MacGregorSailors.com

Ive seen some interesting threads about sailing the "loop" along the Eastern area of the USA...which is a great 1000 mile protected waterway for sailing (or motoring). But, do any trailer sailors sail the intercoastal waterways within Texas to Florida Gulf Coast Region?

Louis,

I have not done it yet, but I do intend to some day and have done some research on the subject. I have found two excellent books, both of which I have purchased:

Campbell's Guide to Cruising Texas, 2005 Edition

and

Waterway Guide Southern 2005

I plan to make my first gulf excursion to Palacios in a couple of months, and may visit Kemah later on per your recommendation. The guides are great. Combine that with a recommendation from a local, and I think you could have an enjoyable voyage.

Regards,

Brian

BRIAN...thats what I was looking for...I'll try to find both books youve cited. THANKS

Things change along the Gulf so quickly (especially this year) that the cruise guides are obsolete as soon as you get them. You will realize this when you read about an area you are familiar with first hand.

Best bet would be to have enough time to contact board members along your planned route to confirm anchorages, gunkholes, good saloons, etc.

Sailing the ICW when following the markers is very safe and with the swing keels there is little chance you will run into trouble. Finding the marinas and the food stores would be where it would come in handy to know where all the off road spots were. Making contacts on the web like this site is probably the best way to know all the well kept secrets. I could help with the Fort Myers area. I do plan to make a trip in the boat down to the keys which will be a straight run south and the winds should be just right in the spring time. Ken

Louis- better warn Brian not to come after a norther has blown through. Have you seen what that does to Clear Lake? Also, make sure he eats at Papadeaux's or Woodrow's or some place on Clear Lake on that side of the channel and doesn't line the already golden pockets of Tillman Frittita! (Joe's Crabshack, the Aquarium, etc.) The man has singlehandedly ruined Kemah's atmosphere! If Ken's not home, you can stop off and refresh at our house on the canal in Cape Coral. Wow, two Macs at one personal dock. That'd scare these guys!

MIDGET...you are so right...Low Tide was 4:30 pm Jan. 1, 2006 and you guessed it, we were loading our Mac for the trip home at 4:30 in our Clear Lake site Marina. It wouldve been impossible with a weighted keel. We loaded, did the Mac "bump", snugged things down...and felt "thankful" we had a Mac.
I know what you mean by the reference to Tillman Frittitta, however, there does remain some very nice upscale marina accomodations, and new restaurants nearby. We always enjoy I-Hop for an awesome pancake breakfast, Taco Cabana for the best fajitas in the world, and then there's Wendys...best grilled chicken sandwich, baked potato, and choc. frosty anywhere. (who said fast foods cant be good )
Happy New Year & Sailing to you and yours

... and boy you are a dedicated sailor to drjve to Kemah all the way from Needville!! And I was complaining about having to go from Sring Branch before we moved here on a canal!!!

LOUIS B HOLUB wrote:MIDGET...you are so right...Low Tide was 4:30 pm Jan. 1, 2006 and you guessed it, we were loading our Mac for the trip home at 4:30 in our Clear Lake site Marina. It wouldve been impossible with a weighted keel. We loaded, did the Mac "bump", snugged things down...and felt "thankful" we had a Mac.
I know what you mean by the reference to Tillman Frittitta, however, there does remain some very nice upscale marina accomodations, and new restaurants nearby. We always enjoy I-Hop for an awesome pancake breakfast, Taco Cabana for the best fajitas in the world, and then there's Wendys...best grilled chicken sandwich, baked potato, and choc. frosty anywhere. (who said fast foods cant be good )
Happy New Year & Sailing to you and yours

If you have time to drive over the Kemah bridge, Tookies has some of the best hamburgers in the area. There's also a pretty good seafood place on the water (on the north side of the channel, just before you get to the bridge when going out) where you can dock your boat while you eat.

Jim

Isn't that Woodrow's or Woody's, Jim? Almost right under the bridge? It's been a while since I've been home (Houston)

Sloop John B wrote:Things change along the Gulf so quickly (especially this year) that the cruise guides are obsolete as soon as you get them. You will realize this when you read about an area you are familiar with first hand.

Best bet would be to have enough time to contact board members along your planned route to confirm anchorages, gunkholes, good saloons, etc.

An example would be the Round Island Lighthouse (an important point of reference along the flat coastline at one time) which was toppled in hurricane Georges. The horizon along the Gulf Coast is in a perpetual state of alteration.

Some history and photos (doesn't include photos since Katrina):
http://www.pascagoula.net/Lighthouse/Li ... topage.htm

For the Gulf Coast Region, a good contact source would be:
http://www.nps.gov/guis/

Unfortunately, thanks to the 2005 hurricane season, much of the park system is closed.

"As a result of the 2004-2005 hurricane season with three hurricanes and two tropical storms, Fort Pickens and Santa Rosa Areas remain closed in the Florida District and West Ship and Cat Islands in the Mississippi District are currently closed. Both the Davis Bayou and Fort Pickens Campgrounds are closed."

Wouldn't stop me from exploring it, though, if I was still living in Texas.
1989 pre Hurricane Georges:



Post Hurricane Georges:





btw, the Georges storm surge was a ripple compared to Katrina

Jackie

Oh, and here's some helpful information on the area's wildlife:
http://www.nps.gov/guis/extended/MIS/MNature/Birds.htm



Jackie

midget wrote:Isn't that Woodrow's or Woody's, Jim? Almost right under the bridge? It's been a while since I've been home (Houston)

I think it's now the Outrigger, but I'm not sure. - It extends partially under the Kemah bridge, and is adjacent a small inlet that extends parallel to the bridge.

Jim

Louis,

Attached is a link to a web site of two guys who have sailed along ICW to Florida. It is afairly detailed log. I plan on making the same trip in a couple of years. http://www.bruadair.us

I also have a beginning of a plan to sail to Florida from Texas in a year or two. Bradenton/Palmetto most likely my destination since I spent 29 years there. It'd be nice if our trip coincided with others in Macs going part way or farther down the coast, at least Everglades City, perhaps around to Miami. We'll have to keep watching this forum for fellow sailors with similar plans.