The Recreational Boater Information Guy

09/11/2026

Coming up September 18-19…

Texian Navy Day and Boat Parade
https://www.visitgalveston.com/events/2026-texian-navy-day-boat-parade/
Get registered to be in the parade, or make plans to just be there to observe it all.

09/11/2026

Some of you might be interested in this USCG event on September 21st.

09/07/2026

An ALERT from the USCG for Tuesday, 9/8

VTS Houston-Galveston anticipates the inaugural arrival of LONE STAR STATE from Sea to the TX A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with an expected to turn into the Galveston Harbor Channel at 1000 (local).

While not an organized event, VTS acknowledges an expected larger than normal presence of recreational traffic accompanying LONE STAR STATE during the transit.

Mariners are advised to consider the potential for increased recreational traffic in the Galveston Harbor Channel between 0900 and 1100. VTS may restrict VRMS User traffic due to waterway congestion during this time.

Additionally, Vessel Traffic Service Houston-Galveston DIRECTS:
1. During the arrival of LONE STAR STATE, attending recreational vessels are not to transit within Federal Channels except within the Galveston Channel from Galveston Lighted Buoy 1 to TX A&M Maritime Academy.
2. Upon arrival from Sea to the entrance of Galveston Channel, all recreational vessels are to remain clear of Federal Channels marked in red below (Inner Bar Channel, Outer Bar Channel, and Galveston Bay Entrance Channel), remaining outside of the Aids to Navigation.
3. Per Rule 9, Inland, of the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea, NO attending recreational vessel shall impede the transit of another vessel that is confined to a Federal Channel (do not cross the bow of any vessel).
4. Attending recreational vessels are authorized to transit within the Federal Channel in Galveston Harbor (marked in Green below) but are to always remain 100 yards from and 200 yards astern of LONE STAR STATE.

09/01/2026

Galveston Bay area recreational boaters…

My monthly article for SEPTEMBER on recreational boater issues has now been posted on my Dropbox site.
To access the article please go to: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mfhqmtssls3c5efi2aw1h/The-Recreational-Boater-Information-Guy-September-2026.pdf?rlkey=s71pyzt9tboeyne51lqnbgclt&st=s84omk3z&dl=0

Happy autumnal equinox!

So I was waiting this afternoon to see if I would tonight be writing about Depression #5, or instead TS Edouard, and now it looks like Edouard has won out! It just goes tto show you how quickly these things can pop up! I participated this afternoon in a USCG Port Coordination Team (PCT) Zoom call, during which there was a very detailed briefing by the Houston-Galveston NWS office, and they even at that point were not all that sure what this storm was really going to do!

But we should probably get a fair amount of rain, and that is a good thing (within reason…), and maybe some gusty winds in the 35-45kt + range (within reason…), and I guess within 24-36 hours it should all be over. It certainly could have been worse!!

Do stay alert however, and please take some time to read my article.

Thanks!

And here is the list of items which are in it:
¶ 1- information on Galveston Bay area dredging projects.
¶ 2- news of a new pipeline across the bay.
¶ 3- an update on the Double Bayou dredging.
¶ 4- news of orphaned wells are being plugged in Galveston Bay.
¶ 5- news of a Port Access Route Study.
¶ 6- news from National Harbor Safety Committee – Recreational Boater Subcommittee.
¶ 7- mention of the “Sharing Our Bay” document for recreational boaters.
¶ 8- an alert on Vibrio, a flesh-eating bacteria found in coastal waters.
¶ 9- another mention about some upcoming shipbuilding in Galveston.
¶10- news of a new LNG terminal to be built in Galveston.
¶11- news of a possible third container terminal at Spillman Island.
¶12- mention of a HMR seminar at Houston Yacht Club.
¶13- mention of the AIA Sandcastle Contest in Galveston.
¶14- update on events at the Galveston Bay Foundation.
¶15- an alert that International Talk Like a Pirate Day is almost here.
¶16- more about Jean Lafitte.
¶17- the usual reminders.
¶18- and closing thoughts for September.

As usual, I hope that you will find the information in this article informative, and useful also, as we now are looking forward to some fall weather!!!

Past monthly articles, and other items of note in a variety of categories can be found in my main DROPBOX link at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/eq62ut8uxjfi3gi/AAD5fvah6W0MQ_1Yvs8wLddna?dl=0. Some of the items located there are linked to from within this current article, but all folders and files are available at any time to anyone interested. There is some quite valuable information there, so please take advantage of it!

Please let your boater friends know about this Facebook boater information page and ask them to “follow” it. The information presented therein will hopefully serve to keep Galveston Bay boaters out of trouble out there on our waterways, and also provide other useful information on a variety of topics.

Fair winds to all, and please STAY SAFE, both on the water and off!!!

Philip Kropf _/)
TMCA Past Commodore (www.texasmariners.com )
Past Recreational Boater Rep to the Lone Star Harbor Safety Committee (LSHSC) www.lonestarhsc.org
Recreational Boater Rep to the USCG Port Coordination Team (PCT)
Recreational Boater Rep to the Central Texas Coastal Area Committee (CTCAC)
s/v Silhouette
713-598-6454 (c)
[email protected]

08/31/2026

And more from GBCA, for everyone!

08/31/2026

Hey all you women sailors, note this from GBCA!

08/28/2026

So does anyone happen to know anything about this new structure out on Redfish Island???

08/05/2026

Celebrate the return of the 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA as she comes home to Galveston.

Celebrate the Official Tall Ship of Texas on her return to the Galveston Historic Seaport with deck tours, special events, and more!

08/05/2026

ALERT: Public comment period on Texas City desalination plant

On Houston Public Media today there was a story about the proposed desalination plant in Texas City, on the site of the old HL&P power plant on Hwy 146. TCEQ will be reviewing the proposal and they have opened a 30-day Public Comment Period on it. But this comment period began on 7/24, and so there is not very much time left to make your comments.

This plant could have bad consequences for our Galveston Bay! Read the story at:

Residents have 30 days after July 24 to submit public comments to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality or request a public meeting about the Bayshore Desalination Facility before officials make a final decision on the project's wastewater discharge permit.

06/16/2026

STAY ALERT!
The NHC has this morning initiated advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone One.
re: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at1+shtml/161456.shtml?cone
--
Brian Kyle
Lead Forecaster
National Weather Service - Houston/Galveston, TX
1353 FM 646 Suite 202
Dickinson, TX 77539
www.weather.gov/houston

This graphic shows an approximate representation of areas under a hurricane warning (red), hurricane watch (pink), tropical storm warning (blue) and tropical storm watch (yellow). The orange circle indicates the current position of the center of the tropical cyclone. The dot indicating the forecast....