VERY BUSY BEACH WEEKEND

We have never seen the Peninsual as busy as it was this weekend. On the beach, the cars, traffic and beach-goers had to share space with the Sargasso Grass (sea weed, to most folks). We drove our "Gulf" cart a couple of miles on the beach last evening and - on the go, I snapped these photos:


Here is a sampling of the flags flying - and for sale.



Riding double of a calm horse on the beach. Can it get much better?



You see all types of beachwear.



Some of the better flag scenes.

Great kite-flying weather!



I never saw anyone either playing or signing up. Maybe the $500 was just a gag.



Some folks erected shades and screens for comfort.



I swear! We were traveling fast, in our beach cart.
I was amazed to see this shot, but it is not unusual!



It is wonderful to see so many families with young children
enjoying the sand and water.



There were many dogs accompanying their families,
but this one was the only one that posed for me.



Unusual to see these sand castles still intact, with so much traffic.

As far as the eye can see - more cars, more people, more pickups, more beach carts, more kids, etc., etc.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY MEMORIES

A Beach Wedding

I was out and about on my bike last weekend when I noticed some excitement in the neighborhood. Then I realized that what we had seen earlier on the beach was a filmy white "wedding ramada." So, I went to a vantage point about a block away to take photos. Alas, all I saw were two pickups blocking my view.

Not to be deterred, I walked down by the water to get a better view and I got several shots of the ceremony in process.

On any beach, you will have seaweed.

Not wanting to intrude, I quietly went my way and back home. Before I could find anyone involved, the wedding party and everyone who rented the beach house they were using had disappeared.

I see there was no shortage of cameras.

If anyone knows this family, please let me know so I can give them the rest of the photos I took on their special day.

HORSES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

The "Loping Ladies" from the Houston area were abroad on Bolivar Peninsula and on our beach this week. And we were honored to have their horses as well. Jean Meyerson, Sherry Solis, Judy Walls, Linda Bland, Holly Minshew and Sherry Purl brought their favorite horses down for a couple of days "R&R." They were joined (and intertained in her home) by Carly Markesich.



They traveled with four trailers.



These boots are for ridin'

These two dogs are never far from the action.



In the evening, the Loping Ladies gather round the campfire to relive their fun on the beach.

I have many more pictures of this fun group, but I'll save them for another time.

OIL

What does it take to put gas in your tank?

CARS

VANS

BOATS

 You find oil in various parts of the world - including Alaska and Texas (where these photos were taken).

It is pumped out of the ground - either from land or from water.

Pumping at Crystal Beach, TX

An oil field not far from our house in Texas.

We see this huge oil platform every day
on the Gulf.

Sometimes oil platforms need to be pulled in to repair.

It is stored in huge tanks.

These tanks are a few of many, not far from us.
The Gulf of Mexico and its coast is one of the largest oil areas in the world.

Behemoth refineries are built.

Refinery at North Pole, AK in 1975

Oil field on the North Slope in Alaska

The crude is put in pipelines.  (Below are pictures taken in 1974 of Five Mile Camp, one of the camps used in building the Alaska Oil Pipeline.  Rev. Gene Straatmeyer  was flown to the area as a chaplain to the pipeline workers.

Five Mile Camp
(5 miles north of the Yukon River)

This picture taken in 1975.

Trans Alaska Pipeline camp from the air.

Alaska Pipeline construction in 1975

The Trans Alaska Pipeline near Fairbanks, Alaska, 1975

Up hills, down mountains, around corners, below ground --
the pipeline is an engineering marvel.

2012 Oil tanker on its way through Galveston Bay.

A tanker like this - the Exxon Valdez -
caused the huge spill off the coast of Alaska .

BUT. . .

But, this is what happens to the Alastkan tundra during an oil spill.