Bolivar Ferry Gibb Gilchrist In Houston Ship Channel Boat Yard For Work—Free Ferry Is Socialism

Where are boats in the Bolivar Ferry fleet sent when they need maintenance or repairs?

From the picture above that I took last week, I’d say they go to a boat repair yard in the Houston Ship Channel.

Above you see the Bolivar Ferry called the Gibb Gilchrist in a boat repair yard in Houston Ship Channel.

The Gilchrist is the yellow boat in the middle of the picture.

The Bolivar Ferry runs from Galveston Island to Bolivar Peninsula. It is a “free” service run by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Where are the cries of socialism?

I thought a real Texan could cross a few miles of Galveston Bay on his or her own and without help from a meddling government.

Where are the citizen-volunteers to fix the boat, instead of the tab taxpayers are no doubt picking up for whatever work is being done?

Here are facts about who Gibb Gilchrist was from the excellent Handbook of Texas Online.  The upshot  is that Mr. Gilchrist was once President of Texas A & M.

The Bolivar Ferry is a great ride. You can walk on and take a round-trip that will run about 50 minutes. You’ll see big ships and you might see some dolphins.

While you are riding the Bolivar Ferry, you are using a taxpayer-provided government service that enhances the common good.

Two Ships

Two ships—One of the Bolivar Ferry boats and the other a big Carnival Cruise ship—passing each other yesterday in the Galveston Ship Channel.

Ships can pass in the day as well as in the night.

Escape Hatch

I’ve got a busy day ahead.

So please allow me the escape hatch of telling you that this brief entry is all I have time for today at the blog.

The escape hatch is from one of the Bolivar ferry boats that travel from Galveston Island to Bolivar Peninsula.

I’ll be back on-board tomorrow with all the blogging action you’ve come to expect.

Thanks for reading Texas Liberal.

Vending Machine Theft—Who Is Most Likely To Steal?

These are two soda vending machines at the Bolivar Ferry terminal in Galveston, Texas.

I was not certain if they were caged in to prevent people from busting them open and taking the money, or to prevent the machines themselves from being stolen.

It did appear there was enough room through the bars to stick you arm in and buy a drink.

The Bolivar Ferry is a free service of the Texas Department of Transportation that somehow escapes Tea Party/Republican Party accusations of being a socialist front.

In the case of these machines, it seems a concern is that people might steal from government rather than the often heard lament that government is ripping off the people.

What To Do When Visting Houston For The Final Four—Some Excellent Suggestions

The college basketball Final Four will be played in Houston. The event begins on Saturday, April 2 and ends on Monday, April 4.

(Above–Basketball. Here is a useful history of basketball.)

What should folks visiting Houston do while in our city for the Final Four?

I have some suggestions.

1.  Thank every person you see in Harris County for helping to pay for Reliant Stadium. Even if the money comes from car rental and hotel taxes, it is still money that belongs to the people of Harris County.  Our county has a big budget shortfall right now that will involve vital services being cut. Still, even if some folks can’t  get mental health counseling anymore , we at least have plenty of taxpayer subsidized sports facilities.

People at the games are free to start chants in favor of socialism as they enjoy the Final Four.

2. Arrive in Houston early and attend the Harris County Green Party fundraiser to be held at 8:00 PM on Thursday, March 31 at Bohemeo’s. Bohemeo’s is located at 708 Telephone Rd. in Houston. We deserve other options than just the two major parties.

3. Visit our newly renovated Downtown Houston Public Library. The library had plenty of books for you to read.

4. April 4th marks the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King. ( Please click here for the best Martin Luther King Reading & Reference List on the web.) The well-known Rothko Chapel features a sculpture outside the building that honors Reverend King.  The Rothko Chapel is located at 3900 Yupon Street.

(Below–Rothko Chapel. Photo by Argos’Dad.)

5. Drive 50 miles down the road and visit Galveston, Texas. There is a lot of history in Galveston and there is plenty to do. Galveston is working to recover from Hurricane Ike and your visit will be most welcomed. One of the very best attractions in Galveston is the free Bolivar Ferry. This boat trip runs about 25 minutes each way between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula.  You can park the car and walk on board. Or you can drive on and explore Bolivar.

(Below–View from the Bolivar Ferry. Picture taken by myself.)

The Bolivar Chamber of Commerce thinks the ferry is wonderful. I’m glad to see this Chamber favors the Texas Department of Transportation money that keeps the ferry free to all.

In any case, provisional on your ability to drive in a civilized fashion if you are renting a car, and contingent on your willingness to tip well given that you have enough money to attend these basketball games, welcome to Houston.

There Is No Oil In Galveston Or Anywhere On The Texas Coast And You Can Visit These Places—-Tell Them A Texas Liberal Sent You

Is there any oil from the Gulf of Mexico/BP oil spill and disaster in Galveston, Texas or at any Texas beaches?

No.

(Above–A picture of a ship I took while riding the Bolivar Ferry across Galveston Bay.)

There is no oil in Galveston as of the evening of Thursday, June 24, and there is not expected to be any over the upcoming weekend.

Please do not cancel your trip to a Texas beach because of the oil spill. There has not yet been any report of oil on a Texas beach and no such report is expected at this time.

Please know that I’m an Obama voter who wants America to move to the left.

I care about the people who work in tourist -related jobs on the Texas coast and I care about small business people on the Texas coast.

Visit the Texas coast this weekend and tell folks that a Texas liberal sent you.

Here is information about visiting Galveston.

Here are links to some towns you can visit on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Since It Is Snowing In Cincinnati, I Am Taking A Boat Ride

When I woke up this morning, I thought I’d be catching a plane to Cincinnati. However, my flight has been delayed a day due to snow in Cincinnati.

Having a vacation day in front of me but with no plane trip to take, I’ve driven 50 miles south to Galveston.

In the picture you see the wake of a big ship. I took this picture from the Bolivar Ferry. The Bolivar Ferry runs between Galveston Island and Bolivar Pennisula.

Sometimes things work out well even when what you had planned must be changed.

Sanko Bright—A Ship In The Ocean

Above is a ship called the Sanko Bright. This ship is registered to Singapore.

This picture was taken in Galveston Bay last week from the Bolivar Ferry.

According to the world ship registry, the Sanko Bright is a crude oil tanker.

Here are photos of the Sanko Bright in different places around the world.

The Coast Guard put out a press release involving this ship back in 2007—The Coast Guard medevaced a crewman from an oil tanker in the Galveston Fairway anchorage off Galveston, Texas, this morning. A watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Houston/Galveston received a call for assistance at 6 a.m. from the captain of the Sanko Bright, a 783-foot oil tanker, reporting one of his crewmembers was having difficulty breathing and his face was swelling. The Coast Guard patrol boat Skipjack was diverted from patrol to medevac the man.  The boat arrived on scene at 7:19 a.m. and crewmembers went aboard the tanker to assess the man. The Skipjack transported him to the Coast Guard base in Galveston, where awaiting emergency medical personnel transported him to the University of Texas Medical Branch, also in Galveston.

I hope the crewman was okay.

Though the ship is supposed to be from Singapore, it is owned by a Japanese company—The Sanko Steamship Company.

 A book I read about global shipping is The Outlaw Sea by William Langewiesche. The book talks about ships with poor safety records and about tax avoidance and poor regulation at sea. Here is a review of this book from The National Sea Grant Law Center. 

It is fun to see big ships in the ocean, though I do feel they should all be regulated and that the people who own the ships should pay all taxes due.

This is why I am hoping to be appointed Czar of the World’s Oceans by the United Nations. I will keep my readers up to date on my quest for this title.