This year’s Fourth of July holiday has taken on a whole new meaning as South Padre Island celebrates its independence from a Category 2 Hurricane named Alex.
"The beaches are open... we are set... life is good... we're very, very lucky," Dan Quandt said.
Beach-goers vacationing on the island this weekend said they couldn’t find evidence that a major storm brushed by.
"No... not if I hadn't heard it on the news," one visitor said.
City crews had been working virtually around the clock to push over-run sand back that had washed ashore.
Seaweed was used to secure dunes.
Dan Quandt, the city’s spokesman, said despite no damage on the island, Alex left a small mark.
"We had people that were here that decided to leave... we had people that made plans who were watching that decided to go somewhere else," Quandt said. “Hopefully the rest of July is going to be great."
Hotels reported a number of weekend cancellations.
Discount rates were flashed on marquees along Gulf Boulevard.
One Souvenir shop owner said Hurricane Alex had taken an early bite out of revenue.
"It’s been a slow start."
Workers at a store called Jaws remain optimistic the rest of the month will fair well.
One woman from Houston said she believed the weekend will be crowded but not jam-packed with people.
“It looks good,” Michelle Sneed said. “I told my mom... everyone needs to come on down."
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT