Matagorda Bay, SE Texas - Best Kept Secret

[dvideohd]

It sounds pretty good... My son goes to TAMU - Galveston & we could do several trips this fall as well...

I follow.. I might have more questions then....

thanks.... (now... just to get a 26D icon..... )


--jerry

[R Rae]

JonBill...........You saying this might be a better place to hang out in the winter (3 months....Jan. thru March) than Port Isabel ?

What are the RV and boat slip possibilities for this coming winter?

Thanks .....Ron

[JonBill]

R Rae,

Here's a link to Serendipity. It's wide open in the winter in Palacios and there are some moderate winter days down here many pushing into the low 70's. Weather is a bit less predictable in the winter, but any winter day down here would be a good day in the PNW by comparison.

The slips at Serendipity have full power and water and it's an RV park too. Lots of great secluded sailing in the bay.

Hope to see you down here at some point.

Kind Regards,
JonBill
http://www.campingfriend.com/serendipitybayresort/

[Craig LaForce]

Well, I am partway there. Reserved a boat slip starting August first at the CIty Marina and bought a house in Missouri City. Now in packing and moving mode. Getting there.
Thanks again for the advise.

The City marina does not have floating docks, so will have to be careful with the tie-up arrnagment to account for any water level changes. But it looks like a very nice spot for the boat. Security gates are part of what sold me on the City Marina. Plus no campers nearby to spoil my nature fix.

[R Rae]

Jonbill, thanks again for the
Serendipity tip. They will have a brochure in the mail this week. Looks very promising.

Cheers......Ron

[JonBill]

JonBill...........You saying this might be a better place to hang out in the winter (3 months....Jan. thru March) than Port Isabel ?

Port Isabel may be nicer in some respects, the weather (due to being a little further south) and the water color may be slightly better, but overall I think Matagorda/Trespalacios bay is larger, with good anchorages, is deeper overall, is totally protected being on the bay side, has good fishing, is a more economical area, has cheap available slips and RV spots on the water, is far more secluded as far as boat traffic, so overall in my opinion is the best kept secret in SE Texas.

Kind Regards,
JonBill

[JonBill]

The City marina does not have floating docks, so will have to be careful with the tie-up arrnagment to account for any water level changes. But it looks like a very nice spot for the boat. Security gates are part of what sold me on the City Marina. Plus no campers nearby to spoil my nature fix.

The tide is not that bad and I had my boat over there at the long greenroofed boathouse for about a year. The wet slips at City Marina are about the same price as Serendipity, but City Marina doesn't have a bath house. MCND will give you a key to the bathhouse at turning basin 3 but you have to drive over there to use the facilities. The airconditioned facilities at Serendipity and the floating dock is what sold me. They both have water and power. That is I think the city Marina has power but you can confirm that with them. Depending on what kind of "nature fix" you need I suggest anchoring at Hotel Point on the east side of the bay for overnighters. It's on all the charts. It has a sandy beach on the south shore is protected from the south, north and east. The only rough ride there is if a storm blows in from the west. Basically head south out of Palacios and go past chanel marker #34 (to miss the oyster reef) and then head south and you'll end up there. Lots of dolphin activity, no developments anywhere around, etc. The shore is privately owned on the south side though by a grumpy rancher.

Kind Regards,
JonBill

[aboatbum]

Jonbill
Hello, a newbe here! I was googling Palacious marinas and came across this website and your post about dockage there in your area. I need first hand info on dockage sites there. My problem is I have a big boat. Actually a Fishing trawler but converting it into a full time live aboard. My boat looks like all those other shrimp boats pictured in the Palacious Bay. I'am not sure the difference between a shrimp boat and my Scallop Dragger. but I have a 9 ft draft. That was before all the crane towers, winches and rigging was removed. But my wife and I are looking for a place to retire on the boat once its cleaned up and painted after everything has been removed. Most of the commerical places so far that have dockage big enough for me won;t allow live aboards. My boat is a 1978 St. Augustine Trawler titled 66.5 ft (more like 70+) with a 20.5 beam and the scary part 9 ft draft. Since you know the area, are there any marinas there that could handle a live aboard my size? Thanks for any info you can provide .


Currently deployed in Baghdad Iraq
Dennis Smith-Paramedic
United States Mission Iraq
USMI-Central

[JonBill]

Dennis,
Your best bet in the Palacios area is to contact the Matagorda County Navigation District there. The phone number is 361-972-5556. http://portofpalacios.com/nd.htm They operate the main Harbor and the City marina and will be very helpful in letting you know if they can accomodate you at the main harbor. I would assume that they can. I don't think the 9 foot draft will work at the city marina that is also run by MCND but you can ask them. I believe the only place that can accomodate you in town is at the main harbor that is run by the MCND. They have some other type slips there too not just dockage for shrimp boats. They have spots for sailboats and commercial fishermen and some othe large boats of the motoring variety. They have a bath house over by turning basin 3 too.

You can also contact Serendipity 361-972-5454, but I don't think they can handle your draft. http://www.campingfriend.com/serendipitybayresort/ They could probably accomdate the LOA & beam by leasing you two slips and until they fill up may only charge you for one but your draft is the problem again for you there. I

can tell you it's not 9 feet deep in either marina. But over at the main harbor (MCND) it is deeper and the channel is cut all the way in at 14'-16' deep; and all the way to the ICWW, matagorda island and on out to the gulf it is channeled at least 12' deep everywhere the channel runs. Also some of the bay is deep enough for you and the shrimpers can tell you where you can and cannot go.

Also ask MCND in Palacios (number above) for the phone number for MCND in Matagorda which is 25 miles further east and a separate harbor and call then and ask them if they can accomodate you. They have a nice harbor and marina over there too and it's connected via the ICWW. It may be deep enough for you there too.

I hope this helps.

BTW thanks for your service. It's men like you that keep the rest of us free, as freedom isn't free and you and others like you are paying the price for our freedoms back here. My oldest son served in that war and got home in one piece thank the good Lord!! He was Army Airborne Infantry 509th.

Kind Regards,
JonBill

[aboatbum]

JonBill Thanks so much for the great info and contacts. I have to go to Massachusetts next month when I get R&R from Iraq for 2 weeks. My wife and I are gonna make our final descision as to keep the trawler for our live aboard or go with our 44 ft Pacemaker we also have. I wanted the trawler for the big sapce below decks as a workshop and the big upper deck for a hot tub. But that 9ft draft is really hurting us. So we'll see. Thanks again and I'll let you know what happens. OBTW I'am a medic here in Iraq, I'am a contractor with KBR but I take care of military and civivlian people here in the Green Zone and US Embassy. Denny