By: Todd Wheatley
(c) IQ-2k   04-12-16

Galveston is a narrow barrier island near the southeast corner of Texas and runs nearly 50 miles to the southwest. The city of Galveston at the east end of the island has a population of 50,000 (2015) which swells by many thousands during the summer months.

This seaside resort has a lengthy history though its character and face has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Even more notably following a direct hit by Hurricane Ike in 2008. Unfortunately a much earlier hurricane (year 1900 / 8000+ fatalities) made the city of Galveston nationally famous or infamous as the case may be.

Today Galveston features the commercialized core of most U.S. cities, but also includes numerous sandy beaches that draw in the summer crowds. Ironically the ocean color substantially improved following Hurricane Ike probably due to the destruction of numerous oil platforms. Yet given the urbanization and geographic constraints the beaches are long and narrow with ample parking along Seawall Blvd. Outside of the city limits, driving on the beach is permitted and you can find all manner of interesting vehicles traveling up & down.

Clean up crews are out in force during the morning hours and the beaches have plenty of trash receptacles. Still the beaches of Galveston lack the white sand sparkle found in Florida, but they are generally clean and inviting making them the obvious destination for the (4 million plus) inhabitants of Houston fifty miles to the north.That means the cheapest motel runs $85-per-night during the summer months. While I have not priced the two or three seedy motels that survived Ike I would not expect much of a price break even if you could get a room.

So due to the cost and difficulties with getting a beach front room I prefer the freedom and zero cost of camping on the beach. In fact the west beaches on the far side of the island are my home away from home during the summer months as you can see in my beach hut video. Moreover I have been sailing Hobie Cats off the beach since the early 80s and continue up to the present. So I have extensive firsthand information going from end of the island to the other.

Probably the most misconceived notion of needing a motel room is the brutal Texas heat. Yet only yards from the water the night time temperatures are exceptionally mild and even a bit cold if the wind exceeds 30 mph. But of course there are the other amenities and the need to attend to basic necessities. Still, camping is as rough as you make it these days, and again, if you watch my YouTube video ("Beach Hut") you will see that my wife and I have all the comforts of home at a very low cost.

Nevertheless this article was not intended to tell about the many attractions and features of Galveston, but to relay some important information. During my last trip (2015) I found an answer to a curious question of beach life ... Why are mosquitoes heavy everywhere except on the beach .... the answer is the WIND !! Out of my many dozens of trips to Galveston only a handful have been troubled with mosquitoes ON THE BEACH and I have never understood why. Until now.

The wind, which blows off the water, prevents mosquitos from either landing or detecting a body present. Furthermore the wind generally "NEVER" dips below 10 mph. If it does you need to exit the beach as soon as possible because those mosquitos are ravenous!!! So now in addition to checking the tides (an interesting story for beach camping) I will definitely check the wind forecast as well as the for my all of my beach outings.

These itineraries are planning tools -

DFW -to- Galveston (road trip)
Leave 11:15 am
Gas & lunch stops
Heavy Houston traffic
Arrive Galveston Walmart 5:00 pm
Arrive west beach 6:30pm

MOSQUITOES !!

>>> No wind <<<<

Morning mosquitoes 15 min

WIND late afternoon & pm
Wind died ... Mosquitoes!!

Leave 11:00 am .. Lunch & gas stops
Heavy traffic
Home 5:30


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