Warmer waters make for cooler cruising. Southern Boating publishes a U.S. Gulf Coast Regional Report each month to make your Gulf Coast cruising a success. Chock-full of information for everywhere from the panhandle of Florida to the tip of Texas—Southern Boating gives you the lowdown on all events, happenings, marinas, destinations, and more!
By some estimates there are more than 450 decommissioned oil and gas platforms offshore of Louisiana and Texas in the Gulf of Mexico that have been converted into artificial reefs. Known as Rigs-to-Reefs, the program—using a federal grant managed by the Gulf states—is causing some unusual headaches.
Throughout the lifespan of a producing offshore platform—three to four decades—vertical artificial reefs come to life on the underwater structures of the rig and create a micro-ecosystem that teems with a large diversity of ocean corals, creatures and fish. In the extremely deep waters of the Gulf, these vertical reefs are described by some as “islands” that allow an incredible diversity of marine life to gain a foothold and thrive in what is effectively an ocean desert to all but deep water creatures. As such, the rigs are a very common and productive fishing destination inshore and offshore for charter captains and local fishermen who hook onto the rigs to fish, spearfish or to trawl in their vicinity.
At the end of their life or when their lease comes to an end, these rigs become known as “idle iron,” and what to do with them brings together unlikely allies and unusual opponents. By federal law, once a rig is decommissioned or its lease has expired, oil companies are required to remove them. For the most part, especially in deep water, the older rigs are systematically shut down and then dynamited at their base causing them to sink. This kills the entire ecosystem that cannot survive at some of these great depths.
The federal Rigs-to-Reefs program allows some of these rigs to be decommissioned and to stand in place with their ecosystem intact. This has led to a split within environmentalists—some steadfast for their removal, others embracing these artificial reefs. One side argues that the Gulf should be returned to its natural habitat and that oil companies should not be allowed to get out of their requirement to clean and remove these structures. The other side contends that these decommissioned vertical structures are a net positive for the health of the Gulf and its ecosystem. While both factions opposed oilrigs and the dangers they pose, both agree that U.S. taxpayers should not foot the bill for these programs.
Fishermen and charter captains are wholeheartedly behind the Rigs-to-Reefs program and are vocal about their economic and environmental benefits. Many say that the rigs have even expanded the territory of the red snapper to west of Mobile Bay, where before there were very few.
Offshore oil and gas drilling is a simple reality in the western Gulf of Mexico, and no one questions the accidental success of these vertical artificial reefs. How to properly administer and pay for them, however, is key.
By Harlen Leslie, Southern Boating Magazine September 2015
“I’ve got ¾-inch nylon lines that I use for storms, and the boat gets so much pressure on it with the ropes getting so tight that they become like piano wires,” says Dennis Raziano. “The lines were actually sawing through the boat in places and they started moaning.” Raziano rode out Hurricane Katrina on board his 34-foot liveaboard oyster trawler in the Orleans Marina in West End New Orleans. “I was taught many years ago to never leave the boat. Even if it’s floating down the highway—you never leave the boat.”
The miserable and dangerous adventure Raziano and a few other brave souls went through in New Orleans in the summer of 2005 during and after the storm was ill-advised, but a decade after its landfall on the Mississippi Coast and the levee failures in New Orleans, their stories are now legend. After this terrible chapter, the recreational boating community on the Northern Gulf Coast has made great advances toward rebuilding and now holds thousands of state-of-the-art marinas and mended yacht clubs.
NOLA Municipal Harbor Boat Launch still in disrepair. Photo: Troy Gilbert
Between 200-300 sailors race weekly on Lake Pontchartrain and support the local businesses – with a repaired marina, this would easily be the largest weekly sporting event in New Orleans. Photo: Troy Gilbert
The Katrina damaged fishing pier at West End. Eligible for FEMA funds, even this small infrastructure still lies in a state of disrepair. Photo: Troy Gilbert
The footprints for West End’s old restaurants – Fitzgerald’s, Bruning’s, Jaeger’s, The Dock – will never rise again due to the Army Corps’ insistence that they may interfere with water flow when the outflow canal is closed. Yet the Corps hasn’t seen fit to remove the existing pilings. Photo: Troy Gilbert
Arial of West End. Photo: Friends of West End.
In Mississippi alone, nearly 1,000 slips have been rebuilt in marinas from Pass Christian to Pascagoula, and an entire new marina has been constructed adjacent to the historic and quaint downtown of Bay St. Louis. Out of the 33 Gulf Yachting Association’s yacht clubs from New Orleans to Pensacola—including 3 of the 5 oldest clubs in the Western Hemisphere—18 have been rebuilt or repaired. The 166-year-old Southern Yacht Club of New Orleans has a new 30,000-square-foot facility. Many of the more than 150 years of historic trophies and Olympic medals lost in the dual calamities of fire and water are slowly being replaced, including a Lipton sailing trophy, which was generously rebuilt by the Lipton Tea Company using the original London silversmith.
On the coast, junior sailing programs have been re-invigorated. Fishing tournaments and 150-year-old regattas have quickly returned with participation now getting back to “Pre-K” numbers as boats have been replaced and boat shows have boomed, including the Gulf Coast Yacht and Boat Show that relocated in 2010 to Gulfport, Mississippi.
The one outlier has been the Municipal Yacht Harbor in New Orleans and its 600+ slips. One of three public marinas in the city, the marina’s management board has been battling with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for rebuilding funds and now stands as a flashing beacon of bureaucracy, still without utilities and half empty.
The New Orleans’ boaters and the many businesses that serve them have struggled but learned to make do. New Orleans and this heavy boating community along the Gulf Coast will have endured everything from catastrophic hurricanes to oil spills, yet the strong boating culture and its infrastructure will continue their resurgence. The love of pulling in those red snappers or racing sailboats in century-old regattas will never be quashed on this coast—we are boat people.
By Troy Gildert, Southern Boating Magazine September 2015
Swim with the gentle giants once mistaken for fishtailed maidens, and discover the Florida spot they call home.
If your cruising itinerary includes Florida’s Big Bend coast, there’s a marvelous experience 70 miles north of Tampa and 6 miles up the Crystal River. The area is a first-magnitude spring system comprising more than 40 bubbling springs that stay a constant 72 degrees all year long and where the largest population of manatees in the U.S. calls home. Can you blame them? Their numbers climb during the winter months when they find shelter from the cold, but a few linger throughout the year. Manatees can be seen in many other places, of course, but this is the only place in North America where swimmers can legally interact with them. That in itself is a compelling reason for a visit, but when you add a stay at Plantation Resort on Crystal River, it propels to the top of the list.
From the Gulf of Mexico, pass through King’s Bay and ease between Parker Island to port and Banana Island to starboard. Just past the gazebo, you’ll find Plantation on Crystal River, which offers visiting mariners resort amenities, a boat ramp, boat rentals, charter options, trailer storage, and a 1,600-foot sea wall for tie-ups outside of guest rooms.
It is advisable to get local information on current depths in the Crystal River area as shoaling is common in the projected six-foot depth of the Salt River that connects with Crystal River. At this juncture is the full-service Twin Rivers Marina. Overhead power lines have a 47-foot vertical clearance here. Shallows are commonplace so depth sounders should be minded especially for boats with more than five-foot drafts. Waiting for half-tide or higher might be recommended in waters before the Crystal River channel. Once within the channel, simply follow the markers—red to starboard, green to port.
Enhance your Crystal River family vacation and manatee encounters with an afternoon diving for scallops. Photo: VisitCitrus.com
Paddle among the gentle giants on the blue oasis of clear and pristine water in Three Sisters Springs. Photo: VisitCitrus.com
Make your trip complete with a stop at Floral City’s Ferris Groves, a staple for fine Florida citrus. Photo: VisitCitrus.com
Have your very own Manatee encounter at Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River, FL. Photo: C Grant / Visit Citrus
Enjoy leisurely horseback riding through state forests and grassy trails. Photo: VisitCitrus.com
visit wild spider monkeys who inhabit Monkey Island on the
Homosassa River. Photo: VisitCitrus.com
Scalloping activity, shot on assignment for Citrus County. Photo: VisitCitrus.com
Pete’s Pier Marina is the largest marina in Kings Bay and the only transient marina near the village of Crystal River. It has wet slips, cable TV, dry storage, free pump-outs, shower facilities and fuel. An anchorage is available for shallow draft boats north of an island in the middle of Kings Bay harbor. Depth there is six to seven feet at the mean low water.
Several Crystal River dive centers offer manatee swim tours, but the Plantation on Crystal River’s Adventure Center is experienced and is right at the resort. Plantation on Crystal River is a “Southern Manor” nestled within 232 acres of manicured lawns, surrounded by live oaks, palms, and pines. The upscale resort offers 196 renovated guest rooms, suites and golf villas for groups. Its Tiki Bar serves fabulous burgers, and the West 82° Bar and Grill is famous for their grouper and occasionally serves Maine lobster. Two golf courses are just across the street.
My manatee tour started at 7 AM, with fitting of wetsuits, masks, and snorkels, and then we watched a short video on manatee “manners,” aka passive observation: no swim fins are allowed, no splashing or kicking, no chasing, touching, diving, cornering, riding, holding, pinching, poking, or prodding. Only quiet moves are permitted. If, however, a manatee initiates contact, only then is reciprocal contact authorized, and curious manatees do sometimes visit swimmers.
The first stop was in the canal, where our guide disembarked first to look for telltale bubbles, followed by our group of 12. In a slow fade-in, the entire body of a manatee came within a foot of me as his pudgy nose approached the water’s surface. I could have sworn he glanced in my direction as he breathed in the air. It was difficult to maintain my quiet moves.
Our next stop was Hunter Spring and I saw how Crystal River acquired its name. A manatee was nowhere in sight but the swim in crystal clear water was enjoyable. Next was Jurassic Spring, where a spring bubbled from the earth, its opening teeming with mullet, mangrove snapper and snook. My swim-mates and I—a genial group from Hawaii, California, Florida, and North Carolina, (I represented Georgia)—exchanged snorkeling experiences as we chugged complimentary hot coffee and cocoa.
Much too soon we return to the Adventure Center, peeled off our wetsuits and headed to the center to see what our guide captured on his GoPro.
The Kings Bay area is very protective of their manatees. Borders of manatee sanctuaries are guarded by clearly marked buoys, and the sanctuaries are closed to boating, fishing, and swimming from November 15th to March 31st. Nearby Homasassa Springs Wildlife State Park is a refuge for injured or orphaned manatees as well as native Florida wildlife—whooping cranes, red wolves, Key deer, bears, Florida panther, and one hippopotamus who was made a Florida citizen by a former governor. A 20-minute informative and narrated boat ride there carries you to the park entrance.
Since the manatee experience only takes a few hours, there’s time to poke around The Shoppes of Heritage Village, where all manner of manatee souvenirs are found. A few artists’ studios, one filled with Japanese ceramics and handblown glass, sit next to The General Store’s nostalgic candy. I’ve never seen a tidier Army surplus store than Military Outlet on North Citrus Avenue. The Cotton Club sells Brighton charms and fresh produce. Yet, while mementos serve as reminders of swimming with the gentle “sea cows,” there’s nothing quite like swimming in the same water environment as Florida’s gentle native species whose closest relative is the elephant. I’ll be back. I’m sure of it.
CRUISER RESOURCES Plantation on Crystal River
9301 W. Fort Island Trail
Crystal River, Florida 34429
(352) 795-4211; (800) 632-6262 plantationoncrystalriver.com
Pete’s Pier Marina
1 Southwest 1st Place
Crystal River, Fl 34429
(352) 795-3302 petespiermarina.com
Twin Rivers Marina
2880 N. Seabreeze Point
Crystal River, FL 34429
(352) 795-3552 twinriversmarina.com
Texas set record-breaking rainfall in May with a month-long deadly deluge of seemingly biblical proportions. Perhaps the one positive takeaway, as residents begin to put their lives back to normal, is the subsiding of extreme drought conditions that were plaguing the state.
Lake and reservoir levels are slowly returning to normal, which bode well for this fast growing state, the environment and boaters since for many in Texas, boating is a way of life.
Lake levels across the state have been at perilous and exceptional lows for the past few years. Many boat ramps and marinas were left high and dry, while boaters’ safety was becoming an issue in some places as boats were hitting shallows or newly exposed debris causing significant damages to hulls or engines. Rivers and creeks dried up and without the influx of fresh water into the estuaries along the Gulf, these nursery grounds for redfish, speckled trout, black drum and flounder have been in severe distress. The $17 billion tourism economy—much attributed to the appeal of Texas’ lakes and Gulf Coast—showed signs of sluggishness.
Let’s hope this will signal the end of the drought for Texas and along with it the return of its unique boating culture and people back out on the water.
Kemah boardwalk Those last few steps in the sands and dives in the waves of the Gulf of Mexico on Galveston Island are approaching fast as there are only a few weekends left to take the kids out boating and allow them to create great memories and stories that last throughout the school year. Kemah’s Boardwalk is an easy day or weekend boating trip for most residents in the Houston area and an ideal family-friendly way to close out the summer.
Located on Galveston Bay, Kemah’s Boardwalk has a full-service marina catering to transients looking for endless dockside dining, outdoor concerts and a carnival-like atmosphere for the kids. Filled with rides, the Boardwalk draws in families from the Houston area, where there’s no better way to visit and escape traffic than by boat. Transient boaters can find slip space at the marina from 30-50 feet. Reservations are advisable.
In August, live salsa bands wander the boardwalk and add to the excitement of the carousel and other rides. As the sun sets, parents can enjoy the atmosphere or savor fresh local oysters and redfish from their choice of six waterfront restaurants. Whether you stay on board your boat or get a room at the Boardwalk Inn, the Kemah Boardwalk is an easy weekend getaway and a world away from the start of the school season. It might also stimulate you to untie those lines and become even more adventurous in exploring Texas’ sprawling Gulf Coast.
By Harlen Leslie, Southern Boating Magazine August 2015
More than 100 sailboats headed south in Mobile Bay for the 57th running of the Dauphin Island Regatta on April 25th. The race—hosted by a syndicate of the Fairhope, Mobile and Buccaneer Yacht Clubs—is a tradition in South Alabama and is considered to be more of a fun and less serious regatta. As such, the 17 nautical mile race sailing south to overnight parties and events on Alabama’s barrier island not only draws experienced racing crew from the region but also skippers and teams that may only take their boats out once a year. In the regatta’s heyday in the 80s and 90s, upwards of 400 boats would participate.
Under no weather warnings or watches, the regatta started about an hour and a half late due to miscommunication and a very common general recall for one of the starts. While there was a storm front moving toward Mobile Bay, the very weather-aware boaters and the Race Committee sailed in a steady 15-16 knots of breeze under overcast, yet non-threatening skies.
Three and a half hours after the race started a supercell thunderstorm exploded and slammed the fleet of boats that was spread throughout the bay racing, returning to home port or tying up at the giant raft-up on Dauphin Island. The storm moved over the fleet at 60 knots with an initial windblast of 70 knots and caught many of the vessels in open waters. For more than 30 minutes the crews battled a sustained breeze of 50 knots and seas that kicked up in only minutes to 8 feet in the shallow bay. Docked vessels were ripped from their moorings.
In the aftermath, 10 sailboats from 20 to 27 feet in length were sunk bringing a total of 40 souls into the water. Most were rescued by their fellow competitors, who, along with the U.S. Coast Guard and multiple other agencies, patrolled the bay for hours in what became an exhaustive search. A local fisherman who was on the bay, along with many others, was also lost and brought the death toll to six.
U.S. Sailing Olympic Team Boatwright Donnie Brennan, who has sailed in this regatta for more than 20 years, was racing with friends that day when they were caught returning home among many of the slower keelboats still finishing the race. “Mother Nature keeps preaching to us over and over again this same lesson and I don’t know why we have to keep relearning it. Safety is always first. Always have life jackets on or nearby, take down the sails and close the hatches because in that first gulp of water, 250 gallons go into the boat, and in the second it’s 400 gallons. For the third gulp, the boat goes to the bottom,” Brennan said, who along with his fellow crewmembers pulled two people from the water that afternoon. One was wearing a lifejacket and the other, in severe distress, was not.
By Troy Gilbert, Southern Boating Magazine, August 2015
With easy access to the Atlantic for fun day trips of diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and world-class fishing, and only a short distance from The Bahamas, the nearly 80-year-old Fort Pierce City Marina, Florida, located on the Indian River near the Fort Pierce Inlet, has stood the test of time.
It was shaken down last in 2004 when Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne blasted the Treasure Coast destroying the marina’s slips in the outer basin and damaging many in the inner basin. What followed was a 10-year restoration project—nearing $31 million—spearheaded by Bellingham Marine that led to a refurbished waterfront that included the construction of 13 barrier islands and the addition of 137 wet slips to the marina for a June grand opening. The islands that sit about 700 feet off shore—the largest one is 14 acres—provide critical storm surge protection and serve as a sanctuary for juvenile fish. Mangroves and oyster shells were also planted to attract birds, oyster larvae, fish, and other marine life.
Centrally located and within walking distance from downtown Fort Pierce, the marina offers many amenities including onsite boat and yacht sales, fishing charters, a farmer’s market, two restaurants, and a supply store. Stop by The Original Tiki Bar for an open-air dining experience of bacon-wrapped shrimp, paella and drinks under an authentic Tiki thatched roof, or make your way to Cobb’s Landing for fresh catch choices and its very own Pineapple Mojito at the Mojito Bar.
Head out to the deep blue for world-class sport fishing where barracuda, blackfin tuna, mahi, flounder, kingfish, sailfish, snapper, tarpon, wahoo, and more abound. And if you think that a bit of competition is healthy for the heart, check out Southern Kingfish Association for updates on the latest tournaments. fishska.com
Then when you’re ready for a bit of dry land action, take your pick: play a round at the Indian Hills Golf Course, travel through time at the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery with paintings of Fort Pierce native A.E. “Bean” Backus, or stroll through the Heathcote Botanical Gardens that boast the largest public display of tropical bonsais in the U.S.
Amenities
272 slips
Two fueling stations
Diesel fuel in slip
Gasoline Octane-89/90 non-Ethanol
Water hook up
Ice
Fish cleaning station
Laundry
Free Wi-Fi
Cable TV
Showers and restrooms
Two restaurants
Farmer’s market
Supply store/gift shop
Pet friendly
Contact:
Fort Pierce City Marina
1 Avenue A
Fort Pierce, FL 34950
(772) 464-1245
(800) 619-1780 fortpiercecitymarina.com
Nestled in a secluded harbor only minutes away from the Gulf of Mexico and ICW seats the Orange Beach Marina, a full-service family-owned facility run by the Long family for more than three decades. Severely beat down by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the marina underwent a complete overhaul from 2005 to 2008 and is noted in the Gulf Coast for being among the only marinas in a fully protected harbor that offers covered slips capable of accommodating large fishing vessels.
Onsite boat and yacht sales, engine repair, fishing charters, water sports, and a ship’s store make this facility truly unique. Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina—its one-of-a-kind restaurant was completed in 2013 and commended as one of the top 100 eateries in the South—houses two kitchens with distinct concepts and menus. Fisher’s Upstairs and Fisher’s Dockside are sure to satisfy food lovers.
Lose yourself among the world’s best sport fishing areas within minutes of the marina, where snapper, ling, mackerel, grouper, and wahoo gather, while a southerly course puts you in one of the hottest bill fishing areas in the country. And if you’re into competition, look up some the many tournaments hosted by the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club (MBGFC) mbgfc.org/tournaments/htm
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Want to stay ashore? Discover some of the historic forts that date back to the Civil War era or indulge in a day of golf at one of eight premier golf courses within minutes from the marina. A short car ride will also take you to the cradle of the naval aviation at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, home of the Blue Angels, and the National Naval Aviation Museum.
Amenities
• 180 covered/open stalls
• Six-bay fuel dock
• Dockage to 130′
• Laundry center
• Free Wi-Fi
• Free cable TV
• 24-hour security
• Private showers and restrooms
• Covered grilling and picnic areas
• Pet friendly
• Upscale dock store
Contact:
Orange Beach Marina
27075 Marina Road
Orange Beach, AL 36561
(251) 981-4207 orangebeachmarina.com
The Gulf of Mexico was first explored and mapped by the Spanish in the early 1500s and with the arrival of the French more than 100 years later and their European conflicts, the first colonies were established along the sandy shores. Along with these colonies came the first great forts to protect land claims and trading routes. By the time of the American Civil War in 1860, massive forts guarded the inlets leading to bays and were the scenes of ferocious naval battles as the Union naval forces blockaded and began capturing port towns.
This legacy of coastal embattlements and fortresses has a deep history on the Gulf Coast and not surprisingly, many have been restored and are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Readily accessible by cruisers, many of these fortresses have anchorages that provide stunning backdrops as they rise against the emerald and blue waters of the Gulf Coast.
Fort Gaines—Dauphin Island, Alabama: Controlling the entrance to Mobile Bay, Fort Gaines was constructed between 1821 and 1848 and is bookended by the equally historic Fort Morgan on the Alabama mainland. Both saw fierce combat in the Battle of Mobile Bay between Confederate forces and the Union Navy in 1864, which included ironclads on both sides and where Admiral David Farragut commanded the now famous phrase, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.” Both of these forts are located within walking or biking distance of transient marinas.
Fort Jefferson—Dry Tortugas, Florida: Easily the most stunning and largest of the forts on the Gulf of Mexico, Fort Jefferson is a well-known attraction for cruisers in the Florida Keys. Constructed in 1847 and primarily used as a prison and to combat piracy, this fort has many anchorages available.
Fort Massachusetts—Ship Island, Mississippi: Originally constructed in 1859 on a deepwater anchorage, this massive masonry fortress was conquered by Union forces during the Civil War in late 1861. First used as a prison to house Confederate POWs, the fort then protected the marshalling of the fleet, which would eventually conquer New Orleans. Located only 10 miles off shore, Ship Island holds beautiful beaches and great anchorages.
Fort Pike—the Rigolets, Louisiana: Constructed following the War of 1812 to protect the approaches to the port of New Orleans, the fort was then occupied and used as a base for raiding Confederate towns and forces after the fall of New Orleans to Union forces in 1862. Located in the marshes of southeast Louisiana and heavily damaged in Hurricane Katrina, Fort Pike has been repaired but is best viewed from land, although transient marinas are available nearby.
Fort Pickens—Santa Rosa Island, Florida: Originally constructed in 1834 and decommissioned after World War II, Fort Pickens was the largest of a series of fortresses guarding Pensacola Bay. The impressive masonry fort has the history of being one of only a handful of forts to remain in the hands of Union forces throughout the Civil War. Nearby marinas and offshore anchorages allow for easy exploration of this stunning relic.
Recreational fishermen are often on the losing side of any battle with commercial fishing interests, and none is more pronounced than red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico, which has erupted all the way to the halls of the U.S. Congress. After decades of overfishing that led to strict regulations, the red snapper population has boomed over the last few years—especially west of the Mississippi River—and many locals claim that the Federal catch seasons aren’t keeping pace with reality. With snapper seasons shrinking down to as little as nine days in 2014, the five Gulf states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida have banded together in an effort to counter Federal catch seasons, at least on their state-controlled waters.
The red snapper is a highly sought-after game fish for not only the home kitchen, but also for the menus of fine dining restaurants worldwide, with massive stock depletions first reported in the 1980s. After the Federal catch and season restrictions were put in place in 1997, the season lengths have dramatically dwindled and have allowed the stock to recover to the point where some local anglers report they can now almost “scoop them up with dip nets,” but then have to release them or face massive fines.
Because the red snapper prefers the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico and near offshore oil platforms beyond the limits of state water boundaries, the Gulf states’ attempt to impose their own lengthened snapper seasons on their home waters are mostly reactionary, but these catches were still counted against the total red snapper catch for the entire Gulf of Mexico—something that infuriated recreational anglers. The argument between the Gulf states and the Federal government even delved into the muddy area of territorial control over offshore waters. However, the united Gulf states’ congressional delegations are where the real game is being played with regard to these federally controlled areas of the Gulf of Mexico.
Louisiana’s Senator David Vitter submitted a bill to Congress in January to grant management authority over red snapper stocks in state and federal waters to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council made up primarily of local Gulf state representatives. Many argue that this more localized control over the area’s fishing—whether recreational or commercial, and one that plays a huge part of the region’s coastal economy—will be more flexible in determining seasons and catch limits. However, in early May this plan was rejected and it appears that the 2015 red snapper season will be limited to a 10-day season for recreational anglers and 44 days for charter boat operators.
While Texans have to head out a bit further from their coastline than their fellow anglers in Louisiana or elsewhere on the Gulf Coast to hunt the red snapper, everyone agrees that with dwindling fish stocks worldwide, there has to be a happy medium. Proper management and enforcement of catch limits are necessary and vital—no one wants to be the angler to reel in the last red snapper.
Whether your love of boating tends to sail or power, May is the ideal time to begin planning to prep the next generation as sailing camp registrations open throughout the Texas coast and on her many inland lakes.
Strike up a conversation at any yacht club or your favorite waterfront joint and it’s likely that person will have a fondly remembered childhood tale of fishing or sailing with a parent or grandparent. And that lifetime love for the water for your kids can come about simply by instilling the sense of adventure, self-reliance and the freedom found in boating. Yacht clubs are a great avenue to do just that through their accredited junior programs.
Sailing Clubs
Most clubs run two-to-four week-long camps and teach sailing instruction, seamanship, boating safety, and navigation before sending the kids—many as young as eight years old—out on protected and supervised waters in small eight-foot Optimist dinghies, the same models used by junior programs throughout the world.
With virtually every modern day Olympic sailor having gotten their start sailing Optis, many will say these junior programs were crucial to their early love for boating and established the skillsets for their amateur careers as they progressed to larger boats and eventually collegiate sailing programs. As the kids learn and become more skilled, they eventually graduate to sailing regattas with local events against other clubs and even larger junior regattas held throughout the United States and even world championship events.
A junior sailor launches her boat for a day of sailing in Texas. Photo: Troy Gilbert
The Galveston Bay area has some of the larger and more successful junior programs with Houston and Lakewood YCs among the best in Texas. Further south, Corpus Christi YC has another well-established program. While many of these clubs do require membership for children to be enrolled, many do offer their programs to friends of members willing to sponsor and some do even have open enrollment. Swim tests are required at every club. These programs exist at the majority of yacht clubs, but it is best to research the programs and prerequisites on your local club’s website, or simply call to set up a meeting with their Sailing Director to see their facilities and boats.
Scout it Out
There are also numerous junior sailing programs that are not affiliated with yacht clubs. One of the best is at Galveston Bay Sea Scouts SeaBase program on Offatts Bayou in Galveston. Originally conceived as a high-adventure boating summer camp for the Sea Scouts—an offshoot of the Boy Scouts—the nearly $100 million facility and the program has broadened to include a Community Youth Sailing Center and a maritime education facility.
Financed almost entirely by a donation from a private Texan donor who is very active in the Sea Scouting programs, the 60,000-square-foot facility includes lodging, offices, classrooms, cafeteria, and an endowment for accredited instructors. The complex is capable of hosting 200-300 Scouts on a weekly basis each summer with kids learning on a variety of vessels ranging from kayaks and Optimists to large schooners with the goal of emphasizing boating knowledge and high adventure.
For over 40 years GYB has been the center of boating on the Gulf coast. Our friendly staff is highly motivated to make your experience at GYB flawless. We’re located just minutes from the Gulf of Mexico right off the Galveston Ship Channel at a location which simply no other marina can offer. Conveniently positioned within the heart of Galveston Island! Beaches, Shopping, Hotels, Night life, Dining, and the historical strand district are within a few miles of GYB. Our convenient location and surrounding amenities allows everyone the opportunity to enjoy their time on the island while the avid anglers are exploring the endless inshore and offshore fishing that only the gulf coast can offer. Explore our site and you’ll learn how GYB can be the center of your own fun-filled boating and island adventure.
Conveniently positioned within the heart of Galveston Island! Beaches, Shopping, Hotels, Night life, Dining, and the historical strand district are within a few miles of GYB.
Amenities:
•100, 50, 30 Amp Electrical Service Available for Vessels up to 100+ ft.
•Covered Sling Lifts with up to 10,000lb. Capacity
•All Slips Serviced w/ Shore Power & Fresh Water
•Bathroom, Shower & Laundry facilities
•Spacious Storage Lockers available
•Transient Dockage
•Dual Public Boat Launch
•24 hour Fuel Dock Serving Diesel, Gasoline, Oil, Fuel Additive, Ice and more
•Ship Store and Bait Camp
•Johnston & Mayer Professional Yacht Brokerage
•Fish Cleaning Facility
•Private Charter Yacht and Fishing Charters
•Ample Paved & Lighted Parking
•Handicap Accessible
•Prime Location, Just minutes from downtown Galveston
•Sanitary Pump Out Station
Marina:
•370 Covered Slips
•127 uncovered slips
•Dry Stack Storage
•Floating Dock — Please call marina office for pricing —
The Fastest Way To The East Through Mobile Bay.
We Can Handle All Of Your Boating Needs On The Eastern Shore.
When you walk down the tree lined streets and the vibrant chimes of the city’s old time clock ring out, it brings you back to a time gone past…
This is Utopia, what the true aristocratic south used to be. Trees shade the brick paved sidewalks, hanging baskets and colorful flowerbeds. While browsing the many fine shops in town,take a break,stroll into Latte Da’s for an iced cappucino or a Fairhope Float at Gene’s Beans. Take a break on one of the many benches thru the city, (However you probably will have competition for the rocking chairs in front of the hardware store.) just sit and enjoy the flowers that are everywhere, attended to by the city’s staff and horticulturist. Add your name to the visitor’s list at the welcome center, 500,000 others have in the last 9 years. After all Fairhope has ranked highly over the years as a “best place to retire”.
Authorized Dealer And Service For:
Westerbeke
Kohler
Yanmar
Lehman
Universal
Volvo
Onan
MercruiserR
Palmetto, Florida’s Riviera Dunes Marina does what it can to make its guests feel right at home.
With two freshwater heated pools, four gas Webber grills, freshly brewed coffee each morning, a complementary newspaper, and free WiFi, it’s easy to see why Riviera Dunes Marina has been popular with cruisers since it opened in 2003.
Riviera Dunes has 219 wet slips, 20 transient slips, floating docks, it provides a station at the fuel dock or at your slip via pump-out boat, and there’s full electric individually metered at the slip.
Captain Doc Craig, Marina Manager for two years, says their 360-degree protected deep-water harbor sets them apart from other marinas. “We have a special reservation program that guarantees available, protected dockage during named storm events,” he explains.
Though there are two marinas within one mile of Riviera Dunes, Craig says cruisers prefer their facility. “Boaters, especially those looking for permanent dockage, prefer our 10-foot floating concrete docks, our ranking as the most protected marina on Florida’s west coast, and our consistently best fuel prices in the area,” Craig says. “We’re an exceptionally deep-water marina for this area due to the fact that it was built on the site of a former dolomite quarry.”
The marina offers short and long-term leases for boats from 30-120 feet and there’s a discount fuel program for all tenants and slip owners. It’s on the Manatee River, just past Red Marker #24A on the North side of the river.
Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club prides itself on ensuring that you have a perfect day on the water, on or off your boat.
Charter services, fishing lessons, boating classes, boat rendezvous, kayak and nature tours, gourmet gatherings, and more attract locals from Naples and beyond. Located less than 10 minutes to Gordon Pass, Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club is designated a Clean Marina. Positioned in a protected harbor beside Rookery Bay shores, a casual and luxurious ambiance blends perfectly with waterside dining at an Old Florida-style clubhouse.
Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club’s steel-reinforced concrete dry-stack boathouse protects against hurricane force winds up to 150 mph. Walls built with seven-and-a-quarter-inch concrete separate each boat bay and prevents the spread of fire. Additionally, a high-tech sprinkler system is supported by two artesian wells, which disperse approximately 1,000 gallons of water per minute.
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For true concierge service, call ahead and their marina staff will fuel, wash and get your boat ready for launch. (Ask them about their onboard catering available.) At the end of your boating adventures, professional marina staff will meet you at the dock to clean and stow your vessel.
Other Provisions and Amenities:
• 325 dry slips (20’ to 55’ LOA, depending on weight)
• 25 floating dock wet slips up to 60’ in length
• Dockside pump-out services
• Members’ fuel discount
• 55,000-pound capacity forklift
• Club privileges
• No minimum food and beverage requirement
• Wi-Fi and computer access
• 24-hour security
• Unlimited access to your boat
• Captain and fishing guides services
• Concierge services
• Valet services to club or boat
• No tipping policy
• Ship’s store
• Dog-friendly (outdoors)
Information:
Marina Spotlight: Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club
7065 Hamilton Avenue
Naples, FL 34112
(305) 673-6000
Port Sanibel Marina, which opened in 1955, is conveniently located just minutes from the Intracoastal and the Gulf of Mexico.
Port Sanibel Marina has three buildings dedicated to dry boat storage in Fort Myers. They describe their Boat House as the “crown jewel of storage facilities.”
It’s (over) built to withstand hurricane force winds of 140mph. This award-winning building is a dry storage facility with stately columns, Bahamas-style shutters, and stucco exterior. Dry storage facilities accommodate 121 boats ranging up to 34 feet; wet storage facilities include 104 stationary docks for watercraft up to 65 feet.
With more than 340 days of sunshine year-round, this Southwest Florida location is an outdoors enthusiast’s dream come true! During your stay at Port Sanibel Marina, go to Fun in the Sun Rentals for boating, water skiing, kayaking, fishing, dolphin watching, shelling excursions, or access to private beaches. You can also sign up to paddle to Larry’s Lagoon on a guided eco-tour.
Nature lovers can explore the natural Southwest Florida ecosystem on the mile-long Port Sanibel Nature Boardwalk. For 30 to 45 minutes, participants can learn about plant and wildlife that dwell in the forest as they wind their way through the Mangrove Forests’s natural canopy, and perhaps catch a glimpse of manatees and sea otters in their natural habitat. Visitors can also spend a day fishing and/or shell searching with the Port Sanibel Marina Fishing Charter captains, who offer private charters. Don’t forget to ask the marina staff about boat cruises and tours that leave from Royal Shell Port Sanibel Marina.
At the end of the day, unwind by the waterfront at the Lighthouse Waterfront Restaurant, which features a wide variety of fine dining choices for lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, and other special occasions. Enjoy live entertainment while you watch the sunset.
Other Marina Features/Services:
• Wet storage facilities include 104 stationary docks for watercraft up to 65 feet
• Dry storage facilities accommodate 121 boats ranging up to 34 feet
• 30/50 AMP electric
• Pump-outs station
• Beautiful park-like landscaping
• Paved parking areas
• Marble bathrooms with showers
• Waterfront dining
• Public boat ramp
• State-of-the-art Wiggins Forklift
• Ship store open daily
• Trailer storage
• Wi-Fi Internet access
• Security
