An Inviting Blue Sky Is Uninhabitable—Observations From Galveston, Texas

Here are seven contradictions, of varying degrees, from the Friday afternoon I spent today 50 miles from home in sunny Galveston, Texas.

1. Some of the nicest days to go to Galveston, in late October on a weekday when it is sunny and maybe 80, are past the summer beach season. These days are not nearly as busy in Galveston as a 97 degree weekday in August when it is many regards awful outside regardless of being at a beach.

2. At certain spots on Galveston Island, you can look one way and see a nearly empty ocean. But then all you have to is turn your head to see busy shipping lanes and a huge petrochemical area.

3. The most inviting features of a nice day at the ocean, a wide blue sky and sparkling sea, are in fact mostly inaccessible and fully uninhabitable.

4. The water looks blue from a distance, but appears gray the closer you get.

5. You think the water itself is gray, but really it’s not. 

Today at the beach you could look down from a vantage point of just a few feet, and see clearly the mud beneath the water. Most days in Galveston you can’t see the bottom. Today though, the tide was so calm that not much mud was being stirred up.     

6. It looked like I was alone, but I called a number of friends while I was walking along the Seawall. 

7. It looked like I had all the time in the world, but truthfully I have many things to get done.  

A day in Galveston is excellent. There is a lot of history in Galveston. The Strand is not fully annoying as shopping goes.  

Galveston is a relaxing place. It’s especially relaxing on a quiet weekday.   

I’ve got some good photos as soon as I load them in the computer. For now a Wikipedia picture will have to suffice.