Advice - Galveston Bay to Matagorda bay at the end of Dec.

sailaway78 · Dec 10, 2012

Best advice I have

I have only made an offshore passage through an oil field one time without radar. My best advice is to go on a full moon, and hopefully a clear sky. Off the La. coast, there are a lot of little satellite rigs out there, that have no sign of a light.

RTB · Dec 10, 2012

I have done the Harvest Moon Regatta (Galveston-Port Aransas). We didn't have radar either.

Check charts 11323_1, 11321_1, and 11316_1. You will encounter a few rigs off Freeport, but they get pretty heavy around Matagorda. I will say for a fact, that we definitely saw unlit rigs out there. You could go out to the Safety Fairway, but probably don't want to go that far out. Besides, then you are looking for the big guys out there, maybe worse than hitting a rig.

A good weather window could be your biggest challenge. If you do get a good window, have a good moon, and have enough crew to keep a close watch at night, you can do it no problem.

Or, just take an extra day, and do the ditch. It isn't so bad really. I say this after just completing about 500 miles in the ditch. Galveston-Pensacola, FL.

Ralph
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/brogdon/

WayneH · Dec 10, 2012

Re: Advice - Galveston Bay to Matagorda bay at the end of De

Advice: The locals in Matagorda Bay call the jetties "the washing machine" during an outgoing current. I know of one boat that completely sheared off their rudder in the trough of a wave. Check the tide tables and plan on slack or incoming current while transiting the jetties there.

Story: We took our 16' daysailer to Pass Cavallo one 4th of July. Overshot our anchorage and tacked back to make another pass. The wife commented on how fast we were moving through the water. And we were!!! That little sailboat was up on plane and hauling A$$!!! Unfortunately, we were fighting the outgoing current and the people on the shore were keeping pace with us by just walking along.

RTB · Dec 10, 2012

WayneH said:
Advice: The locals in Matagorda Bay call the jetties "the washing machine" during an outgoing current. I know of one boat that completely sheared off their rudder in the trough of a wave. Check the tide tables and plan on slack or incoming current while transiting the jetties

Many (most?) entrances can be really rough, dangerous actually, if wind and currents are opposing. I just burried my bow a few time leaving Pensacola. My bad, because the tide was outgoing against the wind. I won't do that again.

MarineMonster · Dec 10, 2012

I would consider perhaps an extra crew member if possible. That would give you the flexibility to have one at the helm, one on watch and a resting period for the third crew.

You need to keep your eyes open for the most unlit rigs once you pass the Freeport Channel entrance. The area I'm refering to is at 3-5 miles from shore. It will take you 10hrs (+-) depending on your speed to get there from the jetties in Galveston, so perhaps you can plan your trip departure accordingly. If you are coming into the Port Aransas Channel; I would plan to perhaps be there during daylight.

Let us know how it goes.

onecoolair · Dec 11, 2012

twobitdad said:
I have to move my boat (Hunter 30', with the help of a friend, both of us with some experience) from Clear Lake to Palacios at the end of December. I dont have a radar but do have a GPS and chartplotter. We have a limited amount of time we can be gone from home so we are trying to only have one overnight period, which is doable. The concerns are with the oil rigs and other "unlit" and "uncharted" items in the track between Galveston Approach and Matagorda Approach.
Any experiences, stories or advice is welcome. Looking for departure times and places to avoid at night kind of stuff, but love reading stories too.

:naughty:If I were you I would find the time and do the ditch!!. Stopping nightly along the way checking out all the local spots along the ICW. Much more fun and relaxing!!.....They call it the Matagorda triangle for a reason! The Matagorda Channel at Port' o 'Conner is a very dangerous port of entry from the gulf even in the most what would seem to be the best of conditions. Give it a wide berth. Very strong currents,Shifting sand bars etc... Sudden gale force winds while 25 miles away little wind and calm. .You can be sailing along just fine having a grande old time at 3am when suddenly your speed increases you think man this is cool! "Wrong" because everything is fixing to go shit. To late because it has you! The full clear moon will disappear, winds increase, Wave heights build to unmanageable heights, All electronic navigational devises will suddenly start mysteriously turning off and on showing you 7 miles from shore but you are actually 1/2 mile or less. Even your compass will swing a good 15 or more degrees. All the while it sucks you up onto the beach. Be careful because once you are slammed on to this beach there are huge snakes and large 16' gators on this beach that will eat you!!

If you survive the first initial impact and then the gators and snakes and if your lucky. Maybe the C.G. will get there in time to give you a basket ride up to there helicopter for a short hop over to the Coast Guard Station located on the ICW at Port 0 Conner. Make sure you have not lost your shoes because there are some pretty mean stickers in the weeds as you walk from the helo pad to the building.

:dance

o the ditch man....Check out the tmca.nu web page were there is a complete list of all the places to stay along the way with restaurant reports places of interest and things too do and see along the way. BTW...If you do not have a/c...Always keep your mosquito netting at the ready.

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Dec 11, 2012

LOL-Wayne I remember that-grin

I once stuffed the bow of a Hunter Cherubini three times while between the jetties, heading out on a delivery to Galveston.

But catch the tide right and it's a piece of cake. People commonly anchor small fishing boats between the jetties during calmer periods.

Last time I came that way offshore ( from Louisiana), I came in at Freeport, and ran the ditch next two days. Wouldn't even consider Port Aransas, as someone mentioned- would take over a day to get back up to Palacios- that's like a 50 mile sail, in the ditch.

onecoolair · Dec 11, 2012

More Fun!

TSBB 2 said:
LOL-Wayne I remember that-grin

I once stuffed the bow of a Hunter Cherubini three times while between the jetties, heading out on a delivery to Galveston.

But catch the tide right and it's a piece of cake. People commonly anchor small fishing boats between the jetties during calmer periods.

Last time I came that way offshore ( from Louisiana), I came in at Freeport, and ran the ditch next two days. Wouldn't even consider Port Aransas, as someone mentioned- would take over a day to get back up to Palacios- that's like a 50 mile sail, in the ditch.

Entry at P.A. is a piece of cake....First night you have the Port Aransas Marina stay a night or two and check out the island. They have a bus service and tons of restaurants. First time I arrived there I needed a boat part walk into the harbor masters office told him what I needed he wrote it down. As I walked out of the office a local who had over heard our conversation stops me and hands me the keys to his new truck. Now that's Texas hospitality. Next Option you can head up to Corpus for some time there...Or head up the Lydia Ann Channel a there are a few spots to anchor off to the side of channel before stopping in at Rock Port for some R&R. If the Admiralty needs a break check out the Hoops House B&B , across the street and walking distance from the Rock Port town marina. Take your folding bicycles for a tour of the neighborhood. Need you new cockpit cushions C-cushions has a shop close by....Next a nice sail or motor sail up the ditch. There are a few more new very nice places to anchor or stop and stay along the way right before you get to Port o Conner check out the old Army Hole anchorage. Spend a night in Port o Conner before heading north up Matagorda bay for a short day sail up to Palacios. There is a good breakfast taco place right across the street from the Serendipity R/V Marina there in Palacios. If you have time constraints you can take all this in over your weekends. If needed you can leave your boat in P.A. or Rock Port for a while. Palacios is a short drive from Rock Port. You my just decide to stage your boat out of Rock Port for a while meeting some of the local Sailors from the Rock Port Y.C. if they like you maybe some one will show you the ropes of sailing the bay between Rock Port and the ICW. Get invited to some of the evening pot lucks. Maybe even snag a ride in one of their beer can races.
Remember Have more fun!

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Dec 11, 2012

Re: Advice - Galveston Bay to Matagorda bay at the end of De

Almost all true, but it's close to 75 miles, from Palacios to Rockport, then another 15 and a ferry crossing, out to Port A. So now we're talking a 90 mile drive.

All the places to stay you mention are really nice though

BUT- He's trying to fit this into a day or two. So going to Port A wouuld extend the time, and miles traveled, considerably.

I live on west Matagorda bay, just above POC and have sailed this area for 20 some years