i have so many wonderful memories of Crystal Beach. my grandparents had a beach house there. like 4 or 5 houses from the shore. back in the day it was like only one. when i was younger it was just their "beach house" but when they retired the moved there. it was such a beautiful place. i loved how they had millions of shells as the decorations outside. still to this day i haven't seen a bigger collection!! probably many of you have the same feeling with your beach house. when i was a baby crystal beach was the first beach i ever went on. that beach will always be my "home Beach"! i loved that town! it was cozy!! i can remember my papa taking me to the pool were they had a water slide. i cant remember the name though. i can remember all the huge bond fires and the fishing and oh running through the hot sand(who like to walk with shoes in the sand) to get back to the house. and OMG the wonderful smell of the ocean. and all lil frogs in the summer :D i cant even try to type all my fond memories of that place but they will always make my heart warm when i think of them. as i got older and moved out of state i didn't see them as much. and several years back my grandparents sold their house there.(thank goodness they weren't there during ike) which at the time was so sad to me. one reason was that was the only place in all my life that stayed the same. except when they remodeled it. it got bigger and it was PINK. i still laugh when i think of the color. haha one thing is for sure i will never find a beach house or a beach like crystal beach!!! i hope one day that town is brought back to life like it once was. so can take my husband there.. all of your stories are BEAUTIFUL and TOUCHING!!!! hope you all hold onto them and never forget!!

My father bought 2 lots on the beach side road (not too far from Hwy 73) for $250 a lot on Stingeree Rd! He built the camp in 1957. I was 5 yrs old. We went every w/e, vacation, when school was out winter, spring, summer and fall! We were good friends w/the Mabrys(who live in Beaumont)the Peccorrinos who lived a couple of streets behind house and just about everybody in the town of about 500 people @ that time. He taught me how to fish in the Galveston Bay(I am a great fisherman for a woman!); when I turned about 11 my aunts gave me the keys to their cars & that's where I learned how to drive because they had like 1 sheriff from Galveston; the post office was very small; we had Swede's, Land Marina stores; a big store between Gilchrist/Caplen (Claude's/just remembered)can't remember the name we used to go to; once i got around 12/13 I still loved to fish in the boat but I was boy crazy & I would get all my g/f's & cousins & we would walk 2 miles from Stingeree Rd to Swede's. After my dad died, Lucius Cappel in 1986 my mother really couldn't afford bills on 2 houses but after she saw how much it hurt me she decided not to sell it. When my mother Blanche Cappel died in 1992 my adopted brother didn't even ask me if I might want it or split it, etc. because he liked fresh water & had a camp @ Toledo Bend. I guess it was a good thing though because I remember the ins was soo expensive, then u had to had catastrophe ins, pay Galveston taxes & school taxes, so anybody that had a camp there new how expensive it was. So he sold it for a ridiculeously low price!One major memory (one of the few million!)was when Crystal Beach got cable! I think my father was the first in line since he had just retired; then they starting building the big supermarket, Annette's Liquor Store(we lived across the hwy from it)a bank, a huge post office, what gets me our camp survived Hurricane Carla and Audry w/hardly no damage! I haven't been down there but everybody I've talked to told me it's not there anymore!After my brother sold it, it was very hard to even go by the camp! I will always treasure ALL of the sweet memories !Like going down the beach road before it closed & stopped @ the Breeze Inn right on the beach, OMG I can't believe it's gone now! My dad got the creosole pilings from Sabine Pass in 1956 because they had torn down a building & he got them for free. He never built on the other lot. He would plant a small garden there. If ur parents had a camp there when u were like my age(5 yrs old)sometimes I didn't won't to go fishing; we'll if u went down there as much as we did u would know that's where u launched boats, it was a bite shop on the bottom, and the people (who I can't remember their names for the life of me)would keep me there & feed me coke's, and whatever I wanted in their bait shop! I have soo many memories of all the fantastic times there I know that it I went to c if it actually was totalled my memories would be ruined! Guess thats why I haven't went around at all! But if anybody had a camp on Stingeree side real close to the the highway & u might c a cam; st\rt@ this e/mail address . I miss the came soo very bad just like everybody else pls get in touch, pls. Well felt good to vent ! Everybody take care & @ least we all have great memories.

I just finished reading your story about Seahoose on Crystalbeach.com. It breaks my heart to know you have lost all of your possessions, but I have a smile on my face from reading about your wonderful memories. I spent many a summer camping there at Rollover, usually by myself. About the only thing left now is the light pole I camp under on the northwest corner. I haven't been able to make my yearly trip down there for a couple of years, but am hoping to do so this year. I would always come down to be there on June 6th. That was my Love's birthday. He introduced me to the area nearly 15 yrs. ago and I had a ritual of throwing a bouquet of flowers in the out going tide to float out to sea.

I have told many about my camping trips and they would always ask "weren't you afraid", because I did do it alone. NEVER, because the people who lived there, are/were some of the best people on the earth. I have ever intention of coming that way again this year, if only to toss my flowers. The Lord willing I will be able to do just that. My prayers go out to EACH and EVERY one of you as you continue to rebuild.

My name is Tiffany Wied-Lawrence. I grew up in Crystal Beach. I lived there until I was 13. Me, my brother Greg, my grandparents, and my dad who recently passed away loved living there. It holds a very special place in my heart. That is the place where I learned so much of what I know today. Its where my grandmother lived until the day she died. I couldn't have ever imagined spending my youth anywhere else. I remember going to Bolivar Elementary and all of my favorite teachers. I will never forget them. All of my great friends I had when I was there are all memories I will always have. I miss being there. I really hope everyone is doing ok under the circumstances. I know the peninsula will rebuild and be better than ever. Thats how Texas is, nothing is gonna bring this state down. I am praying for everyone there.

Our family has spent many summer vacations on Bolivar and Crystal Beach. What great times we have had and hope to have again. The tranquility of the beach - time stood still- no running from place to place- just coasting on the coast. The people, the gulf and just being there with our boys, nieces, sisters, spouses and special people----always special times! It wasn't the houses, it was the place!

May Crystal Beach rise again and remain the tranquil restful place it has always been.

Our prayers are with the citizens that have made this their home for their hearts and homes be made one with their own piece of paradise.

Our first trip to Crystal Beach we had the families of 4 out of 6 of Mom's kids all sleeping in one large room in a cabin we rented. It was the 4th of July, we enjoyed fresh shrimp, fun pool games at the local pub and fine dining. The water was like bathwater, I don't think I got out for at least 4 hours. The sand is perfect for building sand castles. The pelican's flew so low I thought they were going to snatch my small child. At night we watched the moon rise out of the ocean. We saw something electric in the water, they would light up when touched, I think they were Man O War?? My mother went out after storms to find perfect seashells she would collect for her Grand babies. I read daily about the progress and ambition of the people on the pennisula working towards providing memories for the generations to come. I am sorry for the devastation you all have endured.

God BlessTexas!
Still Missing My Mom, Kind Regards, Kris in Arizona Nov. 14, 2008

May I add our sentiments about Crystal Beach and Bolivar Penninsula..........I am 72 years old and as far back as I can possibly remember, thoughts about this part of the world flood my mind. I really appreciate the thoughts of many that promise that we WILL bring this area of the world back into our lives. I, too, am sitting here crying my eyes out..........reading the different individuals' determination to REBUILD! Hey, my prayers are with you and I know that you will all succeed. My brother, Gordon Engelmann, and his family built a darling beach house in Sandy Shores and they have shared it with ALL their relatives and friends. For many years, every October, he filled the house with kin and for a whole week he hosted a reunion (complete with a pontoon boat for fishing.........he knows all the "good" spots and shared this knowledge with all of us...........even "captained" the boat! Provided the rods and reels and then filleted them when returning to the Cabin.........then, many times cooked what we had caught. Hey, those good memories can NEVER be erased............He did all of this having overcome Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Cancer..........Many, many friendships were formed and I, like many of you, look forward to going back to that part of the world as soon as is possible.

Everyone is right who has mentioned the "release from stress" found at the beach. We SHALL return!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pat (Engelmann) Harmon

crystal beach oh crystal beach memories from my early days in nicu in utmb in 1982 till now in 2008 a homeowner in the best community crystal beach but in between a place we visited on a regular basis starting with aunt re renting a beach house an us visiting till the next summer us getting our own an from then mom (melba) would plan the dates to rent when aunt re would so we would all be together renting trough sweades usually a house called endersen was my mom favorite an the last she stayed in before passing in 2004 an me an my husband started renting from sweades july the 4th of 2000 (when i got pregnant) an continued renting from sweades until we had a home built in june 2008 (our dream home) named MAYDAY we only got to spend 3 short months but great ones to us we spent all day sept 11 boarding an packing up everthing in the house an in wee hours of the 12 th we left water was coming under the house we started down hwy 87 toward high island we seen many cars washed of the road along the way we were driving in 3an 4 feet of water a times trying to get out we were about 2miles from high island when the trucks in front of us washed of the road so we had to turn around not knowing what to expect we were just praying to god we had just got right past rollover pass when the water got so bad we had to get out of the truck an leave it behind an get in a very big monster truck an said good bye to our new truck an all so said bye to our house while driving past for the last time because we knew at this point ike was going to be bad because it was still 13 hours before it hit we finally made it to the school where there we waited to hear what to do the coast guard come an started getting people my husband an 3 kids were first to go an the coast guard said they would be back so we all waited an waited an finally several black hawk helicopters landed the wind had got bad coast guard was unable.well this is about all my memories of crystal beach/galvaston but we are already in the progress of seeing what to do to rebuilt bigger an better.

I am so sad that all of those beautiful homes and most of Crystal Beach is destroyed. When I get online and look at the pictures I cry. My family and I along with My Aunt Darlene and her family, had just had our summer vacation on Crystal Beach this past August 2008 and we stayed in the Parson’s Porch, on Noisy Waves Drive and it is gone now. We have beautiful pictures to remind all of us of our great time there, but it’s not the same knowing we can never go back to stay there. One of the memories we had was the owners of the home had a sign in guest book in the house where you filled out your best thoughts about your stay there and we all filled out a page in that book and now it is probably washed out to sea. My family and I have stayed in so many places on Crystal Beach over our years and we will miss going there while it is being rebuilt. It is so sad for so many people to lose everything they had and have to start over again. My family & I wish everyone all the best and may the LORD be with you all in these hard times.

My heart is heavy for all the people on Crystal Beach. We discovered Crystal Beach just a few years ago, and I was looking forward to spending our 25th wedding anniversary there next summer. It really saddens my heart when I look at the pictures of the destruction left behind. I’ve been to other beaches, but I felt most at home at Crystal Beach with my fellow Texans. I pray God’s blessings, comfort, and peace over all of you.

My parents, Ron and Wanda Boughton, owned a home in Crystal Beach, until my mother's death a few years ago. My father was a shrimper of the waters of Galveston Bay, among other things. My mother worked until her retirement for American General Insurance (I think) in Galveston. They lived full-time in their Crystal Beach home. By the time they moved there, I was already off to college so I never had the chance to reside in that beautiful place. But, especially after I had children of my own, we would often go there to visit my parents. One of our favorite things to do was to go out on my dad's shrimp boat with him as his "deckhands". After a full day on his boat catching lots of shrimp, we'd pick out the best to take home and then we'd sell the rest. Once we got home with our fresh catch, my mom and dad would fix a wonderful shrimp meal. I used to laugh that Bubba (of Forest Gump fame) could have taken a few lessons from my dad.

My dad would also take us down to Rollover Pass to do some fishing. We caught some great fish over the years, but it never really matter to me if we caught anything, because it was so beautiful there, that was enough!

One of my most favorite things about my time in Crystal Beach was being able to see all the wildlife, especially the birds - spoonbills, flamingos, herons, and so many other water birds. I thought of them so much as the Hurricane approached and passed through. I thought, what will become of the birds? Will they be able to get to safety? And, will their habitats be destroyed?

Now, my dear friends, John and Rebecca Sealy own my parents' property on Diamond St. They have the land, but everything else was, pretty much, destroyed. They told of being so excited, a day or so ago, because they found a box with some important papers in it. Imagine if that is all that remains of your home. I know that so many of you that own property in the area can relate and may have experienced similar losses.

I pray for my friends, John and Rebecca, and for all the other wonderful people who lived or vacationed in Crystal Beach. This is a huge loss for so many. Crystal Beach will, forever, hold a special place in my heart! I hope that, someday, I can go there again and get the chance to experience the beauty of Crystal Beach and Bolivar Penninsula.

May God bless each and everyone of you who has experienced so much beauty and who have also lost so much.

The stories are many and where to start are hard to choose, but the memories we shall never forget. Our beach "home" was right in the middle of the exciting time of the Seahoose area, my mother "Cottage By The Sea" had to be the best site to view some of the grandest times of the season, from the Fourth of July fireworks to the Christmas lights display, did not matter you were always treated with fond memories...I will always remember my dad (Joe) going around and mowing everyone grass for free, just because it looks nice... Of course in later years my brother charged for the services. Remembering all the deck parties where Earl & Mike, the Motley's crew, Becker's would share their latest creation of food...I remember Earl eating all the fruit salad up and demanding the recipe (it was the rum, Earl)…oh how can you replace all of that...I know that my mother may not return and our land may belong to the sea, we shall remember and love all of the memories that are left... Thank you Tom and your family for keeping mom up to date and sending the mat back to her…she now has it in front of her door, to reflect on...this last Fourth of July party at the Motley's and walking over to the Seahoose to have Earl lead out in the pledge will always remain close to my heart and I shall never forget.

"Thank you for the memories".

I feel like I've lost a very dear friend whom I've loved for many years. My grandfather built a beach cabin on Pompano Street off of Swede's road more than 50 years ago. The little cabin has remained in our family for all of these years-until the year 2008 and now there is nothing left of it except the wonderful memories that can never be erased from my heart and mind.

I have pictures of my grandparents in their swimsuits on Crystal Beach, with cars from the 1930's in the background, pictures of my parents in the fifties looking like Frankie and Annette, pictures of me and my friends on my sixteenth birtday, my high school graduation, and pictures of my own children playing in the surf.

Crystal Beach was a magical place for us. My cousins, my brothers, parents, aunts and uncles…we spent countless weekends down there shrimping, fishing, the girls laying out getting baked by the sun, playing football in the backyard, bonfires, cookout, fish fry's, etc.

I've been to Florida beaches, and they are beautiful with their white sand and clear water…but the feeling I got from driving to the beach cabin, getting out of the car, feeling the tropical breeze, hearing the Seagulls, and just breathing in that wonderful salty smell, so distinctive, so relaxing, I always felt like I was home. I have never felt that at any other beach…and I wonder if I'll ever experience that again at my beach.

We have been going to Crystal Beach for 30+ years. We have loved the Bolivar Peninsula and the people that lived there. There is something magical about the area. We certainly hope that it can be rebuilt, so we can all share memories again.

I am a BOI from Galveston and i spent countless summers going to Crystal Beach. I spent Birthdays with friends and family eating, drinking, and playing games on those beaches. I can remember when we would go hop on the ferry just to ride back and forth for fun. Even when i was a little girl my dad took my entire girl scout troop on the ferry and then to the Beach to try and find as many different sea shells as we could find. We glued then to card board and put sand in the bottom with a beautiful beach picture in the background and that was a Christmas gift for our mom and dads. I went down there about a week ago and all i could do was cry. I know you will rebuild. I want my children to experience the beach and people that i enjoyed there. I lost so much in Ike just as everyone else did but i can't help but feel fortunate to have the opportunity to rebuild. My office and myself are willing to volunteer to help in anyway. If you are organizing something please call us 281-221-6066. My thoughts and prayers are with you and i hope to see your beautiful beaches clean again so that i can take my children to visit them. God bless.

We finally achieved our dream in March 2006 when we bought our blue cabin on Crane Lane in Holiday Beach. Chris had spent summers at the beach since the mid-1950's when her parents built their cabin on Magnolia. Billy became part of the beach family when they started dating as teenagers (one of the reasons I married her was for times at the beach!). We got to enjoy the beach with four generations of our family the last three summers at our cabin. The family looked forward to the Fourth of July reunions with gumbo and fried shrimp, fireworks, crabbing on the jetty, kayaking and fishing, etc, etc. Our grandchildren live near Fort Worth. Our 6-year old grandson loves to come to "the ocean" as he calls it. His 3-year old sister wanted to come to our "blue house" not the "brown one with the yellow dog." We lost the cabin to Ike, but the kids are already planning its revival as soon as it's possible. The memories are there and they'll continue.

My family and I have been fortunate to have been able to rent a cabin from some very dear friends of ours for as long as I can remember. "Our Cabin" as we called it was very near the Seahoose on Shady Lane. We spent many a holiday there and many a summer. The cabin felt like our home away from home. We couldn't wait for Friday to come so we could pack up and head to the beach. Some of our extended family would come up on Saturday and we would enjoy barbeques, horseshoes, building sandcastles, looking for beach glass and just relaxing. I have cried many a tear since Ike roared in and broke a lot of people's hearts. Even though "Our Cabin" was not really ours, we felt like it was. We always made sure it was as clean when we left as when we got there. I hope that one day the devastation will be just a memory and good memories will be made again. The "Beach" is something that everyone that lives in this area knows and loves and I know that it will come back - stronger than ever.

My heart goes out to all those that have lost something or someone in this terrible tragedy. God Bless each of you.

We're just broken hearted over the damage to Crystal Beach. Growing up in Nederland, Crystal Beach (not Galveston) was considered "our beach". When we were young, McFaddin was the place you went with your mom and dad. When we were teenagers, Crystal Beach was the place you wanted to go without your mom and dad! As we got older and had a child of our own, Crystal Beach was the place that we returned to as a mom and dad - with our own family. My son is three years old and for each of those three years, he has been to Crystal Beach at least once. We started a family tradition of renting the same beach cabin (Street's Retreat - now completely gone) w/my sister and her family on Mother's Day weekend. We will forever cherish our memories of Crystal Beach. All those pictures of the beach that are posted on the web don't show me a place that is lost forever - they show me a place that is waiting for the people who love it to return. The people of Bolivar Peninsula are in our thoughts and prayers.

Our family has enjoyed the beach all our lives. As a child we went down to my grandmothers beach house. Over the course of my childhood my dad built few homes in Emerald Beach II. We would make several trips to the lumber yard / hardware store. My sister and I would collect aluminum cans on the beach to make money to go down the waterslide. We were there all the time. This was the waterslide on the hill across from Emerald II. We were there for hours and just about every day we were down there. I remember catching a baby alligator in the slue (sp?) in the neighborhood and letting him go after we took pictures with him. Riding the horses on the beach was always fun. We have many memories to cherish from building it to my father’s 67th birthday party there. It was a place he loved. He was nearly 68 when he passed. I am lucky enough have been able to share these memories and make new ones with my child. Almost 3 years ago the family homes were sold and from what I understand the home are no longer. But Crystal Beach will be special to me and to others. God Bless the people who lost homes or had damage. Crystal Beach will rebuild better than ever.

Like so many others in southeast Texas, I have wonderful memories thanks to all the times spent at Crystal Beach. I was 13 the first time I experienced staying in a beach cabin. A friend from junior high school invited me to her parent's cabin in Emerald I. I was hooked! Since then, my family and friends have rented too many cabins to remember. Looking back, I wish I had kept a list of them all. But the times shared are etched in my memory, which is what "going down to the beach" was all about. I was blessed this past summer in that I was there for mother's day weekend and then my favorite time of all - July 4th. This year was the beat ever. For the first time in years, we were all together- my children, grandkids, sisters, nieces, nephew, mom, and several friends spent the week having so much fun! Who could have known what would happen a short two months later? As many people have expressed, we always felt like Crystal was ours. And that it would always be here to enjoy. When the news came of the devastation caused by Ike, my 11 year old grandson called me. He asked me " What are we going to do? The beach is gone." I told him that it would never be gone. My heart goes out to all of you who lost your "beach cabins", as we visitors called them. Just know that your grief is shared. Thanks to you, we have a lifetime of stories to tell.

My brother and I just had a 50th anniversary party for our beach house in May. Our parents built the house in 1958 and we wanted friends and family to join in the celebration of many fond memories. We had over 40 guests who enjoyed the fellowship, food, and the tropical music of a steel drum. We're so thankful we had the celebration in May, and not in September, our alternate date. Part of our house is gone, but not the memories of the past 50 years.

I hope to one day take a trip back to paradise, because that's what Crystal Beach is. Me and my family went on a short trip to Crystal Beach a week before hurricane Ike. That was our first time out there. We stayed in one of Swede's Rental called "A brand new View". I had so much fun enjoy every second of it. So I hope to go back soon.

I just wanted to say firstly what a wonderful web page! I am so happy to have found it. I am supposed to be working, but I started surfing the net because I’m just so saddened by the devastation left by Hurricane Ike on the Bolivar Peninsula . I just can’t believe my eyes when I see the pictures! It saddens me beyond belief! I haven’t been to Crystal Beach in about 4 years now. The last time I went, well I went with a friend to High Island (a couple of years ago), but of course I live off of 45 South at W. Bay Area Blvd. So I took 45 to the Ferry and drove through from that direction. Had I’d known it would be the last time I’d see the island for a while in such beautiful condition; I would have slowed down and drove down the beach for a while or got out and walked around. I spent many times down at Crystal Beach in my younger years and I always loved to go there. Lately though we just decided to start going over towards Surfside – which is wonderful too – but again just looking at the pictures I am just so heart broken. I want to say my most sincere thoughts and prayers are with you and everyone whom resided on the Bolivar side! I pray that any missing person no matter where they are from (Bolivar, Galveston , etc) are found alive and well soon! For those that stayed for whatever reason and lost their lives fighting that hurricane may they be now be in everlasting peace in a beautiful tranquil place such as the beach! This just breaks my heart! I know of one family on Crystal Beach whom lived there and lost their home too, but thankfully they evacuated and are safe in Port Arthur . I must go for now but will most definitely regularly check your page in the future.

I would like to end this message by saying that my greatest hopes and dreams are that Crystal Beach (Bolivar, Galveston and any place else affected) will be back soon one day and when it does – I feel it will be stronger and more beautiful than ever before! I definitely plan to visit often again! There is so much more meaning to islands now after braving mother natures fury, with the memories of the past, whether good or bad, home is where the heart is and there is no place like it. What a beautiful place to live on such as the shore!

Just wanted to say I am remembering all suffering in prayer. I pray you get your place back! Don't know anyone, just wishing for better times for us all. God Bless, Elizabeth

We had 8 good years at Chrystal Beach. We owned & operated T Js Grocery at Emerald Beach #1. We donated hundreds of dollars to the volenteer fire department & loved each & every one of you. We are so sorry this happened to you all. TJ would have kept the store opened til the last minute & we would probably waited too late to leave. He always wanted to help as long as he could. God Bless each & every one of you & best of luck. Gene

I still can't get my mind around the loss of the homes on Crystal Beach. I have never owned a home there, but as a kid my best friend Lisa invited Annette and I on her family vacation every year. They rented cabins from Swede's for a few years and then her parents, John and Lou Leonard, bought a home. I can't even begin to explain what the beach means to me. I can only say that when times get tough, and I'm being pulled in all directions on the verge of a meltdown, I long for Crystal Beach. My soul is calmed and I'm able to get perspective.

I know Crystal Beach will rebuild. I have been going to Crystal Beach for 40 years, because the beaches were so much nicer than Galveston's, and the crabbing was fabulous. My children have been going with me since they were born. The very best friend in my life, Janet Kimmons, and I met in Conroe, started telling stories to each other, and it turned out she had a weekend home on Crystal Beach. She and I used to roam the beach, furnishing our homes with the flotsam and jetsam that always turned up on the beaches. (just in our minds, you know). Two weeks before Ike hit, my oldest son Robby and my two grandsons, Chase and Chance rode the ferry over from Galveston to play on the beach and go crabbing. I am so glad that my grandsons got to know the joy of Bolivar and Crystal Beach before Ike.

I know that Crystal Beach will come back, better than before.
God Bless

I just recently camped at Rollover in the motor home. I fell in love with the place and the very next weekend came back with my girlfriend in a tent and a truck. We spent the entire weekend catching fish and soaking up the rays. I am so glad that I was able to do that before the devastation. I will always have that memory.

My grandparents raised me at Crystal Beach every summer. I have woderful memories of my grandfather taking me to the end of the beach in his cushman scooter to look for the best sea shells. We would go through the zoo and look at the hippies, and then on Sunday collect the bottles they would leave behind and go the the store and buy candy. My grandfather is 95 years old and drove from Beaumont every week for 49 years to check on his house or mow the grass. You always knew he was there if you saw the flying red horse flag flying. My heart goes out to him and all who lost their homes. God Bless you all.

Dear dear Families of Crystal Beach, My heart goes out to all of you in this terrible time of shock, desperation and recovery of whatever you might find left of your priceless possessions collected over a few years or a lifetime. I have been keeping up with Crystal Beach through bulletins received nightly via e-mail on the progress and although it is slow, some of you are muttleing through better than I would have, had I owned a home there. In a way, my (our) family feels a kinship of sorts to all of you. Vacations past, from 1985-1995, with a couple of years missing we vacationed on Crystal Beach, in several different subdivisions. It's like we've known a part of ya'll personally for a small time and therefore we are a part of your tragedy. It hurts us, too. My 3 kids spent 7 or 8 days of the summer on Crystal Beach with fond memories, our whole family would meet there. It was great!

It breaks my heart that some of you may loose your beach front property. I know the rules, our family talked for years about buying a house (beach front). That was always the big draw back. Since, my family was originally from Miami, Florida, I was familiar with Hurricanes, so I knew what they could do so, I sure didn't want to invest in a beach front home. It would have been a nice dream when there were no storms tho.

I would like to list the years, homes and additions we were welcomed into:

YEAR, ADDITION, HOUSE
1985, TIDELANDS, BROOKS CABIN
1986, CLOON, NICOLE # 5
1987, ?, TANTILLO
1988, TIDELANDS, SMITH
1989, SANDCASTLE, BOULTON
1990, EMERALD II, #47
1992, CLOON, NICOLE # 4 & 5
1993, PRIVATE BEACH, GABRIELLE
1995, CLOON, NICOLE # 4 & 5

I can't begin to thank any of these families for letting us rent their homes for the 5-7 days, that we did, even though it was a business arrangement, it was still opening their home to strangers and a leap of faith if you will, for us, the renters to take care of their possessions for said time, while we played in their paradise.

Thank you, thank you, thank you !! We did take care, we were responsible and we enjoyed every minute of every day we were there. We hope you are able to rebuild. We are hoping and praying for all of you.

Thank you for all the sunsets, sunrises and sunburns. Good luck!!

My family has spent several weeks every year at Crystal beach. My little girl grew up in the sand practically. My little boy only had a small taste of our wonderful beach as he is just now 7 months. But the picture I have of him from just this July 4th brings tears to my eyes now. God Bless everyone who has lost their homes and I wish to someday visit our "home away from home" and have my babies roll around in the sand as they should do just like their mommy and daddy. We send our love and condolences to all the family's who have lost everything. We pray to see you at the beach again in a few years.

My memories start in the 6th grade when I met my first best friend. She was lucky enough to have 2 beach houses (her parents and her grandfathers) and I was lucky enough to get an invitation every weekend that they went! Crab Festival weekend was the best, almost as if it was the kick off to summer party. Then we got older and were able to drive down every Sat/Sun to “cruise” the zoo. When we graduated from high school, when everyone else was planning trips to Europe or Mexico, my group of 7 girls headed down to Crystal Beach for a week before all heading off to college. That was probably the last night we were all in one place.

I continued to enjoy the beach when my boyfriend's (who would become my husband) mother would get the occasional rental every summer. We had so much fun playing horseshoes, crabbing or just reading a book. And the weekend would never be complete without a trip to the Stingaree for some good seafood and of course a Stingarita. They will get you every time!

My dad was never one for the beach, more of freshwater guy, so it was a huge surprise for everyone when he started renting a place down there and then eventually bought and then built his retirement home. My favorite times with him have been just the two of us walking on the beach, beer in hand, searching for sharks teeth. He always won for the most and the biggest tooth found. I can’t imagine how many are laying on the sand from the storm ready for the shellers to snatch them up right now.

I was planning a trip to the beach the weekend that Ike hit. I am sad that I will never again see that beach the way I grew up with it. But I look more forward to the day that I get that beach weekend back and of course one more Stingarita!

Hey everyone! My family's had a beach house in Holiday Beach for the last 37 yrs. I can remember playing hide and seek with my cousins in the sand dunes and as I grew up, I was able to sit on the porch and watch my own children play on the beach( no more dunes like there used to be) and just have a place to go to find serenity. It just devistates me that there's nothing left of our house and my heart goes out to all the people it has affected. I teach Dental Assisting in Austin and I am collecting donations at our school of clothing, bedding,toiletries, first aide items, etc... The response has been wonderful so I was wondering where to donate these things and make sure that they go to the people of crystal beach instead of some third world country. Our family home is gone and I don't know if we will or can rebuild. But, I have strong ties to Crystal Beach and want to do anything I can to help. Good luck to you all and God bless.

We stayed at Crystal Beach in July off of Gulf Shores. We stayed at the Mac Shack. We had a great time and our kids loved it. We planned on making it a yearly vacation spot. Everyone we met were so nice and hospitable. If any has info on the Mac Shack or pics of the Gulf Shores area. Please send to me. We would love to get in contact with the owner to see if we could help in any way. Anyone with any information, please reply. Audra.Hollis@parkinfusioncare.com

First I would like to give my blessing to all that survived the terrible man named IKE. Everyone that has ever visited Crystal Beach fell in love with it, so the ones that lived there have suffered deeply...beyond words. God bless all of U...and God bless crystal beach. It is a place so beautiful, so peaceful, that only having ever been there could ever describe.The most wonderful people U will ever meet....and they are what made the beach so perfect. The beach is so beautiful ,and provided some of the most wonderful times in many peoples lives, and will again. We stayed in the most wonderful beach house....the Third Wish...the Sandpiper division. It brought me the most wonderful times of my life. All the family would get together and spend a week there, some of the most wonderful Easters we ever had. I would like to thank the owners of that most beautiful place. U got there and U felt like U were at home. I have tried to see the spot where it was but can't seem to see any pictures of the spot......Trinidad Ln. There is nothing in the world as calming as getting up in the morning..getting your cup of coffee and drinking it with Crystal...looking into her eyes....ohhhhhhhh so beautiful.The Third Wish was right on the beach....so she greeted U every morning with her song of the waves and the sea gulls...a memory I will never forget. My husband was not a beach person, but Crystal won his heart! Isn't that great! A lady U can share with...lol. I just can't describe the wonderful sunsets....the smell of the sea...the great walks along the beach...beautiful sea shells....all of this will be missed....but not for long! Crystal is a lady and a Lady she will stay......she will come back, and all the wonderful people are what makes her what she is. Both men and women and all the beautiful children....that is what made Crystal, and she will be made again.....and I only hope that God allows me to be a part of the wonderful place named Crystal beach. I would like to thank all the people of Crystal Beach for sharing their Blessing with me and my loved ones....special thanks to the Norris family...

Thank U God Bless all of the islanders......

I am absolutely devastated to hear of the destruction at the best beach on the Texas gulf coast by the hurricane. Crystal Beach has been the destination for fun for over 50 years of my life. As a child living on the coast, it was our favorite beach to frequent and I continued to enjoy that beach into adulthood. Summer before last I took my daughters and grandchildren to Crystal for a week and we made memories to last a lifetime. I will pray for all those who lost their homes and for a complete rebuilding effort.

Thanks for the memories.

Although the stark reality of Ike is hard to accept, the written memories bring some relief.

We have had our home on Fishermans Rd for over 10 years. What a sight the little house was at first, with its rusty tin roof and bare dirt floor under the deck. With a little love and care the "ugly duckling" eventually turned in to a beautiful swan. My parents, George and Joan McInvale are the original owners. My husband, Russell "Pops", and I eventually took the house over from my parents about 5 years ago. With our first grandchild being born this year, Russell and I were sitting on the beach this summer dreaming of the years to come - enjoying the thought of watching our grandkids running up and down the beach. We could just imagine our three seater golf cart loaded down with grandkids. This is what saddens me the most. But our dreams are not dashed, just delayed. We definitely plan to rebuild and are in high hopes that all of our neighbors will follow suit.

We have many wonderful memories some of which match the stories that have already been written by other families. It's funny how the beach stories all sound the same, full of fun filled days and nights. Everyone enjoying their stay, both young and old alike. One of our family's best memories however is the washer board competitions between not only family members, but neighbors as well. Sometimes, I didn't think the competition would ever end - not even 3:00AM rolling around would end a fierce battle between uncles and nephews. But nothing could beat just sitting in the swing under the house. The stories that were told sitting around that swing, most of which were probably more tale than truth, but oh would we laugh and laugh. Fishing is a big part of our memories as well. Russell and his friends can really fish'em up. Johnny McDonald, if you're reading this, Russell still plans to take you out on a good trip.

Until we build again, we will miss our neighbors -
Paul - thanks for being such a wonderful neighbor and friend and for looking after our place each winter.
Larry and Addy - we hope our washer competition days are not over.
Dennis and family - it will be awhile before the grass will need to be mowed thanks for all of your hard work.
Wade and Kay, Robin, Randy and Nikki, Johnny and Peggy and families - we couldn't have asked for better neighbors, thanks for putting up with our noise!

As I looked into my rear view the last time I left Crystal Beach I realized in our haste to leave that I had never made it down on the beach that weekend. This was of course before Gustav. After the storm hit and I realized we were spared I couldn’t wait to go back down. Then Ike hit. Now we are only left with our memories and what wonderful memories they are.

My parents built the house in the early 70’s and I can still remember our first night spent there, we didn’t have furniture yet and we were all in sleeping bags on the floor. The lights were out and my father whispered for us to look up at the ceiling and when I did I remember thinking “How did he get all of the stars inside our house?” He had the painters put glitter in the paint on the ceiling so that we would always be able to see the stars. That was just the first of a lifetime of beautiful memories that I have of Crystal Beach thanks to the hard work of my parents. They provided us with a home that was always filled with family, friends, and a lot of fun.

Earlier memories of fishing in front of the house, swimming with my Dad in the ocean, catching crabs, sitting on the swing and feeling the cool breeze from the ocean and thinking that there was no place on earth better than this. When my children were born I couldn’t wait until they were old enough to see the stars that Paw Paw had put up for them.

My hope is that we will have the opportunity to rebuild so that we can see the stars again at Crystal Beach.

July 4th beach week. Our families have shared many wonderful memories of Crystal Beach. The fire works are absolutely the BEST, sea glass, sharks teeth, sand castles, watching our grandchildren playing in the waves, shrimp boils, enjoying family time together. We’ve celebrated the last seven 4th of July’s with you all and look forward to many more. Crystal Beach is a very special and unique place to our whole family.

We’d like to say hello to the Hamilton family and wish them well.

my heart goes out to everyone. crystal beach is a very special place for all. i am looking for shots of the sandpiper sub division. trinidad ln...... the third wish.....anyone have any? god bless everyone

To The Town of Gilchrist and the People of Rollover Pass. I would like to say my Thoughts are with you and your families. I know the kindness and friendship your town had. All of my childhood memories and photos are of the Texas coast. I Love Gilchrist, and High Island most. I found inner peace and a safe zone everytime I walked these beaches. Most people find this in church but I felt these feelings on the beach. I walked many miles from Genies II to end of Texas with my father Leslie L Schmidt in total silence searching for that perfect shell or seabean.

The greatest gift Gilchrist ever gave me was a home (not just a Place to live) for my Dad after my mother passed in 1997 and you all welcomed and befriend him. Gave him life after my mom no words can tell you how much that meant to me and my sisters.

I knew some of your names and others by faces many of you passed before him like Jeni and Mike and many more who I only knew by face. My dad told me told me most of his friends had moved or died. But after going through his pictures and belonging I can tell he had a really great time and many more friends in your community than what I knew. My dad and I had a great time being apart of your community.

I really hope his friends Pat and Johnny are still out there and safe.

I miss my dad and the walks we had at the beaches and fished at rollover these things will never be the same for me. And I am glad he is not here to see what the storm has done. I believe in my heart the town will rebuild and we all will be back at rollover crossing our fishing lines and getting mad at those who really do not know how to fish. And at the same time loving every minute of it.

Again My heart and soul goes out to those on the coast.

I write to you with a sad heart. I am a Captain with the Los Angeles Swiftwater Team and we were flown into search Bolivar Island right after Ike hit. We landed in Blackhawks and Chinooks and searched the island for 2 days. Sorry to see the devastation but I know that this is a very special place and all of us rescue workers hope you will be able to rebuild your island soon. We arrived back home on Saturday Sept. 20th after 20 days in Louisiana and Texas. Everyone was very good to us and we will be keeping you all in our prayers. Best Wishes.

We have had a house in Sandy Shores subd. for 7 years, We live in Lake Charles and love to come to the beach. It will take some time to rebuild but, it will be back. The spirit and determination of the people will prevail. We are looking forward to making new memories in the future.

I have been enjoying Bolivar for all my life but most recently the last seven years. My parents, Robert and Mary Ann, had a beautiful home in Sandy Shores. I am the oldest of their five children and mom to three of their five grandsons who are now officially "beach bums." Needless to say, there was quite a group when we met there every holiday and just weekends we made a "holiday." With a family as big as ours, our beach house was the place to meet, play, relax, and make new traditions and memories. I hope that everyone will decide to rebuild our little part of paradise in Texas. We just weren't done making memories...

We have so many years of beautiful family memories of Crystal Beach, the "big store", Fourth of July that will never be replaced by any other place on earth. Some of our family members who no longer live in Texas and many who still live in southeast Texas can think of no other way of spending a Spring Break or Summer than by being by the water at Crystal Beach! We absolutely love every memory spent in the sand searching for sharks' teeth and seashells!!! And just relaxing and having the freedom to enjoy the luxuries of the fun Texas life!! Our sincere hope and prayer is that Crystal Beach will be better than before in the very new future! We are praying for all the people of Bolivar!

As all of you I have loved my time at Crystal Beach, the people I have met will always be friends. I am looking forward to the time when we will all be back . The Center people that I know are all here.they are: Suzanne Ihlo, Carol & John Rogers, Luke & Silver Motley, Wardlow & Linda Lane, Scott Watson, Evalyne & Top Hufferd. Lee & Chuck Lunsford.

We wish there were some profound words to say to all of you. That is not the case. Your community was healing for the soul. We hope and pray that you can rebuild your lives and souls as you have done for us. God bless and restore you all.

We are from Fort Worth and hope that everyone that lives on crystal beach is ok. It is such a wonderful place and will be back to visit soon. My husband and I are so glad that we got the chance to spend the time that we did there last October. We were going to spent a week this October but changed our mind to do a road trip instead, way before we know that Ike was coming. We will pray that Crystal beach will be able to rebuild and be better than before.

My fondest memories of Crystal Beach are the times I would camp out on the beach with my friends and have the best times ever. I would stay up late looking up at the stars and watching the barges and boats come into harbor and cross out in the bay. We would also rent beach houses on various parts of Crystal Beach and stay the entire weekend soaking up the sun. One of my childhood best friends had their second marriage/honeymoon in Galveston and then we stayed in a huge beach house located in Crystal Beach. That was such a great weekend to share with them. But the best part of getting to Crystal Beach was the ferry ride ranging from very short to very long waiting lines, but the wait either which way was well worth it in the end.

I have friends/family that live and work in the area, even own one of the local marinas/restaurants (Stingaree) and I am glad that they themselves were not hurt in the storm. My thoughts, prayers and love are with you guys.

I know that the Bolivar/Crystal Beach area has been hit hard before by other storms and as always would bounce back better than before. I know that this instance will not be any different than before. May god speed be with the residents and survivors and hope that they will return soon. Best wishes to all.

Where to start - We have so many memories of Crystal Beach etched into our hearts and memories! Even after all these years, I can't think about them without smiling, almost laughing….and now….crying! The first time we were invited to Crystal Beach was the summer of 1967. Our dearest friends Jim and Liz Osten Sanders said "come on down, doesn't matter what time you get in on Friday night, just come". We arrived after midnight to be greeted by the “Where You Sleep Map” taped to the front door and lighted by the porch light left on just for us! Little did this city girl know that you don't arrive at the beach with matched luggage and your "wiglet" case! Earl (BOP) Osten's favorite joke use to be - I love it Linder (my name is Linda, but the Osten's always called me LINDER) first time you came, you came with Luggage and your wig case ---next time you came - you came with two paper bags!"

How we laughed at Bop - always so full of life and always ready to cook whatever P. T. (Bob) might bring him from his hunts. Maybe a dozen quail, maybe a rabbit, perhaps a squirrel or a mess of fish - Bop would always say - "Bob, you bring it - I'll cook it" and many, many meals around the table filled with laughter and full tummies did we spend with that delightful family and their myriad friends and kin! Always, we were made to feel a part of that special group.

I don’t think I will ever forget the morning that the entire house (scattered over every inch of the floor, every sofa, every bed and anyplace else a person could possible sleep) was jolted awake by a blood curdling scream! As I opened my eyes, I saw a large, black cat flying across the room. Seems Bop had gone to the kitchen to make the first of many pots of coffee to be drunk while watching the sun rise from the balcony, only to have the cat jump from the chair to his shirtless back!…..poor poor kitty! We laughed until we hurt at this hulking 6’9” man with bleeding cat scratches on his back trying to explain why he had hurled the beloved family pet across the room.

We would all be sitting on the balcony, drinking coffee or tea, watching the sun rise, when the booming voice of Bop would yell “IT’S TIME, BOYS”. Out would come the 400’ seining net and every male in the household - tall ones (Bop was 6’9” and P.T. was 6’5”) walked straight out as far as they could go - past the sand bars- medium heights in the middle to keep net from flipping up and shorter guys on the shore - little guys searching for wood to build the fire for the fish fry! Then the tall guys started curving back into the shore hoping their catch was enough for lunch. As they net started coming in, the crowd started gathering and by the time the guys had it on the beach, almost everyone on the beach had crowded in to see the “haul”. Immediately, the culling, sorting and separating began - and the big tripod and pot were set up over the wood while the fire was quickly beginning to burn hot - the women brought down the cornmeal and the brown paper sacks (used as plates for the feast) and when the hot oil was just rightthe fun began. Fry a pot full and distribute to closest or biggest for the best fish you could find anywhere. We would cook and eat and drink beer and talk and laugh untilwe were so full we couldn’t walk, look at each other and say “What could be better than this”

As our children were born and grew, they too, fell in love with Crystal Beach. By now, The Osten’s had purchased the “SEAHOOSE” and had opened the Bayvue Grocery. Our children, Tiffany and Erika, would play for hours on the beach and were “surrogate” grandkids to Mike and Earl Osten before they had any of their own! Erika and Patrick Dooley Sanders were close in age and both were blonde and precious and both are now adults………..ahhhhhhhhhh how has the time gone so fast and oh how I would love to be in a beach house on Crystal Beach, Texas ,,,,,,but, sadly I now look at the pictures of devastation, and the spot where once stood “The Seahoose” and tears streak my face for a time past, never to be exactly as it was before……before Ike blew in and took our beloved Crystal Beach.

How sad I am that we have so lost touch with that crazy, amazing, fun family, that I did not even know that Mama (Mike) had passed, and how sad I am to have not spoken with one of the best friends I’ve ever had. in far too long. We love you Bop and Elizabeth Mary Osten Sanders. Lizbeth, please let us hear from you! Call me collect at the same number you have called me on a million times, or just email me and let me call you! We are devastated and how heavy your hearts must be my forever friend.

Glennis (my mom) and Jacque (Jock) loved Crystal Beach. Unfortunately, we waited too long to get to know the place that she loved so much. I was last there in June and really got a taste of how friendly the people are down there. We could barely go to the beach without her talking to at least one person on the way and then when we were are at the beach - everyone stopped by to talk to her and pet Jacque. That's when I realized that she was in a very special place.

God Bless Crystal Beach and it's families.

I was introduced to Crystal Beach in August of 2003. My family had a "girls getaway weekend" and rented a small house in Emerald II, there were 15 or 20 of us crammed into a very little house, some slept on beds, while others slept on the floor, we took up every space available. No one cared that the quarters were cramped and we had the best weekend ever. For me, this was the beginning of a love affair. That was the weekend that I fell in love with Crystal Beach.

I grew up going to Padre Island and had never felt anything close to the way I was feeling about Crystal Beach. My Mother also agreed and began the search for buying a home on CB. My parents closed on the "new" house in November of that year and it was on!! We were going to be able to spend time, as much as we could, in Crystal Beach. There was no where else I would've rather been. I loved everything about Crystal Beach, the community, the people, but most of all I loved the way I felt when I was there, I felt true joy and a feeling of being one with the sun and sea. When my husband and I knew on Monday that we were heading to the beach on Friday it was all we could do to contain ourselves for the week - we had it planned...we'd take the kids out of school early on Friday, leave by 1:00 pm, be on the ferry by 5:30 and be on island time by 6:00 and if for some reason we had to sit in the ferry line for a long time waiting to get on, it didn't matter, we'd drive 4.5 hours and sit as long as we had to just to get there. We felt that once we were on the ferry we were at the beach. Once there, we spent lots of time eating, drinking, laughing, drinking, searching for beach glass, drinking, taking the kids crabbing, sitting all day long in the sun and loving every minute of it........When it came time to go home...no one wanted to leave, it was a very somber ride back.

I am absolutely heart broken at what has happened to our beautiful Crystal Beach and believe one day it will be back, it has to!!!! The house that my parents bought is no longer there, the hurricane claimed it, but it can never claim the way I feel about the island and one day, hopefully soon Crystal Beach will be back better than before. I'm looking forward to that!!!

Blessings to you all.

Thanks so much for the Crystal Beach website. I have visited it often in the past few years. My family has so many wonderful memories of Bolivar Peninsula. My first memories of the peninsula are of my family camping out in High Island when I was a small child. My parents bought a lot in Holiday Beach in the early 1960's and built one of the first homes in the subdivision. We had so much fun building the home and made so many special memories. We would spend as much time as we could every summer at the beach. Every Friday, the back of my dad's Datsun truck would be loaded down with food, family and friends. There were ten kids in my family but we always made room for neighbors and friends to join us every trip we made. We all had our spot in the back of the truck for our drive down I-10 to Crystal Beach. What a site we must have been! Every summer for as long as I can remember, my dad would take three weeks vacation and all three weeks were spent at the beach and it was never long enough. We enjoyed the "old beach house" for over 40 years. That one bedroom home could sleep a lot of people. The main room had a kitchen and wall to wall beds...it was great! You would wake up to the smell of bacon frying....breakfast was always the best meal of the day. The original one bedroom house was built by family and friends. We tore down an old band hall at Lee High School in Baytown and recycled boards, doors, wooden floors, etc. to build the house. The original railing on the porches were made of wooden poles we collected on the beach. The best part of the house was the bar in the main room that we all sat around to eat, play games and visit. Many a story was shared at that bar. As our families grew, my parents decided to tear down the old beach house and build a new one. The new house was built by Riley and Company and completed in November 2006. It is a beautiful six bedroom home with all the modern conveniences. My parents were able to move permanently to the new home. My dad loved driving the "mule" down the beach everyday to pick up anything valuable that someone might have left. He was always looking for that sack of money that someone might have forgotten. He never found that sack of money but what he did find on Bolivar Peninsula was something money can't buy.....peace and happiness. I pray that this special place will come back stronger than ever and that many generations will be able to enjoy the beach like my family has done for the past 50 years. Our home on the second row of Holiday Beach is one of the few houses still standing. We are anxious to get to the house to see the extent of the damage. All we can go by now is pictures that were taken and posted on the Internet. Thanks to www.jakeabby.com for the great website.

Some of my special memories of Crystal Beach......#1 spending time with family and friends.....picking watermelons in the dunes.... diving for sandollars.....writing our names in the cement each time we poured a new section of concrete under the house....fireworks on the 4th of July.....Christmas parade on the beach....getting to the beach house first and getting my favorite bed.....playing games late into the night.....taking a nap on the front porch....girl scout and baseball team weekends at the beach house....watching the kids on the waterslide….long walks on the beach....sunsets on the bayside….beautiful night skies and shooting stars...being stranded on a sailboat at the oil rigs….floundering, fishing and crabbing....catching our many limits of speckled trout and redfish in the surf and gigging flounder at Rollover Pass and the North Jetties…. collecting hermit crabs….getting that perfect Gulf Coast tan…covering the kids eyes while driving past “The Zoo”….stingeritas and listening to music at Stingaree….attending Mass wearing shorts and flip flops on Sunday….grocery shopping in the castle….digging holes in the sand dunes large enough to make make-believe homes and staying in them all day long…learning to drive on the streets of Holiday Beach...stories from cousins’ weekend….seeing my parents be proud of providing us with a home away from home!!!!!

The 10 children and their spouses, 24 grandchildren and their spouses and the 15 great grandchildren of Raymond and Rosemary Clement have been so blessed to have the "Clement Beach House" and to be able to share it with their friends and families. Whether you came for the day, stayed the night or stayed for a week.....special memories were made and will never be swept away! I hope future generations will be given the opportunity to make memories with their spouses and families on the beaches of Bolivar Peninsula.

BRING BOLIVAR BACK!!!!

My name is Debbi Zaunbrecher and our family has stayed at the Caplen Shores home for the last several Thanksgivings. I know you can relate to the old saying "you don't know what you got till it's gone", but it has never been more true than right now. Our hearts are all so saddened by lost that has happened. A couple of hours ago my daughter called and said you know mom I just realized that it wasn't our family's house it belonged to someone else. I did remind her that you very graciously shared your beautiful beach home with our family and let it be our family's Thanksgiving home each year. Our nieces and nephews are all talking about the wonderful memories they have created at Caplen Shores and I have tried to encourage them to send you emails expressing just what those memories mean to them. Another of my daughters stated that Thanksgiving was her favorite time of year because so much the family was able to gather at one place for a couple of days without rushing off to celebrate with other family as we all usually do for Christmas. You mentioned that juke box.......what a source of entertainment for young and old alike, from my 20 year old daughter to my 81 year old father-in-law. Thank you for opening up that beautiful beach home to other families to create beautiful memories and wonderful family get togethers and may God Bless you for that. Our family will keep all the people of Crystal Beach in our prayers as they try to pull their lives together. We will also remember in prayer all those who were not able to get off the peninsula and hope that God carried them home with him.

Memories cannot be washed away, they will be in our hearts and minds forever. Thank you again.

My parents have owned a home in Crystal Beach (Emerald 1) since 1973. This was home to all of our family . Spending Easters, Thanksgiving, Christmas. It was always our Mother’s dream to make her home the place for a great time. Party after Party with family and friends. She and my father were very active in the community, serving as Emerald Beach I President to their homeowner community. My dad served on the water board for several years and as President until the death of his wife. They were very active with the building of St. Theresa at Crystal Beach. My dad’s house was saved by the grace of “Jean”. I know she put her arms around that house to save it. We have only decks, and a barn to replace. It make me sad to think the state can take this all away. We as a family will do what we can to support this act to see that the life we have all grown to know as a great Beach for all of our children, grandchildren, and on and on get saved.

I remember crab fest weekend! It was always so much fun! I haven't been there in a while but I am sad to see it like it looks now. Crystal Beach was a special place for me in my life. The ferry ride over always seemed to wash the worries away! Hurry back Crystal Beach!

I am from Port Arthur Texas, born and raised. As a child, my best memories were at the beach. It is my dream to come back to stay. You are all in my prayers, I'm so sorry for all the damage and hard times you are all going through. I'm still going to move back there. Come hell or high water, my heart belongs to Crysal Beach, everyday I think about it, when I'm at work cutting meat or at home surfing the net. For as long as I can remember I come to your website and visit just to try to get my Crystal Beach fix. I hope to be there by next summer. Take care!!

My grandfather and grandmother's house, whom my mother inherited, was/is in Crystal Beach, Tx. We have a long history there with family and friends.

My grandfather and grandmother, like themselves, built this house strong, after Hurricane Camille in 1961 washed their other house out to sea. We're not allowed in, but as you can see the area is destroyed. Some would say, why build there? Well, the people and the area are straight-up honest. That's why. Nobody is safe from tragedies. And like a ton of people I've talked to, they send their heartfelt wishes and I, for one, see hope in their compassion. After all is said and done, people do put away their individual petty differences and see a bit of us all in themselves. Stay strong, people, as I will. Much love to everyone on the Gulf Coast.

PS - Ironically, Ike was my grandfather's name.

Growing up in Port Arthur, I've been 'playing' at Crystal Beach since the mid 60's. My initial experience of actually living in CB was when my first child was 10 days old (mid 70’s) and we moved in with my Mother and Granny on Monkhouse (by the water tower).

Life often takes bends and curves …

Many happenings, many moves later and SO many memories, 2 more children and 3 grand children later, we’ve made a full circle. Going back to our roots, we bought our ‘future’ retirement home. It’s a lovely little house on Olive, it even looks like an olive, it’s green w/ red shutters.

We leave the big city every Friday to return to our little piece of paradise we call Home. Our home is serene and filled with treasures, too numerous to list. The walls and the inside stairs are lined with family pictures. The children’s hand prints in plaster are hanging in the kitchen tied with pretty ribbons. The sea glass we found sit in jars around the kitchen and the sharks teeth on the window sill.

I will miss waking up early to try to catch the sunrise, sitting on my deck, visiting with my neighbors most of whom I know by first name only, Greg, Belinda and Joe, Bob, Rick, Jim, Cheryl, Gary, Hugh and Sally. From the aerial photos, it appears their houses are still there, I hope we will all be together again. From the deck, we would watch the turtles from the slew trek over to our yard to lay their eggs. We’d watch the silly loons swaying in unison on the telephone lines above the slew, the pelicans as they ever so gracefully glide over the water then just as clumsily dive in for their snacks. With the grandkids, we had great intentions of catching crabs with our chicken necks on strings and crab nets, then we’d end up going to Comeaux’s in Bolivar to buy a few dozen. Everyone wanted to know how to clean the crabs, but ironically they were never around when cleaning occurred? The last thing on my agenda at the end of the evening was to look out at the moon and be thankful my children were “seeing the same moon.” My Cup Runneth Over

I will miss having Bop right down the beach from us, his house was taken away. I hope Mama’s dove is keeping an eye on everything for us until we can return.

The reality of our situation hurts. I refuse to believe that we ALL will never rebuild our Paradise. I pray for those who have lost their family members, homes and treasures. I pray our peninsula is not forgotten and abandoned.

To our Crystal Beach friends – Though we don’t know you all by name, my mother, daughter & I are so sorry for your loss of property due to Hurricane Ike. However, we are encouraged by your resolve to rebuild. We would like all of you to know we were praying for you before, during & after Ike’s visit.

Although we have only been coming to Crystal Beach for the past 2 years, at the urging of a co-worker, after the first minute, we were hooked. We stayed at one of Dan Jacob’s properties we like to call the “little yellow chateau”. Right on the beach at the end of Stingaree. We slept to the sound of the ocean. We went “shellin’” everyday. Walking the beach. Sitting out on the deck. Playing Chicken Foot. That first year we spent one day of our vacation week in Galveston and felt like we wasted the whole day because we weren’t at the beach! This past March… we didn’t budge from our precious beach! We had an Easter Egg hunt for a few of our family kids. It was great! My daughter & grandson saw their first jellyfish this trip. We had some rain and cold but it did not matter, we loved it!

We will surely miss the "little yellow chateau" on Stingaree and the house on Gulf Shores but we look forward to seeing Crystal Beach back even better than before and renting one of your new beach houses in the future. Please keep all of us who love this little piece of the world informed on your web site as Bolivar rebuilds and we will check back periodically. We still intend to spend our spring breaks at Crystal Beach when it’s ready for us.

My family has been coming to Crystal Beach since I was a child every summer. I have now been married for 20 years and my husband and two children along with 3 other families from our church stayed at the Pink Paradise Mother's Day weekend this past May. We had decided to make this a yearly vacation. I received a picture of the slab of the house we so much enjoyed and it was just devastating. We will never forget the memories of this house or any of the others we have stayed in. Thank God we have pictures to look at and to reminisce about the fun times. May God Bless each of you that own the homes and the people that live there. We are praying for all of you. You will rise again!!!

First of all, I would like to say how much I enjoyed reading the story about "The Seahoose". To me that story embodied everything that Crystal Beach was about. I have to say I was very emotional reading it.

My story is different because it doesn't span all the years the Seahoose did. I first came to Crystal Beach in August, 2003. A niece of mine rented a house and invited all the "girls" in our family for a little girls weekend. I fell in love with the area day one. I decided that weekend that I would buy a house there. In November, 2003 we closed on a house at Copa Cabana. It too has been swept away.

I grew up on South Padre Island as a kid so it is not like I hadn't been exposed to beach life. I have never been to a beach community quite like Crystal Beach. I loved it there. My family loved it there. It is though once you experience it, it becomes part of your soul. We only kept our house for three years. It was too difficult for my husband and many of my family members to travel there as much as we would like. Although we no longer own that little house in Copa Cabana, our hearts never left. We are all broken hearted over the devastation there.

Whenever I was feeling down, I would go to the Crystal Beach website and look at Bop's pictures. I would also read whatever new was on the website. Somehow it seemed to ease my pain of no longer having a place there. I felt like I was getting a little fix! I want you guys (Osten's) to know how much that website has meant to me.

I am so sorry to all of you for your pain and loss. I am praying for all of you and hope that Crystal Beach comes back bigger and better. Houses may be gone but, no one can take away the soul of that community.

Love to you all.

My family always spends 4th of July at Crystal Beach we live in East Texas and the beach is our very special place. I was actually getting ready to reserve our house for next year. I sat and cried when I saw the destruction. I am sorry for everyone who lost property. I was wondering if there will be a volunteer beach clean up program to help in the effort to get Bolívar up and going again. I work in a school district and will have a week off during Thanksgiving and two weeks at Christmas and again Spring Break. I would willing give up my time to come and help pick up trash or whatever needs to be done. Please let us know if there is anything that we can do to help.

We don't live in Crystal Beach but visited every chance we could. We have stayed in many different homes there for many occasions-birthdays, graduations, weekends, you name it, WE LOVE CRYSTAL!!  We were supposed to be packing up and heading to Crystal today for a stay at Spec Fish to celebrate my sons birthday and do some fishing. Ike had other plans. We were so sad to see the devastation, it was heart breaking. Those homes held a lot of memories for us and were simply washed away, it doesn't seem fair. For the residents, businesses, people of Crystal Beach, we love you, thank you and hope you come back strong!!

I remember the first time my friend Tracey found us a beachhouse to rent on Crystal Beach. At first I was disappointed. I had never heard of Crystal Beach. We had always stayed in Galveston, and Crystal Beach couldn't possibly be as good as Galveston???

I was right. Crystal Beach was much, much better. We made it a yearly, and sometimes bi-annual event, to celebrate birthdays, engagements, and just a time to be young, or feel young again. For the past 20 years Crystal Beach had been a very happy part of my life and it has supplied some of my best memories.

I keep hearing that Crystal Beach is "Gone." Hogwash. It isn't gone. Maybe some of the wood and nails that made up houses are gone. Unfortunately, I am sure there are some people who are gone. But Crystal Beach is still there, and it will come back better than ever. I do believe that.

My prayers are with those of you who call Crystal Beach home. I pray you get back to it very soon. And when allowed, my clan will be back there to celebrate a summer day, or fall chill, or just the fact we can be there.

Prayers going up, and hope springs eternal. My thoughts are with all of you, even if I don't know you. Maybe I will get the chance to meet you some day.

My name is Weldon Peveto and I am the Constable of Prct. 4 in Orange County. We had a place at Crystal Beach for many years and I also worked for the Crystal Beach PD many years ago. My family and I also attended the Church of Christ every time we were in town. I am trying to locate the preacher, Jerry Valentine and his family. Our Church family in Vidor is very worried about them. I am looking for anyone that may know if they made it out safe and where I can contact them. We want to help them. I can be reached at 409-781-5142 We are praying for you all.

I am so sorry for all the losses that Ike caused. Gilchrist was my home away from Tyler, Texas. The people are beautiful, the fishing great, and the pelicans and shrimp boats are fun to photograph.

My husband, myself and two best friends have rented Regans Ray several times. I look at all the devastation and I pray daily that the house is still there. I can't find it in any pictures, but I keep looking. It is the little blue gray house behind Four Star Bait and RV Park at Roll Over Pass. Does anyone know if it too is gone. It was my special place for healing, and I can't stand to think its gone.

My family was among the indeed blessed to have experienced the Crystal Beach family via the Austin Family on Fisherman Dr. Several years ago this precious family offered an annual week long vacation to my family in the beloved beach house on Bolivar Peninsula. It has become the highlight of our year. What a priceless treasure it was and the memories made will NEVER be forgotten.

I am so sorry for the loss that you all have suffered. The devastation to me remains unbelievable. I can't comprehend that its just gone.

When we left the peninsula in August this year we had just celebrated the marriage of our daughter to the Austin's son, McCauley! This had sealed the deal and we knew that we could officially call it "OUR" beach house now! We'd had yet another AMAZING time of soaking up the sun, walking on the beach and enjoying the pure and total relaxation.....even with a dozen or more trips to The Big Store. We were already talking about next year...never knowing Ike would visit before we could get back out there again.

My heart goes out to you all and our prayer is that you will rebuild and continue to share your heaven on earth with us.....

My husband and I moved back to Texas 20 years ago next month. From that year my girlfriend from Dallas and I started taking our kids to the beach, first we rented places, then bought a used RV...all the while looking for a house to buy. We spent every minute we could at the coast in the summers and every New Years Day with our kids there. Finally by some miracle my husband and I were able to buy our little house on Fisherman's in Crystal Beach. 700 square feet of pure joy...knotty pine walls...open concept...windows all around. Decorated red, white, and blue and home to all the lighthouses you could find.

My husband (who had never really been much of a beach person) couldn't wait to get there. Our kids and grand kids would all pile in along with whoever else wanted to come. This was our "50's" dream...everyone waved and spoke and looked out for everyone else. We NEVER locked our doors. We'd leave to go to the beach in the morning and not think twice about locking up.

What a dream, our grandchildren played outside, and I never worried they were not safe. They searched and found for "Gammy" buckets of beach glass...and tiny shark teeth. They fished with "Hoppy" in the surf and ran the beach in the golf cart. Stingeree's or Steve's Landing were a favorite treat along with Boudain Balls from The Big Store. We bought shrimp off the docks and ate 'til we were sick. We were able to share our little house with many friends who loved it as we did.

"Hoppy" would work on his laptop or piddle downstairs...in these past months it has became a refuge as his illness overcame him. Many times on Monday afternoons he would pick me up from school (work) and we'd drive down from Friendswood, eat at Steve's, take a drive on the golf cart and come back home ready to face the week.

We celebrated birthdays, holidays, Spring Break, Labor Day, Memorial Day, (anything we could think of there)...we shared joy there and devastating sorrow. I rode across on the ferry shortly after 9/11 and wondered under that brilliant blue sky, how could it have happened. I felt guilty on the beach as young men I knew fought in Iraq, and I prayed for the day they would be back home, on the beach with us.

We could look out our windows and see Sam's place in front and Dennis and Shelley's behind. Bob was across the street and Mike and Francine to the other side...Robin and his crew, Coach and his family, and Fred who had just remodeled and had my dream house. We knew Mike and Janice had a place up the beach, and David and Cindy were just over on Stingeree, down from Madonna and across from Doc.

All the while it was our refuge, and our place we would one day live year round. Rita hit and we lost our roof and the ceiling inside...we fixed it up better than new and talked about adding a second story.

We loved the cemetery on Bolivar and even called to see if we could one day use it, only to be told it was for Port Bolivar residents only (this seemed right).

Well,of all the people we knew in our little world on Crystal Beach, I didn't know anyone named Ike...but he must have loved our little corner of the world because on Sept.13, 2008 he moved in with a vengeance and left with just about all of it. We were like everyone else, and hoped beyond hope that somehow our little house had made it... but pictures don't lie...and our idyllic world has been all but wiped away.

Somehow (incredibly to those of us who loved her so) our little peninsula does not seem very important to the outside world. They don't seem to get that not only have we lost our place of refuge, but for those who were born and raised here...for those who live their lives here...they have lost everything. Home, livelihood, each other. I personally have been grieved beyond words, and yes angered more than a little...but I have to say I also feel pity for those outside. They really don't seem to have a clue what it is we all shared there, and the wonderful sense of community that fills the Bolivar Peninsula.

We don't know what will happen...if we will even be given the consideration of being let back on our own property. If we will be allowed to rebuild (save me from those who think I care what they think about that) to start again. Whatever happens I am thankful beyond what I can say for all the precious memories etched on my heart and mind of that place and time.

As I sit here reading all of the memories of Crystal Beach I cant seem to hold back the tears. Its funny to me how we all can be so different but share so many of the same memories and feelings of such a sweet little town called Crystal Beach. It doesn't matter if you have vacationed there a few times,or lived there most of your life, this place touches your heart.

My grandparents have owned land in Holiday Beach since 1962 and built a beach home the year after Carla. The address is 2567 Holiday. Two years ago they built a new home in place of the original structure for their ten children, several grandchildren and great grandchildren. I took this picture Saturday, September 6, 2008, from the second story porch, only one week before the destruction of Hurricane Ike. The day was beautiful and you could see Galveston so clear in the distance....so calm and peaceful. It is my favorite place in the world! Bizarre and eerie to see the pictures now, the house is standing but looks like the second floor has been swept away in the storm. I have spent my entire vacation and weekend life at Crystal Beach. It is so sad to hear the stories and see the destruction. We are praying for all those who stayed...many prayers.

Save Crystal Beach Please let me know what can be done to assist in the rebuilding of the beach community we love!

First, I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to those who lost everything.

On April 12, 2008, my husband and I got married on the beach in front of 542 Caplen Shores. Guests at our wedding still talk about the beautiful back drop that the house and beach provided for our wedding. We had the house for the entire weekend and all involved had a blast. This was the first time in over 8 years that our family had gotten together, so this weekend served a dual purpose...our wedding and a family reunion. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we had planned on renting the house again next spring, and every spring thereafter, to have an annual family reunion. We are all saddened by this loss, my husband and I especially. To see the place where we started our life together in shambles is disheartening, but we do have our memories in pictures and video. We would love to share these with everyone if wanted.

If the owner of this property needs any of these photos or video for his insurance, please give him my email address.

Good luck and God bless to all who called Bolivar home...our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Please add me to Bop's fan club.... My heart is breaking for the Seahoose, Crystal Beach, and all of Bolivar. My family has vacationed every summer in Crystal Beach since I was 8 years old....this summer made over three and a half decades of wonderful, wonderful family memories. The Stingaree, the water slide, the Flats, the Gulf Coast Market, Rollover Pass......all are dear to me and my family. I am a daily visitor to Crystal beach.com, just to have a little bit of the beach in my daily life. You and yours are in my thoughts and prayers. We will be back, sooner or later, somehow.

This was the very first beach my young sons ever experienced. The gentle waves, lack of crowds, the trips on the ferry and beautiful birds flying overhead were just perfect for them and my husband and me. We made many trips there over the past few years and had a wonderful time. This past summer we had finally found the perfect rental beach house in Singing Sands, but alas, it did not survive Ike. During our first couple of visits to the area we stayed at the Joy Sands Motel. There was a lovely Indian family who ran the place. They were so kind to us, giving us ice and handing the boys suckers. I sure hope they made it out OK and that they can rebuild their lives somehow. Crystal Beach will be in our hearts and memories forever

14 1/2 years ago I had my son at UTMB in Galveston. I was 18 and scared with a critically ill, premature baby in the NICU to stand by. Between visiting hours, I borrowed a bicycle and rode to the beach to watch the waves roll in-- it was calming. It has been since then that when I am away from the coast, my heart longs to be back. I spent my honeymoon at Crystal Beach 11 years ago. On July 25th 2008 my husband gave me a SURPRISE wedding outside of our rented beachhouse -- the "Sugar Shack". We had spent the week contending with the waves produced by Hurricane Dolly and the day of our wedding was the first beautiful, calm, and sunny day. I spent too much money at the gift shop above the dollar store on that day and bought groceries and gifts at the grocery store. I have many, many pictures of that wonderful day that will never leave my memory. It didnt matter whether it rained or the sun shined at this majestic place... we watched the dolphins jump 5 ft in the air and play in the turbulant water of the Gulf. Approximately five years ago Hurricane Claudette rumbled through on the first day of our vacation. My husband rode it out on the first row and learned quickly that he would not do it again. Many memories stem from this wonderful place, this strip of land that is just a lattitude and longitude to some. To me it is: ferry rides and lines where I meet new people and feed the birds. It is crying while I watch the dolphins play in the waves. It is my children laughing. It is holding my husbands hand and watching him write " I love you" in the sand. It is renewing of vows and spirits. It is hearing God speak to my heart. It is tears of joy, sadness and fear. It is watching my giggling parents going crabbing, coming back with nothing except sunburned feet the summer before my father went to be with the Lord. It is a 10 Christian women, riding in the bed of a truck, singing a hymn to the top of their lungs when a sister comes to Christ. It is my first long drive alone, spending the day on a towel reading, then crying during a storm and asking my husband to drive 3hrs to pick me up. It is blond headed, blue eyed children boogy-boarding. It is bruised legs after the first and only attempt at skim boarding. It is learning that you have to have a lifejacket in a kayak, no matter how shallow you are. It is daily looking at pictures of rentals, not being able to wait until next summer. It is the real estate rental agency on speed dial on your cell phone in case you get an extra dollar, extra day off, and extra luck. It is sunburns and wearing a string bikini long after you shouldnt but not caring. It is winning the seashell contest. It is a beautiful sorong. It is no shoes, tank tops, and big hats you swore you would never wear. It is where I want to go when my job holds me. It is where my heart longs to be, besides Heaven. It is home. I hope life can return to normal soon for everyone in Crystal Beach.

I was supposed to be in Crystal beach today, staying @ "summer by the sea"
I am missing my journey.
Crystal Beach is a place I am lucky enough to visit once a year, my only vacation.
It is a place for my soul.
I look at Bop's beach picture daily, I will miss it.
I prayed for all of IKE's victims but I felt more concern for Crystral Beach.

To everyone from high island to port bolivar, We wanted to send ya'll a message to tell ya'll hello and say we are sorry to see what has happen to you all. Sharleen and Trish from Fedex Express out of Beaumont station will miss you dearly and especially the drive to see you. From our family to yours we love you and Good Luck!!!!

Dear Crystal Beach family, thanks for the invitation on the website to write a few thoughts and reflect on the wonderful memories while growing up at Crystal Beach. My life has certainly been better for the experience: fishing with Dad (while losing his smokes and breaking his ribs in the process - sorry Pop!); my sisters and mom trying to decide how to kill crabs before boiling them (go figure); camp fires; July 4th celebrations; meeting new girl friends; more than a few unmentionables with close friends (Russ R., Dean E., Earl B., Carl L., Trey B., Weston D., Teddy & Eddie H., Sharon F., Mike S., Gary G, and many many others, including my wife - Barbara L.); all of my serrogate parents who managed to keep me out of harms way in spite of myself (Doga's, Fertitta's, Lovoi's, Riedmueller's, M.A. Fiorenza); and, as I became older, appreciating the quiet star-filled nights and brisk weather during our Winter months...what stories the sands could tell....

The pictures of the storms' devastation are difficult to see. My heart felt prayers for all of us affected, and indeed those lost, in the tragedy of Hurricane Ike. May the spirit of what was and memory of our loss be motivation for a new beginning, with God speed.

The past few years, we have come to crystal beach for a few weeks during the summer, and absolutely fell in love with the town and the people. Our hearts and prayers are with you all, and we look forward to hearing how everyone is doing. Keep positive, rebuilding will be slow, but rest assured that everyone is in their right place. God is in control. With loving memory and prayer, The Otter Family from Conroe, TX.

Our beloved Seahoose is gone,there’s nothing but sand left in its place. It had a ramp for Dad’s (Bop) wheel chair with a concrete statue of Mary at the top. It had a white washed picnic table that family and friends had signed and/or etched their words of wisdom. Mama and Bop had 7 children; the Osten’s to date count 48.

It hosted many a spaghetti dinner for all the pot would feed. Bop always made "Character Sauce", mushrooms, onions, Rotel and fresh jalapenos, so named for what it required to eat it.

The Seahoose witnessed countless games of poker, dominos, and hearts, so many crowded around the glass table, often into the wee hours of the night, Mama and Bop slept through the noise as if it were a lullaby.

The picture of us at our tacky party hung next to those from the Mardi Gras parades, when were 101 Dalmations with Cruella, and Charlie Chaplins and Waldos - we won first place once. Next in line was the Bay Vue first dollar, followed by the framed traffic ticket Bop got in France for going the wrong way in the circle, at the end the picture of Bop with the caption “it’s not so much I mind dying, it’s just I don’t wanna be there when it happens.”

Bop spent many hours in his shop working with stained glass and his beautiful creations hung in all our windows. Bop and Annie painted the little kitchen table with neon paint and glued fish pictures on it they had cut out of one of the coffee table books, we didn't even have a coffee table, but Mama had lots of beautiful coffee table books about the sea. They painted the fan blades to match. Actually anything that stood still was at risk of being painted, ask Felix, our 18 pound black cat.

This was our HOME, not a vacation getaway. How many people sat on the porch swing in 34 years? Is it more or less than the number of shark teeth in the baby food jar on the kitchen window sill found over the same amount of time? How many grand kids got in Mama and Bop’s king size bed to watch Disney videos on the TV suspended from the ceiling? More than the family and friends who, in our 1200 square foot house, looked for their floor space assignment on the nightly bed chart over the years? Too late to calculate now.

In recent years Annie and I spent hours combing the beach for glass and tile. Sorted and saved for projects never started, I guess it was really all about the hunt. Our stash has been returned for others to find.

When we were young we had a 400' seine and would have fish fry's on the beach with our catch. Our “plate” was a brown paper bag, the fish seasoned with just the right amount of sand to ensure peak crispiness. The kids would throw the crabs back, so many pinched fingers. Anheuser Busch bought several Clydesdale horses with the money we spent on beer, perhaps one was Hank.

In our haste to follow the last minute evacuation order, we forgot to bring Bop’s poker fund jar, and Rick’s poker fund jar, and Liz’s poker fund kept in the Halloween purse on the bed post with the “keeper” Mardi Gras beads; Hama’s (Bop’s grandmother) Santa so prominently displayed on the Christmas tree every year, and the 4’ turquoise pre-lit metal Christmas tree with a tilt. We didn’t forget, but were forced to leave, damn near everything else.

Bop and Mama moved to Crystal Beach in 1974 and ran the Bay Vue grocery until 1983. Then they started Mike (Mama’s nickname) Osten Real Estate, M.O.R.E.. When forced to give up the real estate business due to health reasons in 1990, Mama created the crystalbeach.com website to provide information about her community to those surfing the net. She was 72. Mama would spend at least 6 hours a day updating the site and answering all inquiries.

Mama and Bop loved Crystal Beach as did the other 46 of us and many, many friends. We scattered Mama‘s ashes on the dune in front of the Seahoose in March of 2007. Ike may have washed away the dune, but it only served to widen her presence on this place she treasured.

The Osten family will be back soon, but not as soon as we would like. There are too many memories to mention, too many laughter filled times to recall. She was a grand ole house, The Seahoose, and we will miss her. And maybe, just maybe years from now, a treasure will be found buried in the sand by some unknowing hunter….a concrete statue of the Blessed Mary.

God bless all the former residents of Crystal Beach Texas, you will be in our hearts forever.

Bop, Liz, Annie, Felix, P-Kitty, Ditto, Cheech , Chong and the rest of the Osten clan.

First, I’m glad to know that everyone is safe. But, I’m so sorry to hear the news about the Seahoose.  I have such fond memories of the place.  But, like most things, it wasn’t necessarily the physical structure that makes a place special but it was the people who lived there.  I’m just glad that (Michael) Patrick got to see it.  Here are some things that I remember…..

Blue crabs turn red in boiling water.

$0.10 a fly for every fly swatted

The origin of the phrase “hush puppy”.

Trying to land a penny in a cup that is in a jar full of water is A LOT harder than it looks.

Your best friend’s Oldsmobile Cutlass WILL get stuck in the sand.

Tar is really hard to get off of feet and clothes.

Jellyfish are to be avoided.

Fresh, fried fish are not.

There are stickers in grass – even at the beach.

For those who live inland, a ferry ride is a special trip in and of itself.

When asked to go fishing by your cousins, sometimes it’s best not ask mom and dad for permission and just go (lest your cousins Jeff and Patrick get all the glory).

There was a visiting priest who would swing through my parish of St. Austin’s while I was at UT.  His homily always centered around the “good stop”.  A “good stop” is a place that whenever vaguely near, one is compelled to visit.  It can be a restaurant, fishing hole, friend’s house or the like.  His point was that mass should be a “good stop”.  I think the Seahoose was a “good stop” for many, many people.  I know it was for a high school senior and his best friend 21 years ago on their first spring break without parents (see Oldsmobile Cutlass and sand above).  Even though we were staying in Port Arthur , it was a given that a trip would be made to see Aunt Mike and Uncle Earl.  Arriving unannounced (and with several years between visits), we were greeted with the same love and open arms that I remembered as a child. 

That’s what made the Seahoose special and a “good stop”.

I was stationed in the Army in Fort Hood, Texas in the 1970's.  About once a month several of us Army guys would go to Galveston and Crystal Beach to get away.  I remember the first time there was a storm coming through in Galveston.  Kind of scary.  We rode the ferry to the Bolivar Peninsula and went to Crystal Beach.  I remember the area being so beautiful.  Many great memories of the area and it is sad that this happened to your beautiful community.  I feel for your community.  This type of destruction has never happened to me.  I know that I kept close to the tracking of the hurricane on the Weather Channel and was hoping it wouldn't hit this area. 

My husband and I started going to Crystal Beach in the late 80’s first as just a casual invite from other family members and friends who would share a beach house. We loved it so much we decided to rent a house on our own and have gone pretty much every year since then. We have taken our 3 daughters for a weeks vacation to Crystal Beach since they were babies (17 years) and that is pretty much the only beach they have ever known. As I look around my house there are so many pictures of them on the beach there which invoke such happy memories. On my kitchen counter is a glass bowl of shells that we add to each year. We were just there in March. We frequently invited friends and family down to visit with us when we would get a house and it became their tradition as well. Moon Mullins and Bag-It, we will miss you but look forward to the time when your strong, vibrant community bounces back. Our prayers are with all of you on Bolivar!