Oil Rig Museum & Galveston's Strand

 December 7, 2020

Today we headed down to Galveston Harbor to visit

the Offshore Drilling Rig Museum

The Ocean Star a retired jackup drilling rig

is the home of the museum, and yes

we get to get up on the rig.

Here is a picture of all the drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Yellow are exploration area

Red is under development or producing rigs

That looks like a lot of drilling to me.

What might these fellows be called?

What do they do?

Why they clean out the pipelines, that's what they do.

And this is a rolling cone bit that is used

to drill thru consolidated rock.

"This bit’s ancestor, the two-cone rotary rock drill bit, was invented by 

Howard Robard Hughes, Sr.  He first tested his bit at Goose Creek in 1908, patented it in 1909, and immediately quit the drilling business and started the Sharp-Hughes Tool Company. In 1912 Sharp died and Hughes bought up his interest in the company. In 1924, 54 years old and with 75 patents to his name, Howard Senior dropped dead at the office, and Howard Junior, his only child, dashing and 18, inherited the company."  what could go crazy from there.

Everything here is big.

Here we are looking up inside the oil rig.

Oh, and there is a full size crane on the rig.

What do you need a crane for . . .

Well for one thing, to lift up people and their gear to the platform.

In the wind with the raging ocean below you

just hang on and we will pull you up.

Yeah, not for me, thanks no.

Jim on the platform reading up on all the equipment.

Obligatory selfie on the platform.

After touring the museum we took a few photos around the harbor.

Here are 2 rigs that are not being used right now and just sit here.

This pelican was taking a break here on this rock in the harbor.

These guys are cormorants.

This art sculpture is up in the air, but not high 

enough to prevent Jim from walking right into its foot.

Ouch.

This is the 1877 Elissa

"Elissa was built in Aberdeen, Scotland as a merchant vessel in a time when steamships were overtaking sailing ships. She was originally launched on October 27, 1877. She was named for the niece of Henry Fowler Watt, Elissa's first owner, though according to his descendants the ship was named for the Queen of Carthage, Elissa (more commonly called Dido), Aeneas' tragic lover in the epic poem The Aeneid."

Then we took a walk around the Strand Historic District

it has/is be revitalized with some buildings refurbished

and others waiting to be done.

Here are some architectural elements that caught my eye.

The contrasting red and yellow brick bring so much detail here.

Hutchings-Sealy Building

"Designed and built in 1895 and 1896, the building has since survived all storms and hurricanes that have passed through the area – including the 1900 storm that devastated surrounding structures and neighborhoods."

Very tall doors like these here are everywhere.

Why would a 15 foot door go out of fashion?

It's simple but strong, currently being rehabbed.

Trueheart-Adriance Building

  It housed the first realty firm in Texas.

This red and green is so festive this time of year.

Solid but decorative, so many arched windows.

The original Tremont was built in 1839

It burned down in 1865 in a great fire that burned for 5 days 

and destroyed entire city blocks. The second Tremont was rebuilt in 1872.

In 1900 the Great Storm destroyed the Tremont, it was demolished in 1928.

In 1981 the Leon & H Blum building, a dry goods store, was rehabbed into 

the current Tremont which opened in 1985.

"The festive arches gracing Galveston's historic Strand District are part of an imaginative civic design project undertaken in 1985 and based on temporary decorative arches constructed in 1881, when the City of Galveston hosted Saengerfest, a biennial singing contest sponsored by German immigrant choral societies around the state of Texas."

City National / Moody Bank

"The bank was founded in December 1907 by William Lewis Moody Jr. (1866–1954) and the building was completed in 1920. City National Bank renamed itself the Moody National Bank in 1953, to honor the founder."

Yes, there are restaurants in the Strand district

We had a couple of margaritas, elote, tacos

and a burrito bowl for lunch. A lovely sunny 

day for eating outside. Ole!

December 8, 2020

I started the day by doing the laundry.

No quarters needed here, the machine takes your credit card

to pay for a $2 wash.

The laundry is located at the club house.

So sitting up on the second floor in the sun

with a view of the gulf and the bay

while the washer & dryer run is easy work.

Well its beginning to feel like Christmas.

I came and unwrapped a Christmas gift from my kids.

A new phone!  I think the photos on this blog are about to improve.

Thanks kids! I love it !

Here is the view of the gulf from the clubhouse

and the view of the Bay in the opposite direction.

Jim & I came up here after playing 

PICKLEBALL

We even read the rules and played by them.

I may look good, but Jim won

2 out of 3 games so hats off to him.

This afternoon I went down a few neighborhood roads 

to find the bay close up.

Then I went to finish my walk on the beach on the gulfside.

The water was very calm today.

I spied a couple of fishermen in waders trying to catch some dinner.

I caught this fast footed bird running along the shore.

It's amazing to see how fast he hustles.

And another great sunset.

Thanks for reading.

Catch y'all later.