The Pelican & the Tankers
There are buildings going up all over the island, especially on the west and east ends. The majority of the new construction is luxury homes and condominiums, most of them designed as second or retirement homes for those who have an extra million or two to put towards a residence on a storm-prone barrier island. At the far eastern end, however, there is a section of land now designated for the development of the East End Lagoon Park and Nature Preserve. Long a favorite spot for fishermen and birders, the constantly shifting lagoon looks out over the Bolivar Pass leading into the Houston Ship Channel. There a solitary pelican hovers on an updraft as two tankers sit just outside the Pass, waiting to be piloted into the heavy traffic lanes of the Channel.