Aerial photos of Galveston show the fragility of the island town

An Army Black Hawk helicopter, carrying U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials, flies past the end of the seawall and over Galveston while looking at FEMA debris sites, temporary housing and rehabilitation considerations while on a tour of the Corps' current and proposed projects Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. less An Army Black Hawk helicopter, carrying U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials, flies past the end of the seawall and over Galveston while looking at FEMA debris sites, temporary housing and rehabilitation ... more Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 113 Caption Close Aerial photos of Galveston show the fragility of the island town 1 / 113 Back to Gallery

Nearly eight years since Hurricane Ike slammed into Galveston Island and 116 years since the decimating storm of 1900 we have new aerial views of the coastal town.

The images taken on Wednesday from an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials, show the island in all its hazy, late summer glory.

RELATED: Looking back at the 1900 hurricane that wiped out Galveston 116 years ago

The Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier looks rather small in the distance. Just eight years ago the pier wasn’t full of tourists and families playing hooky; it was the site of the seven-story Flagship Hotel. It was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ike and demolished in early 2011.

Houston Chronicle reporter Harvey Rice rode along with a photographer on the helicopter tour of the area.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rice writes, is preparing to deal with the next hurricane as it moves forward with a $10 million study of a proposed hurricane storm-surge protection system that could cost billions.

RELATED: Hurricane Alicia hit the Houston area 33 years ago this week

A dike, called the "Ike Dike," is being proposed to protect Galveston, Bolivar and the Galveston Bay area from storm surges.

The photos above show the beauty of Galveston Island but also just how fragile that beauty can be when it comes against the ravages of Mother Nature.