Corpus Christi, Port Aransas and Rockport/Fulton after Hurricane Harvey

Three months after Hurricane Harvey made direct landfall on these sweet Texas Gulf Coast Beach towns there has been great progress but so much is still to be done…

Texas is just one of those amazing places… the people here have an indominable spirit and a determination that is unique, fiercely independent and solid in their pride and love of neighbor. They will recover but even in the great state of Texas things take time.

Rockport/Fulton was ground zero for the initial impact and landfall of Hurricane Harvey. There is evidence of this in the debris that is everywhere. There are piles of what was once someones home or business and destroyed buildings on virtually every street.

Services like FEMA are still greatly needed and local Texas companies such as HEB are pitching in. They are a big Texas presence and much appreciated along with so many other charitable organizations. Their help will be needed for quite a while. Schools and many town services still don’t even have an estimated date for reopening.

Above are some photos of a grocery store, an office with papers and files still intact but no longer any outside walls, and what was once a quaint seaside motel that has been completely destroyed and yet the local brochures for visitors still remain in their spot even though nothing else remains.

Mother Nature is an interesting gal. She always amazes me as I notice what she choses to destroy and who she choses to spare. This apartment complex left is totally destroyed and right next to it across the same street are colorful beach homes that look virtually untouched.

This is their little downtown. Stores are opening and things are coming back to life slowly but surely.

In order to get to Port Aransas from Aransas Pass you can take a car ferry ~ They are free and you might just see a dolphin or two chasing the boats as you cross…

Port Aransas is a popular seaside town located on the barrier island of North Padre. It is all about the beach, amazing seafood restaurants, fishing and fun. Hurricane Harvey hit them hard too but they are recovering a bit faster…

They are rebuilding and plan to be ready for summer and maybe even spring break.

Good news… The Crazy Cajun is open for business! Blue grass and crawdad/shrimp boils spread out on the table with only a mallet for silver. Gulf shrimp are the best!

North Padre Island is a barrier island off of the coast of central Texas and it runs all the way to South Padre which is off of the southern most tip of Texas near Brownsville.

The northern most portion is Port Aransas (Port A to locals) It continues on to Mustang Island State Park and the Corpus Christi side of the island.

It is a beautiful beach… As a former Cape Codder and a girl who spent over a decade in Southern California I can honestly say that it has its own charm. I think that it gets discounted because folks have a hard time imagining that Texas could possibly have such pretty beaches.

These photos are of Bob Hall Pier on the Corpus side of North Padre. Things are better for this part of the island. They still are working on a few oceanside hotels but Corpus Christi and the beaches are in great shape.

Mile markers are placed every tenth of a mile and there are several entrances onto the beach…. You can drive for miles and it’s a lot of fun!

This section of beach was repaired by the end of the week and then they are on to the next section. They know what they are doing when it comes to hurricane damage. It’s not Texas’ first hurricane rodeo… lol.

BTW… this is a Portuguese Man’O’War and very, very dangerous. We did see a couple on the beach. They do occasionally wash up on shore so be careful if you see one.

This was the view from our balcony at sunrise… We slept with the doors open and the sound of the waves all night long. Pretty nice for the first week of December…

Island businesses like JB’s German Bakery are all open and surprisingly, many received only slight damage. This place is wonderful and a must stop for fabulous pastry treats.

Corpus Christi is back entirely! It is a beautiful city and one of my favorites. I visit annually and have for many years. I was happy to see that everything in the city was as it should be. Port A is getting there too and should be back by summer. Rockport/Fulton though, still needs help and prayers…