Project 365 Day 57 - Holly Beach, LA

We went on a road trip today to a couple of National Wildlife Refuges in southwestern Louisiana. Here's what we found instead:

Holly Beach, Cameron, Louisiana in September 2005....

Holly Beach 9-23-2005, after Hurricane Rita...

The few families who could, began rebuilding after Rita. Then 3 years later, here is what Holly Beach looked like in September, 2008, after Hurricane Ike.

Here is what we saw of Holly Beach today...

A few homes are repaired. A few live in travel trailers or motor homes. It was very sad. Mud still covered most of the side roads and lots. There is no sand, no grass, no flowers, no bushes. Just empty poles sticking up out of the mud and puddles of water.

Holly Beach is just one example (probably the worst) of this area of Louisiana. We thought the Gulfport area was bad but it was nothing compared to this area.

Sabine National Wildlife Refuge

The National Wildlife Refuges???........The largest, Sabine National Wildlife Refuge is currently closed to all public uses because of damages sustained during Hurricane Rita (in 2005). "All of the office buildings, visitor center and maintenance shops were damaged beyond repair and have been removed. There are three remaining structures at the headquarters area that will be repaired." Worst of all....."West of Hwy. 27, Sabine refuge canals and marshes were severely impacted by storm wind and water. Approximately 32,000 acres of refuge marshes, levees, and canals have been negatively impacted. Canals and marshes are clogged with seven million cubic meters of debris from off shore rigs and coastal communities. There are both physical and chemical hazards present throughout the refuge, many of which have settled below the marsh and water surfaces. Tanks and barrels containing hazardous liquids and gases have the potential to explode or break down and release toxins into the environment. Over 1,400 hazardous material containers have been identified and are estimated to contain between 115,000 and 350,000 gallons of hazardous liquids and gases. Public safety is the primary reason that Sabine NWR is still closed."