Reply #21: I grew up in Houston

[Emit]

Every weekend, we would party down in Galveston. I remember never wanting to wear my 'good' bathing suit because of all of the oil (or something black and sticky?) in the sand on the beach and in the water that would leave black marks on your clothes.

All in all, in the late 70's and early 80's, Galveston beach was not very 'pretty', although it had it's nicer areas. The Strand was new, and they were beautifying it, but for the most part it seemed really industrial.

Once, my brother and some friends and I went crabbing there. My brother (stupidly) lit himself on fire trying to get a camp fire going, and ended up throwing a flaming can of kerosene and himself into the water. The oil skids on the water lit on fire, and we weren't very far from what looked like refineries or something. I can remember praying to God that we didn't all blow up. It was one of those stupid, scary things that you do when you're young.

So, yes, lots of rigs, lots of oil.