ROCKPORT, Texas — Rockport Mayor Pat Rios said August 25 is a solemn day for their City even four years later. Hurricane Harvey landed in the area as a Category 4 storm. The City was caught in the eye.
"Everything here is measured pre-Harvey and post-Harvey," Rios said. "It seems like -- there’s times when it feels like Harvey was 100 years ago and sometimes when it feels like yesterday."
Mayor Rios said Harvey’s anniversary is also a day to celebrate how well their community was able to come together, helping one another to recover from the devastating storm.
"So many here lost so much and we hate to see that happen," he said. "Some people have recovered better than others, but there’s been a lot of hurt and hope in the community."
Captain Tommy Moore, owner of the skimmer -- a 40 feet tour boat for whooping crane and dolphin tours year-round -- said he rode the storm out that night and remembers it vividly.
He was fortunate enough to be able to repair his boat before his busy season but said many other locally owned businesses weren’t so lucky.
"A lot of them aren’t back yet or if they aren’t back, they aren’t coming back," Moore said. "We’ve had all the slaps in the face after that. COVID, the freeze, but hey it has to get better."
Mayor Rios said they are fortunate to know they have a dedicated staff of professionals who now have the tools to handle the next event.