Man makes last-minute escape through Bolivar Peninsula, but quickly regrets it

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Monday, September 21, 2020
Dad and daughter make rough escape from Bolivar
Charles Chapman was simply trying to get out before Tropical Storm Beta makes landfall. While he was out on a rocky road, he took out his phone and documented the entire thing. See the bumps, rocks and all the water he came across saw in the video above.

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man in Galveston decided he wanted to get out of harm's way ahead of Tropical Storm Beta and chose to make a last-minute escape through the Bolivar Peninsula on Sunday afternoon.

The roads, however, were not easy to maneuver and it didn't take him long to realize it was a mistake.

"So we tried to go across the [Galveston Ferry] and the ferry is closed, so we had to turn back around and go right back through this mess and it's 10 times worse," said Charles Chapman, who documented the entire ride on video. "There's debris everywhere."

WATCH: ABC13's Courtney Fischer gets close to the waves crashing in Kemah

By late morning on Monday, hours before the anticipated landfall of Beta, Galveston Bay communities like Kemah served as splash zones, which proved to be a challenge for our ABC13 crews, as seen in the video.

The video shows a rough drive and debris scattered throughout the roads. The father was with his daughter and their dog Bella.

He came onto the Bolivar Peninsula from the Chambers County side and was met with strong, crashing waves coming over SH 87.

He said he continued to drive to catch the ferry but was unaware that the ferry shut down due to weather Saturday night.

Chapman said the waves were pushing his van all over the road.

"It's literally pushing my van," narrated Chapman. "This is very, very bad considering the storm hasn't even hit yet. I'm definitely trying to get my butt out of here and back up to I-10 and just get my butt home."

Fortunately, Chapman and his family made it safely home.

WATCH: SkyDrone13's flight over the water-covered streets in Seabrook

Folks living along coastal Galveston Bay already felt the effects of Tropical Storm Beta before landfall. The video captured by SkyDrone 13 in Seabrook is further proof. (Footage shot morning of Sept. 21, 2020.)

Voluntary evacuations have been issued for the west End of Galveston Island, Bolivar Peninsula, areas of the city of La Marque outside the levee system, Dickinson, Jamaica Beach, Kemah, Tiki Island and Bayou Vista.