Hurricane Harvey

obgraham wrote:
Spent part of a snowbird season in Rockport. Mixed feelings now: would businesses be even worse off if everyone stays away this winter?

We should hear from folks who live and work there: "Should we snowbirders return this year?"

I suspect that you will be bidding for the available spots against insurance adjusters and repair people. The good news is that there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of campgrounds all over South Texas.

The people who live and work in the affected areas aren't even back home yet. I know the owners of the park we stayed at last year evacuated and don't even know if they have a house to go back to. I'm sure it will be a few days until some of the flooding is over before many will even know. So sad. It doesn't look good from all the u-tube videos I have watched of Port Aransas, Capano Village, Rockport, Fulton - devastating damage and there are a lot of RV's on their sides, tops or laying out on the highways.

TomG2 wrote:

obgraham wrote:
Spent part of a snowbird season in Rockport. Mixed feelings now: would businesses be even worse off if everyone stays away this winter?

We should hear from folks who live and work there: "Should we snowbirders return this year?"

I suspect that you will be bidding for the available spots against insurance adjusters and repair people. The good news is that there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of campgrounds all over South Texas.

As bad as Houston is getting hammered, likely all of the contractors will head there. The coastal bend area will have a hard time finding someone to make repairs

For some good news from Rockport area, The BIG OAK tree at Goose Island made it through. You don't get to be 1,000 years old by being wimpy. :B

Regarding the up coming winter season in the Rockport/Fulton area. My take is that even if some of the RV Parks are open, their facilities will be in disrepair. Most of the restaurants, marinas, stores, etc will be under construction.

Think about what has to be done now. All of the wreckage must be removed AFTER the insurance adjusters are done with inspections. Plans must be drawn up. Building permits must be obtained. Insurance checks must come in. Work will commence...... for some quickly and for others not so fast. I doubt this will be a place you want to visit in three months time.

What I am hearing on tv from officials and from this forum is that the RGV was not affected by this disaster. However, that area makes it an ideal staging area for various federal, state, and non-profit organizations such as the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, etc. because of the availability of full services in that area. Organizations domiciled in the RGV could help meet the needs of at least part of southern and coastal Texas. If a certain number of snowbirds have an expertise in reconstruction after a disaster and disaster management and would contact one of the above organizations letting them know about your expertise, I believe one of those unaffected sites in the RGV would be made available to you for the winter. At least there would be sites available for dry camping for those "off the grid" because of solar panels on their campers. If one had a passport, replenishing supplies across the Mexican border adjacent to the RGV would take a lot of pressure off the now fragile coastal Texas economy.

Owner of the campground where we stayed last winter were allowed to check on their home and the campground. They are just outside the city of Rockport about 10-12 blocks west of the coastline. Luckily they only have minor damage to buildings but trees and debris all over. A few of the trailers that were in the park are on their side but the 5th wheels and motorhomes are still upright. It will take a good while to clean up, but they are in good shape compared to the neighborhoods closer to the coastline. Looks like the first 6 blocks or so have extensive damage to the buildings too.

It will Is a mess down here in Rockport area. Will be months before all power restored, clean up done, etc. rebuilding will likely take years

No. Power on to the park. Electriction to check each row. We and many of our friends are planning to return and support our park and the community. Our fifth wheel was destroyed but we just found another will be back!

Uncle Grumpy wrote:
.... Our fifth wheel was destroyed but we just found another will be back!

Nice area, nice people, makes me sick to think about it. As everyone knows things can be replaced, just hope the mountain to climb isn't too steep.