On to Galveston

From New Orleans we drove along bayous crossing the intra-coastal waterway several times until we reached Lake Charles.

We didn’t actually get to do much in Lake Charles as during the night we ended up under a tornado watch which was a bit scary and the next morning we were under a severe thunderstorm watch.   Somehow a trip out into the swamps and bayous to visit a nature reserve didn’t seem like a very good idea!

The next morning we left Louisiana behind as we headed for Texas and Galveston Island.   Our route took us along bayous on the edge of swamps and down to the Gulf of Mexico.
  

We stopped at a country store along the way where I learned that people thereabouts swim in the rivers.   When I asked about alligators I was told that ‘the ‘gators don’t bother ya much, leastways not where the boats usually go’!   I mean, alligators don’t bother you much! and don’t usually! go where the boats go!!!!   I think I’ll stick to swimming pools!

Following the Gulf we drove through Port Arthur, where we took the road out to the Bolivar Peninsula, before driving once more along the Gulf, where we boarded the free ferry to Galveston Island.

The Gulf of Mexico along the Bolivar Peninsula.

The free ferry to Galveston Island.

There wasn’t too much wait for the ferry on the Bolivar Peninsula, but on the Galveston side it was very busy.   Our hotel was mid-way across the island and right across from the beach where it was much quieter; we had a great view across the Gulf.

The view from our hotel.

In the harbour there were quite a few different types of oil rigs ready to put to sea, at night we could see rig lights out in the gulf, they’re drilling for oil and natural gas.

One of the rigs in the harbour.

We took a trip around the Ocean Star Drilling Rig, a decommissioned oil rig, it was really interesting.

While we were in the harbour area this lovely ship was setting sail.

One thing we discovered was that at one time Galveston was a major port of entry for immigrants from Liverpool and Western Europe, we always assumed it was Ellis Island in New York.

When we visited Moody Mansion we discovered that some of the historic houses were built from limestone and bricks used as ballast on ships from Liverpool.

Moody Mansion.

The storms were still lingering in the surrounding areas, but the weather while we were on the island was mostly lovely, although when we paddled along the beaches rough seas had washed up an odd dead fish and Portuguese Men O’War, which while they look pretty have horrible stingers even when they’ve been beached for a while.

We had a great time in Galveston.

Have fun, we are!