Hurricane Nicholas hit Surfside Beach directly, his eye wall hitting us with gusts up to 100 mph. He was a small storm among hurricanes, but we are a small community on an island barely nine feet above sea level on average. The surge clawed away at the dunes that had begun to heal from last... Continue Reading →
Caring for Surfside: A few simple steps
Here are some things I’ve learned since I began volunteering/working on the beach. There are wonderful people in the world who want to protect natural resources like the land and the animals that use it.There are wonderful people in the world who take time out of their day to protect/preserve the land and the animals... Continue Reading →
Hide and Seek: Beach mysteries and COVID-19 vulnerability
The beach holds mystery in its tranquility and wildness. Things are hidden and revealed in unending cycles. There is vulnerability in these cycles. The water rolls and churns, clears and clouds. One minute it shows you the diaphanous form of a jellyfish in a swell, the next, that translucent threat has vanished and you wonder... Continue Reading →
Winter Beachin’
A dense, soaking fog. A burst of camphor from the dunes as winter takes an intermission and allows a misty, warm morning: this is the lead-in to a cold front, but as warm as it is, high 70s, one would be forgiven for thinking it is spring if not for the faded grasses and flowers.Winter in... Continue Reading →
Of Biting Bugs and Gopher Wood
Nature does nothing uselessly. -- Aristotle Southeast Texas Salt Marsh Barrier islands in the United States are typically backed by marshland. The marshes have their own magic and sometimes standing on the edge and looking out over the wide stretch of grass and calm, shallow water is as mesmerizing as staring at the sea. Unfortunately,... Continue Reading →
Welcome to Surfside Beach, Texas
I am finally getting a moment to bring this blog to life. We have lived here since April of 2018. I'll begin with reposting my original page on the topic of this move (found here on my writer's site, Scribbling by the Bayou.) This new site will focus on the nature (both literal and philosophical)... Continue Reading →