Our island is very close to the end of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway - it officially ends in the Port Isabel turning basin. For those not into the boating nomenclature, a turning basin is a wide opening of water, allowing room for ships to rotate. The "port" in Port Isabel hasn't seen a lot of use, since the Port of Brownsville (15 miles inland via the Brownsville Ship Channel) has commercial services.
About a year ago, an oil drilling platform showed up in the turning basin. There was a lot of local talk and speculation about it. Most thought it was there, waiting to be refurbished in Brownsville. (They build and refurbish platforms there) It hasn't moved since that time.
A couple months ago, a second platform joined the first. And now, a third...
It definitely changes the horizon in our small town, since these monoliths are taller than any buildings PI. (Yes, there are many high-rise condos on South Padre Island, across the Laguna Madre from us.)
Some think they are unsightly. I think they are a symbol of our economy. I do agree with people who have said there should be booms around these platforms, to contain any spilling or leakage.
It is my understanding that these rigs are simply "in storage" in the turning basin. If that is the case, it is an influx of $$ for our local port authority.
I wasn't trying to make the image look ominous - we are in for a week of cloudy/rain/thunderstorm weather.
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