Shawn and Darla Dean have created a beautiful outdoor area comprised of a pool, kitchen and multiple sitting areas at their home in Bayou Vista. The home even features a two-story pool house. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

John and Pam Drewry have created their own backyard oasis at their Sea Isle home on Galveston’s West End featuring a 36-by-16-foot kidney-shaped pool surrounded by Mexican pottery filled with flowers and plants and sweeping views of Galveston Bay. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

The mid-century modern house that renowned architect O’Neil Ford designed for William Lewis (Bill) Moody IV and his wife, Darlene, sits on a more than 30,000-square-foot site on Offatts Bayou in Galveston. The abstract-shaped swimming pool is bordered by brick decking in a serpentine wave-like pattern and a raised planter crowned by a vase. Photo courtesy of Dan Young/TK Images

Cynthia Langreder calls herself the “Galveston Mermaid.” She appears in full mermaid regalia regularly around town. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Paul Cater Deaton’s still photography, video and underwater photography have taken him around the globe. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Allison Johnston leaps from the dock as fellow open-water swimmers wait to take part in a training swim in English Bayou in Galveston. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Clyde Longworth looks for lost items with his metal detector on the beach near the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier. Longworth searches the beaches with his metal detector almost every day. Photo by Kelsey Walling