell Standridge moves a box at the store in Crystal Beach. The store recently expanded an additional 4,100 square feet.


Kimberly Voigt (left) and Kim Hebert (right) prepare Latitude 29.2 for this weekend's business. Businesses and residents along the Bolivar Peninsula are ready for Memorial Day weekend and the traditional start of the summer tourist season.


Sarah Terry hangs clothes at Latitude 29.2 in Crystal Beach. The store earns 75 percent of its annual business during the summer.


Beach-themed items in all price ranges greet customers at Latitude 29.2 in Crystal Beach. The store carries items in all price ranges for all kinds of visitors.

This is the second of a three-part series on the Bolivar Peninsula preparing for its summer season. Please also see Bolivar beaches and Bolivar batteries (historical military).

  Please see the YouTube version of this slideshow. Please set your YouTube viewer to 1080p to see the show in high definition.