< Previous110 COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 2016Stem to SternStory by David Canright | Photos by Stuart VillanuevaThe 50-foot, twin-hulled Seagull II can be seen most days doing the job she was specifically designed to do: provid-ing visitors and Galveston residents with an intimate expe-rience of the history, waters and wildlife of Galveston Bay.The boat and its mission are the brainchild of Lyda Ann Thomas, who was mayor of Galveston from 2004 to 2010 and became nation-ally known for shepherding her native city through Hurricane Ike in 2008 and the ensuing recovery.Thomas is a fourth-generation member of the Kempner family, prominent in Galveston since the 19th century. In the family tradition, she has always been active in improving life for islanders. In the late 1990s, she saw another need, and resolved to address it.Seagull IIVessel brings island’s harbor history to lifePassengers wave as the Seagull II pulls off for a tour of the Galveston harbor.“The port is the very lifeblood of Galveston, but no one was bring-ing its history to life,” Thomas said. “There were historic homes tours, and walking tours of The Strand, but the port was ignored.”In 1997, Thomas established Galveston Harbor Tours and enlisted a group of people, many of whom she’d grown up with, to fill the need.The company’s first vessel, Seagull, was an outboard-driven pontoon “dive boat” that docked at Fisherman’s Wharf at Pier 22.Thomas persuaded her old friend, Elise Stephens, who was retiring from her position as a history professor, to develop an on-the-water educational curriculum for school groups and to guide it to accredita-tion by the Texas Education Agency, which allows Texas teachers to earn continuing education hours on the tour.The program also provides schoolchildren with a fun learning experience. Most of them, even the islanders, have never been on the water before, and some are only dimly aware of the port’s significance and history.Marine biologist Sid Steffens leads an exploration of the teeming life inhabiting the waters, scooped up in nets dropped and towed by stu-dents. Microscopes are provided, and temporarily captured creatures are passed around by delighted students.The mission quickly outgrew Seagull, and Thomas commissioned and helped design Seagull II. COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 2016 111Capt. Wes Hocott walks from the top observation deck of the Seagull II.Delivered in 1998, Seagull II exactly suits her purposes, with a cen-ter steering station, heads, a main deck sheltered from sun and rain, and an accessible upper deck providing a panoramic view of the har-bor. A speaker system allows the captain/tour guide to be heard from all parts of the boat. A counter supports the microscopes and sample tubs for netted sea life.Twin diesel engines provide the speed needed to avoid traffic and to extend the range of tours from the oyster banks and bird islands of West Bay to the Bolivar Roads and the Galveston Ship Channel to the east, including a loop around the grounded hulk of the concrete freighter Selma off Pelican Island.Seagull II is certified for up to 49 passengers. Her mission today 112 COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 2016Residential&CommercialVacationRentals&Make ReadysBonded & InsuredOwned & Operated by B.O.I’sFREE EstimatesBackground checks onall employees409-497-49413802 Cove View Blvd. Suite R, Galveston, TX 77554www.broadsnbrooms.com2014 & 2015 Best of Galveston Award WinnersDAVID BOWERS REALTOR®SINCE 19761723 25th • 3 BR/4 BA • $424,5003921 Winnie • 3 BR/1 BA • $79,5001622 Ave. L • 5 BR/2 BA • $299,0001825 25th • 3 BR/2 BA • $374,500409-763-2800 david@davidbowers.com • The House Company RealtorsStem to Sternincludes history and biology tours for students and teachers, walk-on tours for fam-ilies and individuals, rentals for parties and events and bird-watching tours.Vandy Anderson, who served for a time as captain and tour guide, is a licensed boat operator well known as the “Voice of Galveston” for his former talk shows on local radio station KGBC-AM.“The things you need for the job are the ability to run the boat, and the gift of gab,” Anderson, now retired, said. “I enjoyed every minute of it.”Thomas decided in 2004 to sell the boat to the Galveston Historical Foundation, and Seagull II moved to the Texas Seaport Museum.Seagull II’s captain/tour guide is Wes Hoc-ott, an experienced boat operator and guide. He echoes Anderson’s enjoyment of the job, and clearly has the “gift of gab.”As Seagull II’s mission has evolved, dolphins have remained a highlight of her harbor tours. They can usually be depend-ed on to make an appearance, leaping and plunging alongside the boat, seeming to enjoy the close encounters as much as the passengers do. www.galveston.com/harbortours/The Seagull II sails past a cruise ship docked in the Galveston harbor.“The things you need for the job are the ability to run the boat, and the gift of gab. I enjoyed every minute of it.”– Vandy Anderson COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 2016 113114 COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 2016Beautiful BackyardsStory by Sue Mayfield Geiger | Photos by Jennifer ReynoldsIt’s clear Gilbert and Aimee Jackson and family are serious about yard work.Signs at their League City home are everywhere and include 65 bags of pine bark mulch bulging out of Gilbert Jackson’s truck bed. The mulch soon will be spread within the confines of the many flower gardens occupying this magnificent 1-acre property that’s ‘Our own private park’A League City family of gardeners transforms a once barren acre of land A Chinese fringe tree with pink petals resembling pom-poms blooms in the front yard.Aimee Jackson, her husband, Gilbert, and their children Alivea and Garrett, love working in the yard of their 1-acre League City home. The property, a mostly bare field when they bought it in 2003, is now lush and colorfully landscaped. COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 2016 115bursting with colorful blooms amid a variety of trees. Among the notable trees is the “Jackson,” a live oak registered as “Mature,” or still growing, with the Live Oak Tree Registry maintained by the League City Historical Society.“When we bought the property in 2003, it was just a barren field with a few water oaks and the historic oak,” Aimee Jackson said.The land was originally owned by the late Walter Hall, a prominent banker and generous benefactor in League City and Galveston County.The Jacksons have transformed their front yard into a picture-perfect haven that includes 120 azaleas. And their backyard, where flagstone pathways lead the way to a grove of 20 citrus trees, a salsa garden and more azaleas, is something to behold. There, an enormous prickly pear cactus with pink buds is about to blossom into robust yellow flowers.The Jacksons’ love affair with azaleas came five years ago when they visited the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail in Tyler in East Texas.“It really inspired us,” Gilbert Jackson said. “Plus, the soil there is very acidic due to all the pine trees, so we ended up planting several loblolly pines in our yard.”Although the colorful azaleas are the main attraction, the massive amount of stonework used throughout the yard is quite remarkable.(From top) Toby, a box turtle, rambles through the Jacksons’ front yard. He is one of seven turtles the family has found or rescued. The Jacksons have more than 100 azaleas in their yard. A Red Baron peach tree begins to bloom in the backyard. The Jacksons also have several citrus trees, a vegetable and herb garden and salsa garden. (Above right) A camellias bloom in the front yard.116 COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 2016Beautiful Backyards“We literally used about a thousand pounds of landscaping stones,” Aimee Jack-son said.The Jacksons did all the work themselves, and they’ve got the tools to prove it, includ-ing “his and her” shovels, weed eaters and wheelbarrows. Because they’re both working professionals, they had only weekends and evenings to get their yard in shape, often stringing up lights so they could continue to dig and plant in the dark. Their two children pitched in, too.Daughter, Alivea, 10, and son, Garrett, 8, are avid gardeners in their own right. The children particularly like digging for worms to feed their seven pet turtles that live inside their home in aquariums.The Jacksons beam with pride when they talk about their “do-it-yourself” yard that could easily fool anyone into thinking it was professionally landscaped. Aimee credits her mother, a Master Gardener, for giving her the knowledge about landscap-ing and yard work. Gilbert grew up around a father who was “always planting some-thing,” he said.With those respective backgrounds and their mutual attraction to azaleas, it seems only natural the Jacksons refer to the theme of their yard as “East Texas/Southern.”Azalea varieties include: Formosa, George L. Taber and Judge Solomon, all abloom in shades of pink, burgundy, coral and white.Other attractions include saucer magno-lia trees (cup-like fragrant blossoms that are white with a purple blush) and Jane magnolias (large, reddish-purple flowers); camellias with hot pink ruffled blooms; a Chinese fringe tree with red fringe-like petals resembling pom-poms; and four kawaka-mii flowering pear trees. The Jackson live oak is surrounded by a bed of foxtail ferns, diamond frost ground cover and perennial spring snowflake plants.“The snowflake bulbs were given to me by my grandfather, who just turned 100 years old,” Aimee Jackson said. “He brought them to me from his yard in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2012, so they are very special.”Red oaks and white oaks occupy both front and backyards, plus another live oak planted by Gilbert when the family first moved to the property. Planting the live oak was a challenge.The live oak growing in the Jacksons’ front yard is registered with the Live Oak Tree Registry. Aimee Jackson’s grandfather in Cleveland, Ohio, provided the bulbs for the snowflake plants blooming around the oak tree.“We love our yard. It’s like having our own private park.”– Aimee Jackson COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 2016 117United WayGalveston County MainlandReady to make a difference? Visit www.uwgcm.org and click on “Volunteer”Zip CodeDate/TimeType of ServiceAge RequirementsWant to Volunteer? Volunteering helps us connect with others and provides an intrinsic sense of fulfillment and purpose. Not only that, volunteering is fun! Whether you want to give back by yourself or with friends and family, volunteering is a great way to make an impact! United Way Galveston County Mainland is pleased to present a convenient way to find volunteer opportunities. By simply visiting our website and clicking “Volunteer,” you will be instantly connected to hundreds of volunteer opportunities near you. Search listings by:Need Volunteers? Galveston County nonprofit organizations are invited to create a profile and start seeking volunteers at no cost! West End Gallery & Decor409-974-0039 • 16708 San Luis Pass Rd. Suite I(Jamaica Village Shopping Center)Thurs-Sat 11–6, Sun 12–5 •www.WestEndGalleryDecor.comHome DecorCoastal FurnishingsArtLampsRugsJewelryAccessoriesInterior Design Services“With the 200-gallon tree in my truck, I drove around to the backyard, dug a deep hole, eased over to where I wanted to plant it, then wondered how to get it out,” he said. “I took some tin snips, cut down the sides of the container, and eventually rolled it onto the ground and into the hole — right at dead center.”There are hundreds of flora species grow-ing everywhere on these impressive grounds.“We love our yard,” Aimee Jackson said. “It’s like having our own private park.”Turns out, the 65 bags of mulch is just the tip of the iceberg. Gilbert Jackson will be putting out many more bags before the spring season is over, he said.“More azaleas,” he said. (Above) Ike, one of the Jacksons’ seven turtles, pops his head out of the water of his aquarium. The family found him in the yard during Hurricane Ike when he was a baby. (Below) The Jacksons were inspired by the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail in Tyler to plant azaleas in their yard. 118 COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 201624 Cedar LawnStorybook charm, 4, 3.5, 2 in Cedar Lawn, Pool $630,0002020 Morning LakeGated, S.S. Harbour, No MUD, over 4000 sq.ft. $369,000Cyndi De PalermoOwner/Realtor281-468-6314cyndidepalermo.comCall: Keli409-771-8463Call: Rebecca281-989-6107www.AffordableAirTX.comSERVICE SPECIALWith This Ad expires 5/31/16$69Brent Ballard 409.925.8275TACLBO22538ESay Goodbye to Window Units with a Modern, Affordable Central A/C & Heating System!FREEESTIMATESFINANCINGAVAILABLEAFFORDABLEAIR & HEATWE ARE HERE FOR YOUWHEN YOU NEED US!SERVICING YOUR CITY SINCE 1994!A NEW LOOK. A NEW EXPERIENCE.For summer, 2016: Discover dramatic changes on the waterfront. All-new contemporary guestrooms, new Lighthouse Bar & Bistro, “The Oasis” expanded resort pool, and exciting new event spaces.2500 SOUTH SHORE BOULEVARD | LEAGUE CITY | SSHR.COM | 281.334.1000COME SEE FOR YOURSELF.Visit www.sshr.com and explore our multi-million-dollar renovation.The Texas Gulf Coast might not have the biggest waves, but it has big surf culture. Next month ...EASY LIVING, TEXAS GULF STYLE COASTMONTHLY.COM / May 2016 119FarleyAppliance Your Appliance SolutionVisit our showroom today! 814 W. Main St., League City281-332-8000www.farleyappliance.comMonday - Friday 8:30 am - 6 pm Saturday 9 am - 5 pmNew Appliances Sales & ServiceBuilt-In Specialist2601 Broadway • Galveston, Texas 77550409-765-5538 • FAX 409-765-6753Dentistry for the whole family.Serving Galveston Since 1919Our office services includeBleaching • Crown and Bridge Extractions • Dentures and Partials Root Canals • Implant ServicesWilliam L. Glenn, III., D.D.S.Dr. Alyssa EdwardsCall 409-443-5122 for TO-GO Orders11 am - 8 pm Thursday - Monday12410 Stewart Road, Galveston, TX 77554facebook.com/bahiaoaksgalveston www.bahiaoaksgalveston.comFullBBQMenuDineorCarryOutNext >