In August 1969 Hurricane Camille struck the Gulf Coast with a slam hard enough to presage the destructive powers of future hurricanes. Buildings were swept off their concrete slab foundations, cars were carried into the marshes, and boats were lofted out of the Gulfport docks and dropped down in the middle of nowhere like Dorothy’s wooden house out of Kansas. The “Ease Point” 80 foot tug was one just such boat, one that found a second life named after the Hurricane that upended its world, a second life that ended sadly but fittingly in a second hurricane.
Pummeled after Katrina
The “Ease Point” was pushed ashore by Hurricane Camille in August of 1969. She came to rest some 200+ feet inland on property owned by Lucille Moody’s parents. The family noticed curious crowds would gather to take pictures after the storm and because it was a natural attraction for tourists and locals, the Moodys bought the boat and changed the name. Railroad tracks were built to scoot the vessel more than 200 feet south to where it sits today. Moody opened a tiny gift shop near the stern in 1970. [Tom Colt, 04/20/2007]
Heyday, with the Moody’s gift shop very much alive.
Hurrican Katrina.
The gift shop is gone, swept off its slab foundation.
The front of the wheelhouse (the top) has been staved in.
Barren all around.
Fenced off for safety reasons.
In mid 2008 the owners sold the lot and the SS Hurricane Camille was bulldozed out of existence. It had come to be one of the sights of the town and a tourist attraction. Some 200+ people gathered to watch its demolition.
Photo Links- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
RUINS / HAIKYO
You can see all MJG’s Ruins / Haikyo explorations here:
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