11/18/2005

New Views of Biloxi Beach

This afternoon I went to one of my favorite haunts. I wanted to see what Hurricane Katrina had done to it. I've spent many happy hours on the Porter Ave pier and walking along the boardwalk that used to go around the I-110 loop toward the Beau Rivage. I could spend a day there and never get bored. From listening to the yarns the fishermen on the pier would tell to the tourists, to watching the boats coming in and heading toward the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor, to the pelicans, and to just people watching, it was always changing.

Below are some before and after pictures. The pier is gone as is most of the boardwalk, the beautiful historic homes that used to grace the beach, and the beautiful white sands are now stained by the debris.

I tried to shoot the after pictures from the same angles as the before. I could only approximate the one for the Biloxi light house as the pier I took the before shot is gone. The same for the shot of the Beau Rivage. I took the before while on the pier.

It felt good to have grains of sand in my shoes but I had a lump in my throat when I saw what Hurricane Katrina had done. Clicking on the images will enlarge them.










The sunset had the colors of the rainbow in it. I take it as God's promise that He is with us always and that He has craved us in the palm of His hands.





Linked: Carnival of the Magnolias IV hosted by Everyman Chronicles. There is a diverse selections of posts to choose from.

12 Comments:

Blogger Esther said...

Wow, Karen. Your pictures gave me a lump in my throat. You did a terrific job showing us the magnitude. Heartbreaking.

7:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

esther,

When I first made it to the water I felt as if I was going to fall to my knees. I used to leave work early on Fridays and go to the pier or the Small Craft Harbor.

8:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"When I first made it to the water I felt as if I was going to fall to my knees."

I can understand your level of emotion with all that has happened Seawitch.

Thanks so much for the pics, it's great to have the updates.

8:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

boz,

Thanks for that. Sometimes I feel like such a wimp with all the crying I've done.

I have so many more pictures of the changed and destroyed landscape.

8:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Huge difference.
But in 2 years from now it'll look bigger and even better than before.
You guys are brave folk and you'll overcome all this.
I am sure.

10:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

felis,

I know we'll overcome and rebuild. But there are times when it hits the heart and makes you feel like you'll never get up again.

It will never be the same but it will be better.

Thanks for your words of encouragement.

10:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Seawitch,
"hits the heart and makes you feel like you'll never get up again."
Because we're human and it hurts.
But we also have this incredible ability to get up and go.
You are a fighter.

11:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

felis,

Thanks for that.

6:13 AM  
Blogger Esther said...

Felis is absolutely right. I sit in awe. I truly do.

10:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

esther,

Thank you for that. Something like Katrina can bring out the worst in people but it also bring out the best. The people I stand in awe of are the ones from Waveland, Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis.

Bay St Louis has an art show/craft thing called second Sunday and even though though most of the busnisses that are showcased are gone, they are still holding it.

Pass Christian(party town) recently held a party for the volunteers down here. And though Waveland is pretty much gone, the people are bound and determined to rebuild.

It the same in each city along the Coast, people are still reaching out to one another and helping one another.

That's what is keeping us going.

Now if I could just get some of those people to become better drivers!! :)

5:19 AM  
Blogger Crazy Politico said...

That is too bad. I spent some time on that beach in 1989 when I lived in Gautier. Hope the rebuilding continues.

12:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

CP,

The rebuilding is continuing. The place I work at has plans to have the seafood plant rebuilt and operational by March!

1:01 PM  

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