Red Snapperis in season and colorful, fresh recipes abound. A fun suggestion for foodies is to research several similar recipes and then add your own twist. In the South, that might be a dash of cayenne or tiny bit of minced jalapeño. Using juice from limes or clementines instead of the standard lemon is another change-up. Creative substitution is a great option with limited galley ingredients while on the water. Who knows, you might invent the seafood equivalent of the genius BLT or PBJ sandwich. Speaking of which, the world is always ready for another take on ceviche…
Lime Zest Cilantro Snapper
6 (6 to 8-oz) red snapper fillets (with or without skin)
6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic
Finely grated lime zest from two limes
Juice from the two limes
Dash or two of cayenne pepper
Brush both sides of fish with 3 Tablespoons oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss together cilantro, garlic, zest half reserved lime juice, and cayenne in a small bowl.
Pan sear snapper at medium high heat about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer fish, skin side up to a platter. Sprinkle with cilantro mixture and drizzle with remaining 3 Tablespoons oil. If desired, add remaining fresh lime juice.
Side Dish Option: roasted fingerling potatoes cooked with rosemary, butter/olive oil, and garlic.
My Mom’s Baked Fish Recipe
Serves 4 (cut ingredients in half to serve 2)
4 (8-ounce) red snapper fillets, about 1/2-inch thick
Season the fish with salt and pepper. Spread the onions and peppers in a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish and place the fish on top. Dot the fish with butter. Sprinkle with a little Worcestershire sauce and parsley and cover with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes then baste fish with pan juices. Sprinkle the fish with Parmesan; if desired, place under the broiler for about 2 minutes or until the cheese browns. Spoon the vegetables and pan juices over the fish.
Serve with steamed rice.
Celebrating Four Years of Coastal Life Coverage
By Charles Milby
Thanks for the memories.
Four years ago we started a boating magazine for Galveston Bay. My background was racing sailboats. I had done it all my life and I still enjoy doing it today. So, that’s what we did. We covered regattas, cruising out to Red Fish, and of course junior sailing.
Early on our readers informed us that they also like to fish along with sailing. We got the message. Now we cover both; offshore fishing and bay fishing along with the yachting scene. It’s been a great four years and we’re looking forward to the next four.
Thank you to all of our advertisers, writers, photographers, contributors and readers. We can’t do what we do without you. Now make sure your boat is in good working order and stay safe. Hope to see you on the bay.
Beautify the Bucket
The winning bucket by Olivia Hopkins.
Galveston Artist Boat’s Beautify the Bucket Competition is designed to allow citizens to take an active role in beautifying Galveston’s beaches in a way that also encourages better stewardship behaviors in others. Marine debris is a serious threat to organisms in our coastal and marine ecosystems. While the three “R’s” (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) will help prevent marine debris all throughout the watershed, proper use of trash receptacles can reduce debris directly from the beach.
On Earth Day, April 22, 49 trash cans painted by local artists of all ages were on display at the Texas Adopt-a-Beach Beach Clean Up meeting location at Menard Park on the Galveston Seawall. Later that evening, the trash cans were moved to the Galveston Arts Center during Artwalk, where the public voted on which trash can they liked best for the People’s Choice Award.
All 49 trash cans will be placed on the beach along the seawall for the public to utilize and enjoy. The next Beautify the Bucket competition will be held Sept. 23, 2017. Visit www.artistboat.org for more information.
Winners
Adult
1st Place: Olivia Hopkins
2nd Place: Unbleached Designs (Anabel and Daniel Orta)
3rd Place: Charli and Jim Rohack
Adult Groups
1st Place: Beauties and the Bucket
2nd Place: The Williams Family and Friends
3rd Place: Galveston Cancer Crushers
Youth/Family
1st Place: The Morris Family
2nd Place: Brookside Intermediate Art Club
3rd Place: Cub Scouts Den 3 Pack 615
Family, Fun and Friendships: One Hundred Years of Commitment to the Sea
Owner of the Yacht Sales Company, Jonathon Davis with his wife Kim, son Cole and daughter Camille at the Sea Star Base Galveston. Photography by Ashley Henry with Hey Pretty Baby Photography.
The Yacht Sales Company
Throughout history sailing has been instrumental in the development of civilization, affording humanity greater mobility than travel over land, whether for trade transport or warfare, and the capacity for fishing. Sailing for pleasure can involve short trips across a bay, day sailing, coastal cruising, and more extended offshore or ‘blue-water’ cruising. These trips can be singlehanded or the vessel may be crewed by families or groups of friends.
For the last 100 years the Mecca of sailing in the United States is the Gulf Coast of Texas, more specifically Galveston Bay, the third largest boating community in the United States. Galveston Bay has a prolific sailing and water lifestyle that embodies beautiful traditions for family, fun, and friendships.
Jonathon Davis, owner and founder of The Yacht Sales Company located in Kemah, has a family with this type of lifestyle. Jonathon and his lovely wife, Kim, have more than 150,000 sea miles between the two of them. Jonathon actually proposed to Kim on a dive on one of their trips at sea. Jonathon feels that family always comes first and has his 4 year old son, Cole, and new baby girl, Camille, go sailing as much as possible. Fun is always a factor with this family.
When Jonathon was creating The Yacht Sales Company he understood what it meant to have a rich history of sailing with the vendors he was choosing to represent and promote at his dealership. He specifically sought out Groupe Beneteau, who has the richest yachting tradition in the industry being privately owned for 130 years. This is reflected deeper in their purchase of CNB and Lagoon, who TYSC is the dealer for as well. With the dealership being located in Kemah, bordering Galveston Bay, he has much to say about family, fun, and friendships on the water.
Jonathon and Kim Davis with Jean Morrison.
Beneteau boatyard, headquartered in France with manufacturing facilities located in South Carolina, was created in 1884 by Benjamin Beneteau. He was a very determined young man and at the early age of 12 he became a ship’s boy on the lugger, Eliza. His dream of building boats would begin on the boatyard of his friend’s father. His determination would convince his uncle, and he entered Rochefort Maritime towards the end of 1879 for his military service. Once out, he decided to create his boatyard near a bridge called, Quai des Greniers, and called his place “Beneteau.” Today, Beneteau is the largest sailboat manufacturer in the world.
Beneteau 1962-1964 and a Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 62.
The growth of Beneteau has been nothing but extraordinary, and it has acquired and incorporated Prestige, CNB, Lagoon, O’Hara, I.R.M., BH, Four Winns, Glastron, Wellcraft, Scarab and Monte Carlo Yacht. Annette Beneteau-Roux has been in command and control of Beneteau for the last 40 years and gives credit to their success to her family, executives, loyal and talented employees, as well as dealers and customers throughout the world, all of whom have become friends. “I believe we are one of the oldest boat building yards in the world to be run by the family as a majority,” said Annette Beneteau-Roux.
Another amazing line within this sailboat dynasty, that holds great family traditions, is Lagoon, which is in association with CNB Yacht Builders. The Lagoon model was established in 1984 and was originally a shipyard building monohull and multihull offshore racing boats. The first generation of cruising catamarans was launched from 1987 to 1996. They are celebrating their 30th year and today the company distributes its yachts in 53 countries. Davis said that the Lagoon is one of the dealerships best sellers! Recently, Jonathon Davis and team, won the Harvest Moon Regatta with owner John Sherer on Sherer’s Lagoon 42 against eight other boats.
When speaking with Davis, he noted that one of the oldest brands of sailing vessels in the United States was Alden. He, and wife Kim, co-captained one of their vessels, the “Krisujen,” designed by Alden.
Alden began his design career as an apprentice in 1902 and started his own design firm in 1909. He had modest success until he won his first Bermuda Race and experienced great success. His race victories were with Malabar VII and Malabar X in 1932 and continued until the long-lived design business finally closed in 2008. Today, the extensive Alden design archive has been gifted to the Hart Nautical Collections of MIT Museum. Jonathon commented that the Krisujen was a dynamic sailing experience and many wonderful memories were established while captaining this vessel.
The Escapade.
The sailing vessel, “Escapade,” built in 1938, holding an impressive amount of racing titles, and becoming known as Queen of the Great Lakes, holds deep inspiration for Jonathon Davis because of one special woman named Jean Morrison. While he was telling the tales of Jean and her exuberance for life, you can hear the admiration and excitement he had for this very special lady. With sailing stories ranging from stateside to international waters the one of the Escapade is one of his favorites. Jean’s husband was not much of a sailor but he appreciated the love that his wife had for sailing. He offered her something she couldn’t refuse. He said, “If you could have any sailboat you wanted what would it be?” Without hesitation she said, “Well, I would want the Escapade!” The vessel held a special place in her heart because she remembers cleaning it as a young girl. The request was granted and it launched an exciting time of sailing worldwide with a crew including her pet monkey. She told Jonathon once, with her childlike enthusiasm, “Jonathon, when you get as old as I am and you find something you love, you damned well better enjoy it!” He has never forgotten those words and makes it a motto for the way he views life.
To bring this story full circle, “friends” would be a good place to end. One of Jonathon Davis dearest friends and closest confidants was Roy Newberry, Sr. Roy had a vivacious life on the water and Davis states, “Everything I know about the water I owe to Roy Newberry.” Sailing brought these two together and the life long friendship never faltered. They sailed together, raced together, and actually won Jonathon’s first Harvest Moon Regatta dating back to 1992 on the sailboat, Alessandra. Jonathon admired everything about this sailor and loved his family. The stories that were shared between them are those of legends.
Jonathon so greatly respected Roy’s life in the local community and to sailing that he did a Cannon Dedication and race in appreciation of his devoted service to both humanity and the sport of sailing before his passing in 2016. Roy always told his kids, “See that crumby little boat over there; realize you can go wherever you want in the world in that!”
In the world of sailing heartstrings are pulled, passion is flared, and history is always made. Jonathon Davis and his family have enjoyed this “sailing life” for a quarter of a century and looks forward to many more years to come. Nothing is more exciting than establishing lifelong memories that are made with family, fun, and friendships due to a commitment to the sea and all that goes with it.
David Cunningham is a Texas based surfboard shaper for Horizon Board Company and a flyfishing rod designer for Marshfly USA. We dropped in on David at his shaping shack in Surfside and had the pleasure of talking with him about his shaping style, philosphy and the future of Texas surfing. Enjoy.
The age old question: how did you get into surfboard shaping?
I got into board building because I wanted good quality boards and did not want to have to pay retail prices for them. Same goes for the rod building, I have always had a dilemma with purchasing things that I can learn to build myself.
Are you more influenced from surf style of the past or present?
I am most influenced from the surf style of the past. Specifically the transitional period from the late 60’s through the mid 70’s. I always admired the styles of guys like Larry Bertleman, Billy Hamilton, Gerry Lopez, and Rory Russel.
What’s your shaping philosophy?
My philosophy when it comes to shaping is following my routine/method. Never deviate. This allows me to achieve consistency. At the core, I believe that shaper is constantly evolving, and with every board I shape I am learning more/ keeping my mind open to new ideas and concepts.
What are your most popular models?
Mid-lengths, I am working on new concepts for boards from 7-8 ft. Fish boards will always be a big part of what I do and of course classic long board shapes.
What is unique about the boards you shape?
I think what makes my boards unique is a good blend of past and present. I have a tendency to lean towards more classic/retro outlines, with contemporary rail profiles and bottom contours.
How is your shaping influenced by Texas?
Building boards for Texas is a challenge. I think a lot of Texas surfers fall victim to West Coast marketing strategies. I think it is important for a surfer to be honest about their ability, and the conditions they are required to perform in.With that as a guideline, locally, Iam a fan of wider outlines, slight increases in volume, and fin configurations that work in slower wave conditions.
What do you want/see for the future of Texas surfboard shaping and surfing?
As far as the future of surfing in Texas goes, I hope that surfers continue to be open minded about the boards they are using. Currently, it’s really common to see a variety of boards in the water. This is good because it leads to progression. Twenty years ago a rider might not have been able to link to a board that was good for him because it wasn’t the cool thing or current trend. I hope this open mindedness continues. I think this is going to lead to new innovations and raise the bar of Texas surfing. As far as shaping goes, I really hope to see the younger generation get involved and I hope that the older shapers look for someone to mentor. That’s how I learned, and without the younger guys getting involved hand shaping boards could become a lost art.
Not only do you make surfboards, but you also make your own fly fishing rods. Tell us more about that.
I have been building rods for over 20 years, I started off with conventional rods, and as I grew as an angler I became interested in flyfishing. With that I started to design fly rods for Marshfly USA. It’s been a great project between myself, Rob Schumske, and James Jackson. We have had Marshfly up and running for three years and it has been a great blend of high performance fly rods, apparel and accessories . Our main focus has been inshore saltwater rods, but we have also been engaged with some trout fisheries located in Georgia, Colorado, and the Texas Hill Country.
When you aren’t shaping, where can we find you?
When I am not shaping you can find me hunting, fishing, and surfing with my family. Texas has been a great place for me to stay balanced, I love the outdoors and there areplenty of activities to keep me occupied here on the coast.
If you are interested in getting a custom surfboard or fly rod made, feel free contact David Cunningham at:
Sadly there is no such thing as a sail that lasts forever. However, when your sails become stretched out and lose their shape, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need new ones. Learn about Precision Recuts to help extend the life of your sails and save you money.
It’s never a fun moment when you realize your trusty sail won’t let you point to the mark or when the wind picks up and you can’t control the heel and your glass of wine takes a trip down your shirt. Thankfully buying a new sail isn’t your only option.
Precision Recuts bring almost 90% of your sail’s original shape back to life. Both membrane and woven sails are candidates for reshaping and a recut will often cost less than 20% of a new sail. The condition of the sailcloth is key; it must not be too worn and stretchy or the adjustments will not produce the desired results. With good fabric, reshaping can generally be done once or twice during the life of a sail.
C&C 30 Extreme 2 owner Dan Cheresh says “I have been able to continually adjust and refine sail shape through recuts to keep my sails as fast as possible.” Erin Houpt from Dream Yacht Charter has trusted recuts for all of the in-mast furling mainsails in his fleet. “The sails are easier to furl and our customers are pleased with the increased performance.”
Our National Service Director Charlie Saville outlines the three main options to help increase performance and enjoyment for racing and cruising sails.
Broad Seam Reshape
PROBLEM: Deep draft. Full sail. Can’t point very high.
The sail depth becomes fuller and more rounded. The draft moves aft. You’re no longer able to point as high as when the sail was new. The boat becomes harder to steer, heels more and responsiveness is slowed. For racing boats, the inability to hold a lane or position close to other boats can really destroy a tactical game plan.
SOLUTION: Seam reshape.
Seams are reshaped and extra fabric is removed. This procedure flattens the sail and helps return the draft to the original and optimal location. Generally, three to five seams are remade to achieve desired shape.
RESULT: Faster sail. Points higher!
With the flatter sail you can now point higher than before! Your sail is flatter, faster and more efficient. Your boat sails more upright, and is far more responsive.
Luff Curve Reshape
PROBLEM: Reduced entry. Sail is hard to steer.
As sails age, their entry is reduced due to a variety of factors. Stretch, as well as over-tensioning the halyard can reduce entry. Reduced entry will make the sail harder to trim, less efficient and make steering more difficult (and less fun!)
SOLUTION: Luff curve change.
Luff curve can be restored to help return the sail to its original entry shape. Sometimes a luff curve change is made to remove entry and flatten the sail.
RESULT: Faster. Easier to steer sails.
Returning entry gives you a bigger range to steer inside of that is still ultra-fast. Steering will be easier and you’ll be able to go faster.
On cruising Dacron® mainsails and genoas, the leech can stretch and fall away, making the sail more difficult to trim and reducing boat speed. This is especially prevalent on larger cruising mainsails and mainsails with large roaches. Leech stretch can also hamper the use of furling systems.
SOLUTION: Leech takeup.
By removing extra fabric at a seam or elsewhere on the sail, the leech can be shortened and straightened to its original dimensions and shape.
RESULT: Smooth leech with proper power and exit. More powerful sail.
By bringing the leech back to its in-line design shape, the sail is once a gain a proper foil and will deliver efficient power.
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Contact Quantum Sails Gulf Coast at gulfcoast@quantumsails.com or 281-474-4768 to learn more about Precision Recuts and find out if your sail is a candidate. Visit QuantumSails.com for more great tips and tricks to help you meet all of your sailing challenges.
The Galley – Appetizers and Wine Pairings
By Betha Merit
Sometimes it is helpful to have a few light food offerings up your sleeve. What better meal than a trio of appetizers with pairings of wine? Well, maybe steak and lobster with a chewy cabernet is preferable, but that is for another day.
The following food bites are high in protein, so a lovely baguette with herbed butter is a welcome accompaniment. Note the wine pairing suggestion for each. You may prepare some of the foods ahead, and just assemble in the galley, as you like. For each recipe you can find several variations on the internet, just tweak to your desired combinations.
ANTIPASTI BITES
Pair with sparkling wines like Prosecco or Cava. Serves 8
24 slices salami (Genoa) about 4” diameter
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped fine
1/3 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped fine
2 Tablespoons pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
4 ounces chopped fresh mozzarella
1/3 cup chopped basil, save some for garnishing
Place one salami slice in each regular sized muffin cup, so it comes up the sides. Bake at 400 degrees for about 7 to 10 minutes or until salami is crisp. Let cool at room temperature. Next, in a large bowl stir together artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, Kalamata olives, most of basil, and the mozzarella cheese. Pepper to taste. If this mixture is made ahead, flavors meld excellently. Place the salami cups on a platter, and fill with the artichoke mixture. Garnish with remaining chopped basil.
HONEY GARLIC MEATBALLS
Pair with a Pinot Noir. Serves 6-8.
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
28-ounce bag cooked frozen meatballs
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Mix together brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, peppers, and garlic. Place frozen meatballs in a 3 to 4 quart crockpot/slow cooker, and pour sauce over meatballs. Stir so all are coated evenly. Cook on LOW for four hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with toothpicks, appetizer forks. Also great served over rice or noodles.
HAM CHEESE APPLE WRAPS
Pair with Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay. Serves 4
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 large Granny Smith or Gala apple. Cut into 12 slices, brushing slices with lemon or orange juice to deter browning.
4 ounces thinly sliced deli ham, cut in slices to cover half the apple
In a small bowl, stir together yogurt and mustard until smooth; set dip aside. On one apple slice, center a piece of cheese; wrap tightly around middle with a strip of ham. Repeat with remaining apples, cheese, and ham. Serve with dip on the side.
The Environmental Considerations of Storm Surge Mitigation
Our area has been blessed with Galveston Bay, one the most productive estuaries in the country and the most productive in Texas. From its waters, a full third of the state’s commercial seafood harvests and recreational fish are landed, creating an economic engine of related businesses and quality of life for area citizens. The Bay is renowned for its oysters, shrimp, crab, redfish, flounder and speckled trout. The Bay ecosystem also supports a thriving ecotourism industry and people travel from all over the world to witness the resident and migratory birds that grace our shores.
The Bay area is also the home of hundreds of thousands of people, one of the busiest ports in the nation, one of the biggest petrochemical complexes on the world, wonderful medical centers and, of course, NASA. After the damage and loss of life wrought by Hurricane Ike in 2008, it only makes sense that residents, academic institutions, and government is looking for ways to lower the risk from future hurricane storm surges. The Galveston Bay Foundation supports such efforts, as long as all of the potential benefits and costs are fully known and all environmental impacts are openly discussed and addressed through a robust scientific investigation and review process, and the impacts are ultimately avoided or minimized.
GBF’s mission is to preserve and enhance Galveston Bay as a healthy and productive place for generations to come. Just looking at things from a purely environmental damage standpoint, we recognize that if a major storm surge were to strike our industrial complexes there could be a disastrous release of petroleum and other petrochemicals that could lead to an ecological disaster. So, we agree that there needs to be system(s) in place to prevent that occurrence, whether it’s proper management practices and protective levees at individual plants to levees that protect a whole industrial complex, e.g. the Texas City Levee System or Freeport Levee System, to a larger regional protection system such as the Texas A&M at Galveston’s Ike Dike concept. In short, there are ways to prevent those releases on multiple scales.
However, we are also a part of the local community, living and making our living on or near the Bay, and want to be a positive voice in the discussion on how best to protect not only the environment, but also people and infrastructure. As with mitigating damages to the environment from storm surge, there are also multiple ways to protect people, homes, and businesses, both structurally and non-structurally at a range of scales. The biggest question is just what is it we need to protect from storm surges. It is a fair question to ask if we need to install a coastal spine like Ike Dike the whole length of the Upper Coast to try to protect every shoreline structure from High Island to Freeport when many are already elevated and many others could be brought up to standard. Maybe a coastal spine will end up being the best answer, but all of the alternatives need to be discussed and debated in an open, transparent manner.
Getting back to environmental impacts from structural solutions, we must be aware of unintended yet irreversible damages that can be done to Galveston Bay and all it provides unless we proceed carefully, be it the Ike Dike concept, SSPEED Center’s Houston-Galveston Area Protection System concept, or the Gulf Coast Community Protection and Recovery District’s Phase 3 Recommended Actions. GBF is concerned about both direct and indirect impacts to the Bay and its habitats, but what concerns us most is the proposed massive gate structures at Bolivar Roads and, in the case of the Ike Dike, also San Luis Pass. We should note that SSPEED has also included a middle Bay gate as an option to the Bolivar Roads gate. That gate, too, also raises concerns.
Besides the release of oil and petrochemicals, the only other possible major ecological damage to the Bay related to hurricane surge will be indirect effects from the installation of these gates to water circulation, salinity, sediment transport and the movement of larval and post-larval shrimp, crabs and fish. Environmental lift gates and navigational gates at Bolivar would be open 99.9% of the time, but based on the information we have seen, the passes’ natural width would be permanently reduced by 40-50% to accommodate the footings and other structures that house the gates themselves. Thus, they would always restrict the flow and greatly increase velocities.
At this time, we do not know what effect these gate structures will have on the movement of our critically important recreational and commercial species. If we are not careful, we could lose those fisheries and the businesses that depend upon them, and that would be an unacceptable huge blow from an ecological, economic and quality of life standpoint.
To prevent such negative impacts, GBF is asking is that all possible structural and non-structural options are truly debated and that rigorous environmental research and studies be completed upfront on the structural options that can permanently alter the Bay’s natural processes. We need complete information to make a good decision, because once huge structures are built there is no going back.
Red Bull Youth America’s Cup
Team Next Generation USA. Photo by Theo Queen.
The twelve teams that will compete in the 2017 Red Bull Youth Americas Cup competition are breaking new ground for young sailors all over the world. They will be racing foiling catamarans and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
All of the competitors, whose ages range from 19 to 24, are getting a taste of what the real America’s Cup teams must deal with in order to compete and perform well in this pressure packed arena known as the America’s Cup sailing.
Fund raising is one of the new skills this team must acquire in order to stick around for the finals. Racing these boats is very expensive. Sails and hardware are pushed to the limits. The crews will train non-stop from now until June aiming to make the finals. All of this costs money. Next Generation USA needs your help. Six guys were chosen to represent our country and have a very good chance to win the regatta. Two of them, Carson Crain and Reed Baldridge, are local guys who grew up sailing right here on Galveston Bay. To make a contribution to the campaign, contact Carson Crain, cmcrain@gmail.com.
About the Red Bull Youth Americas Cup
Dates: Qualifiers: June 12 – 16 Finals: June 20 – 21
Location: The Great Sound, Bermuda.
Format: Fleet Racing, two qualifying series with six teams in each. Top four teams in each series move on to Finals
Teams: Twelve teams, each representing their country will compete. All team members must be citizens of the country they represent
Boats: The AC45F, a 45-footer that will fly on hydrofoils. Specifications for the AC45F indicate the boat is capable of reaching speeds of over 35 knots, or 40mph/65kmh. The eight AC45Fs used in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup are the only such boats in the entire world.
Crew: Six sailors onboard. Ages 19 – 24 years
Amenities: America’s Cup Village, Hospitality Tents, Spectator Boats, Grandstand Seating, Jumbotron Screen Viewing
The Location
In 2017, Bermuda’s Great Sound will form a natural amphitheater for the America’s Cup, and the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup will use exactly the same racecourse. Sailing conditions in Bermuda are typically exceptional in June, with historical wind data suggesting that there should be racing conditions 90 percent of the time.
The Boat
In 2017, the youth teams will be sailing the AC45F, a 45-footer that will fly on hydrofoils. Specifications for the AC45F indicate the boat is capable of reaching speeds of over 35 knots, or 40 mph/65kmh. The eight AC45Fs used in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup are the only such boats in the entire world.
The Teams
Up to 12 national youth teams, each composed of six sailors aged 19-24, will race in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup 2017, each representing a different nation. Six teams will race through their affiliation with current America’s Cup teams, while up to six additional teams will compete as selected by Red Bull Sport Directors Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher.
2017 Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Teams
Candidate Sailing Team, Austria
Team BDA, Bermuda
Youth Vikings Denmark, Denmark
Team France Jeune, France
SVB Team Germany, Germany
Land Rover BAR Academy, Great Britain
Kaijin Team Japan, Japan
NZL Sailing Team, New Zealand
Spanish Impulse Team, Spain
Artemis Youth Racing, Sweden
Team Tilt, Switzerland
Next Generation USA, USA
Offshore Fishing Checklist
Get ready, summer will be here before you know it.
By Capt. Joe Kent
Not too long ago, offshore fishing was a year-round sport.While the peak of the season is from around the Fourth of July to not long after Labor Day, red snapper and other reef fish provided action all year long.
When tight regulations began being imposed on the recreational sector in Federal Waters, winter fishing for red snapper was virtually eliminated.
While recreational anglers do have a short window of time to catch their two fish per day limit of red snapper, the timeframe usually begins on June 1 and lasts anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks or so.The season usually ends about the time when action on pelagic fish such as king mackerel, ling and Dorado begins to get hot.
With the exception of anglers owning large vessels, those in the 45 foot and larger range, most of the offshore boats are used on a limited basis or sit up a good part of the winter months.
The same can be said of fishing equipment and tackle, all of which leads to the point of this article and this is now is the time to get prepared for the offshore fishing season.
Many offshore anglers postpone their preparations until close to the time when they will make that first venture of the year to the rigs and other areas offshore.In doing so, often it is discovered that the boat and/or fishing equipment is in need of repairs or service.
While there is normally no problem getting the gear in shape, it usually takes much longer than it would have earlier in the year.
March and April are excellent months to address all of this and here are some suggestions on what you should look for and respond to during the process.
Let’s start with the boat.The gasoline tank is one of the biggest problems and it is not the tank itself, but the contents.Gasoline that has been in the tank for several months should have a special treatment added before venturing out for the first time.Ethanol blended fuel is the main culprit.
Although a stabilizer may have been added before storage, over time it loses its effectiveness and water will build in the tank. This is largely due to the absorption aspects of ethanol.Water and gasoline do not mix and can cause big problems that are expensive to repair.Check with your mechanic for a recommended gas treatment and if the gas has been in the tank for a long period of time, it may be recommended that the fuel be removed and replaced. That is much cheaper than a major engine repair.
If the gasoline is not an issue, one of the best ways to check out the other boating and fishing equipment is to make a trial run offshore.March and April are the two windiest months of the year and the number of days offering tolerable conditions offshore is limited.
Regardless, a bay run is a good substitute.The main thing is to be able to open up the engines and run them at cruising speed for at least thirty minutes.During the process, check out the fresh and saltwater pumps and all other electronics.Fuel indicators are one of the more frequent items to become stuck during storage.
Next would be the fishing equipment.Look for rust and corrosion on tackle and if suitable for cleaning, do so, if not replace.Reels and line are the two items of fishing gear than normally need the most attention.If the line has been used much or has been on the reel for two seasons or more, replace it.
Reels will need to be cleaned and oiled and if you are not comfortable taking them apart and putting them back together, take them to a professional.The cost is worth it.
You have often heard the old expression of “a stitch in time saves nine,” well nothing could be truer when preparing for the upcoming offshore fishing season.
March and April is when the majority of the fishing community wipe the cobwebs off their rod and reels, crank up their outboards and set their sights on bending rods.
Spring along the Upper Coast starts with the 42nd Annual Houston Fishing Show, March 8-12 at the GRB Convention Center. This is one of the largest shows of its kind in the country. Everything fishing related from boats, tackle, fishing guides and marinas located under one roof. I will be there all week at the Eagle Point Fishing Camp booth #618.
On the fishing scene it all begins with the arrival of big black drum. The Galveston jetties, passes, Texas City dike and the Bolivar gas wells will all hold an abundance of these fish. The best baits to use are blue crab, dead shrimp and even crawfish. A medium/heavy action rod and reel combo, utilizing enough weight to hold the bait down on the bottom, will draw the bites. These fish range from anywhere from 20 to 50 pounds.
Sheepshead will be there for the taking as well. Literally any spot along the Galveston jetties will produce these tasty fish. Shorelines with scattered shell and pier pilings should also be good. Live shrimp under a popping cork is a great method when fished tight up against the structure. While often overlooked, they are fun to catch and offer good table fare. There is a 5 fish limit with a 15 inch minimum size.
On the speckled trout scene look for the action to first heat up around the Galveston jetties. As we move into the latter part of March, the lower Galveston Bay area, around the causeway, Campbell’s Bayou and Sand Island will hold its share of fish. In April, East Galveston Bay and the western shoreline of Galveston Bay, from the base of the Texas City Dike, Dollar Point and towards Moses Lake will hold good numbers of trout. Don’t overlook the shorelines around Eagle Point. Last year this area gave up excellent stringers of quality speckled trout.
Until next time be safe on the water and enjoy what Galveston Bay has to offer.
In January, my girlfriend and I visited Costa Rica for our first time. We fished aboard “Dreamworks,” owned and operated by Capt. Tom Carton and his Mate Jerry Carothers. We went 7-12 on Sailfish and lost a blue marlin estimated at 300 pounds. Capt. Tom has been fishing the area for over 25 years. He had the first Charter service in Los Suenos. I highly recommend him. You can find him on the web at captaintoms.com.
The Kraken – Galveston’s Newest Artificial Reef
GPS coordinates to the new reef are: 28 26.634 N, 94 17.168 W
The Kraken prior to its sinking. Photo TPWD.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Artificial Reef Program sank a 371-ft cargo vessel, named The Kraken, earlier this year in January. Dubbed the Kraken after the mythical, squid-like sea monster immortalized on film and in literature, the vessel was sunk 67 miles off the coast of Galveston to create a new artificial reef (located at GPS coordinates 28 26.634 N, 94 17.168 W).
The Kraken began its journey in May 2016 when it was towed from Trinidad to Brownsville to be repurposed for its new life as an artificial reef 140 feet below the surface. Contractors with Cahaba Disaster Recovery LLC worked with the Artificial Reef Program to remove all fuel, oil and hazardous materials from the vessel in order to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s best management practices.
Over time, this sunken ship will become an artificial reef that attracts fish, coral and other invertebrates, as well as divers and anglers. Given its location, this wreck could become a hot spot for grouper, amberjack and snapper.
“The entire marine ecosystem benefits from artificial reef projects like the Kraken,” said TPWD Artificial Reef Program Leader J. Dale Shively. “The Gulf of Mexico has only a few naturally occurring reefs so whenever we are able to add a new structure like this, the whole area benefits from the added habitat and species diversity.”
Dr. Bob Rose, right, reeled in this huge wahoo that got sharked on the way in. The partial fish weighed 73 pounds on certified scales.
Texas wahoo are Texas-sized at the Flower Garden Banks
Photography and Videography by Brandon Rowan | brandon@baygroupmedia.com
Bad Intentions, a 64′ Viking owned by Debbie Conway, headed out to the Flower Garden Banks late January 2017 in search of BIG wahoo. The lines hit the water at first light but the wahoo bite didn’t begin until 10 a.m. and continued until late in the afternoon. The most successful baits of the trip were Ilanders rigged with ballyhoo and trolling weights, and heavy jetheads in purple/black or halloween colors. Watch the video above to see these hard running wahoo in action.
Team Next Generation USA named to represent USA in the 2017 Red Bull Youth America’s Cup
Team Next Generation USA
America’s Cup Event Authority along with Red Bull Sports Directors, Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher, announced today that Next Generation USA would be the team representing the United States of America at the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup event in Bermuda in June. The team is made up of six sailors, ages 20 – 24, with many different sailing backgrounds and experiences. Helmsman Carson Crain and wing-trimmer Matthew Whitehead, a veteran from 2013 Youth America’s Cup, are fresh off Olympic campaigns in the Mens’ RS:X windsurfer and Nacra 17 multihull. Tactician, Reed Baldridge and bowman Markus Edegran have recently completed successful college sailing careers and are pursuing sailing as a profession. Scott Ewing, soft sail trimmer, is a multi-talented skiff and multihull sailor and Preston Farrow brings experience on the GC32 and knowledge of the Bermuda venue to the team. “On this boat, the name of the game is teamwork. Communication, co-operation and confidence in our abilities will be our strengths,” says Crain.
Next Generation USA has a full schedule of training for the next five months leading up to the Youth America’s Cup. Their coach, Iker Martinez, a multiple world champion and Olympic medalist, adds, “These guys are willing to put in the hard work to get to the top. They recognize that success at this event requires more than just sailing ability.”
The 2017 Youth America’s Cup is held in conjunction with the 35th America’s Cup and will take place June 12 – 21 in Bermuda during the America’s Cup event. Sailors will compete on the AC45F boats used in the Louis Vuitton World Series events around the world, including racing in New York Harbor and Chicago in 2016. All teams will take part in a qualifying series and the top eight teams will compete in the finals, June 20-21.
Garrett Blumenshine surfing a nearby spot, Sunzal. Photo Adam Valadez
Photo Kelly Groce
By Kelly Groce
The moment you arrive at K59 Surf Resort in El Salvador, you are in paradise. The smiling faces of the staff welcome you to their colorful, lush compound equipped with a pool, a 2-story palapa with hammocks, and a secluded right hand point break just steps away. Need I say more?
K59 is a 3 hour plane ride from Houston and about a 45 minute drive from the capital of El Salvador, which is San Salvador. Once you arrive at K59, you have no reason to leave. You have a perfect right hand point break all to yourself with a minimal crowd. The staff and other surfers from around the world will be the only happy faces you see in the water. El Salvador is situated straight south on the Pacific, which is great for picking up southern swells. The surf season in El Salvador is almost year round and no wetsuit is needed. The best months are from March to October. November through February, the waves are smaller but very clean. If you want to check out other waves nearby there are plenty such as Sunzal, Punta Roca, Mizata, etc.
Photo Adam Valadez @adamisraelvaladez
When you aren’t surfing, there’s plenty of other activities. The area is so beautiful, the best thing to do is to enjoy the views, take a dip in the pool, and enjoy a siesta in one of the hammocks while listening to the sound of the waves. You can also fish or explore the beach on low tide. One of the staff members can take you on a tour of nearby waterfalls, volcanos, or Mayan ruins. There is a masseuse at the resort, that gives a deep massage under a palapa, which is nice after surfing nonstop for days.
When you stay at K59 Surf Resort, 3 meals a day are included in your stay. Their menu offers delicious local cuisine, fresh seafood, fruit, and vegetables. They have ice cold El Salvador cervezas available, Pilsener and Suprema, for $2.00 which they put on your tab that you pay at the end of your stay.
The manager, Geovanny, and his staff go above and beyond to take care of you and make sure you are having nothing less than a great trip. Not only do they become your friends, they are very talented at surfing. It is amazing to watch.
When you stay at K59 Surf Resort, the only thing you have to think about is surfing. With staff that takes care of all your needs, food and drinks on site, comfortable bedrooms with A/C, and perfect waves out front – this place is a surfer’s dream.
To book your trip or read more about K59 Surf Resort, visit their website and check out their social media pages. Buenas olas!
There has always been a rule of thumb for seasonal fishing.You should fish deep in mid-summer and winter, and fish shallow in the fall and spring.While I certainly do not disagree with that, there have been some modifications to that rule for winter fishing around the Galveston Bay Complex.
Several decades ago, anglers could pretty much rely upon the scenario that if you want to catch fish during the winter, fish in deeper waters.One reason is that the winters were colder and more prolonged than they are today.Still, fish tend to follow that pattern around the Galveston Bay Complex except in at least one area and that is West Galveston Bay.
West Bay, as we call it, is a relatively shallow bay with few deep holes when compared to other bays such as upper Galveston or East Bays.West Bay is well-known for its cold weather fishing and in fact, tends to turn off during the warmer months.
Paul Brown’s Original Suspending Twitchbait in Copper Top.
Slow sinking lures retrieved at a slow pace produce the fish.
This small bay system that spans between the Galveston Causeway and San Luis Pass is one of the top spots to catch trophy trout during the winter and early spring.Reds also are plentiful that time of year and when looking at the average depth it is surprising that it is so productive during the cold months.
Harry Landers, a retired and once popular fishing guide out of Jamaica Beach, told me that West Bay was a well-kept secret for winter fishing.He felt the same way about Chocolate Bay, a shallow bay system that adjoins Lower West Bay to the north.
Landers caught many trophy-sized trout during his hey-day and placed many happy guests into trout that would go to the taxidermist rather than the kitchen.
Landers knew West Bay and Chocolate Bay like the back of his hand and shared a few of his secrets, many of which are common knowledge among fishing guides today.
While Offatts Bayou and its famous Blue Hole caught the attention of anglers during the winter, Landers was out fishing the shallower waters of West Bay.Wade fishing, he felt, was the most productive way of fishing the shallow waters.
No doubt when freezes took place, Offatts was the place to fish. Once the water started warming, trout would venture out of the deep water looking for bait.
Mud bottoms during the afternoon tide, either incoming or outgoing, hold the warmest water and attract the small finfish and crustaceans.In turn, predator fish such as specks and reds will be nearby looking for a winter’s meal.
Shell bottoms also are popular especially in deeper waters.
During periods of afternoon incoming tides, large sow trout can be found roaming the shorelines, especially grassy areas for bait.Wade fishing is much preferred for trying to entice an older and wiser fish to bite, as boats make noise and noise easily spooks trout.
Another of the popular choices is narrow channels for reds.While West Bay has a limited number of those channels, offshoots from the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) are plentiful.Carancahua and Green’s Lakes, along with several man-made canals just north of the ICW, offer excellent action on reds during outgoing winter tides.
Winter fishing styles apply to all of the areas mentioned and probably the biggest of the techniques is a very slow retrieve of the lure.Slow sinking lures retrieved at a slow pace produce the fish.
While there will be some good fishing in deeper waters this winter, try shallow and go for the glory that is a trophy trout.
Winter is finally here. November of 2016 was very mild, with only a few cool mornings followed by record high temperatures. December arrived and in the first week we experienced record rainfall in some areas and our first real cold front. January and February are typically cold and wet months along the Upper Coast of Texas. This is a great time to enjoy some indoor activities or things that you might have neglected. Fishing still can be good, but you just have to pick the right days according to the weather.
January begins with the Houston Boat Show, held at Reliant Center Jan. 6 – 15, the show hosts the newest boats, motors and campers for the coming year. There are numerous vendor booths, with a large section dedicated to the sportsman/fisherman. I will be at the Eagle Point Fishing Camp booth the first few days of the show. Stop by and we can visit about fishing, Galveston Bay, etc.
Yes, fishing can be good during this time of year. Fishing between the fronts will be the key to your success. The upper reaches of the bay system, namely Burnett, Scott and San Jacinto Bays, draw most of the attention this time of year. The bays offer shelter from the North winds and as long as the water stays salty, redfish and speckled trout can be caught. Sylvan Beach and Bayland Park offer the closest launches to reach these areas.
Other fishing grounds to consider are the NW/W shorelines of Galveston Bay. Sylvan Beach down to Eagle Point offers protection from a NW-W wind. The area is littered with structure like old pier pilings and numerous deep water shell reefs. The traditional winter time hotspot known as Galveston’s West Bay, will also see its fair share of action. Live bait supplies can be scarce this time of year. While most people will be throwing artificial lures, bait fisherman can check with Eagle Point at 281 339-1131 for live shrimp.
Last but not least, these months are perfect to have your maintenance completed on your rods, reels, and tackle. Also, schedule any service for your boat and motor now. Don’t wait for spring to get them in the shop. I will be in Costa Rica the middle of January catching sailfish! My boat goes to the shop soon after my return.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday break! Tight Lines to all!
Healthy New Year Recipes
By Betha Merit
A few years back, I realized that new year’s resolutions were effective for me when adding something to my life, rather than taking away. So, instead of a plan to cut out cheeseburgers and chicken fried steak and doughnuts, let’s add veggies! And, let’s narrow it down to a group of veggies called brassica vegetables.
Brassica veggies are commonly referred to as cruciferous, so that puts us on the right trail. Broccoli, radishes, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and many of the wonderful but unidentified veggies in your Chinese take-out are on this list. They are known for their disease-fighting substances and are low in calories, fat, and sodium. A good source of fiber, they contain a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, and there’s more.
They also contain phytochemicals, which occur naturally in plants and have a variety of health benefits for our bodies. One of the best-known benefits in brassica is their apparent cancer-fighting properties. These vegetables contain sulfur-rich compounds knowns as glucosinolates, which explains their characteristic bitter taste and pungent smell. Studies have shown that consumption of brassicas could reduce the risk for multiple types of cancer. Boiling these vegetables can reduce the compounds that give this healthy effect, but steaming, microwaving, and stir frying don’t appear to do so.
An internet search for brassica or cruciferous vegetables will delight you with colorful images and recipes to encourage you in your add-brassica-veggies new year’s resolution. The following list is a good start:
Brassica Vegetables
Arugula
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chinese cabbage
Collard greens
Daikon radish
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Land cress
Mustard greens
Radish
Rutabaga
Shepherd’s purse
Turnip
Watercress
Spicy Brassica Veggie Coconut Stir-fry
2 TBSP coconut oil
2 eggs, beaten (or substitute one chicken breast, cubed)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1 cup small slices or pieces of broccoli and cauliflower (or brassica vegetables of your choice)
1 medium bunch kale, ribs removed and leaves shredded
1/4 Tsp salt
3/4 cup large, unsweetened coconut flakes
2 cups cooked and chilled brown rice
1 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP Sriracha
1 lime, halved and fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil. Pour in the eggs and cook until lightly scrambled (or cook chicken pieces for about 3-5 minutes until no longer pink). Transfer the eggs (or chicken) to a large empty bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and cook the garlic, green onions and brassica vegetables until tender, stirring frequently. Add the kale and salt. Continue to cook until the kale is wilted and tender, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to your bowl of eggs (or chicken).
Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Pour in the coconut flakes and cook, stirring frequently, until the flakes are golden. Add the rice to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is hot, about 3 minutes.
Pour the contents of the bowl back into the pan. Add the soy sauce, sriracha and juice of 1/2 lime. Stir to combine.
Slice the remaining 1/2 lime into wedges, then divide the stir-fry into individual bowls. Garnish with wedges of lime and a sprinkling of torn cilantro leaves. Offer red pepper flakes and extra sriracha.
Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower
1 small head of fresh cauliflower (or any brassica veggie of your choice)
2 -3 TBSP olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
fresh baby arugula for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the cauliflower into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut those slices into smaller bites. Combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss cauliflower slices in the olive oil mixture to coat. Spread cauliflower in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally in order to brown evenly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven to allow the Parmesan cheese to brown, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with baby arugula surrounding the plate.
Oyster Gardening
Bayou Vista Resident Jeannie Kidwell pulls up her oyster bags with Galveston Bay Foundation’s Haille Carter and Michael Neibuhr. Photo: www.stockyard.com
Residents hang bags from their docks to spawn bi-valves
By Janice Van Dyke Walden
Good things happen over wine, and in this case, it was oyster gardening.At a Wine Social last Spring, Bayou Vista resident Chris Roper suggested to her neighbors that they collectively cultivate oysters, right from their docks.It’s a program that Galveston Bay Foundation started in 2010, and has been doing with success in Kemah and San Leon.
Fourteen residents signed up to help, and in June, they gathered at the Roper’s driveway on Blue Heron Drive to create the 5-pound bags.In all, they assembled 25 bags.Again, wine was the elixir. “We were bagging with oyster gardening in one hand and wine in the other,” says Chris.
With Galveston Bay’s oyster population at an all time low, beset every two years by silt, storms, low salinities or high salinities, Galveston Bay Foundation is enlisting communities to spawn their growth and shore up subsiding land.
Bayou Vista’s tightknit bay community is a perfect setting to try out the nursery program.At the intersection of I-45 and Hwy 6 near Galveston, it’s built around a series of residential canals fed by Highland Bayou.On the community’s southeast boundary lies a wetland fed by West Bay.Residents hung bags from their docks both on the bayou-canal side and the wetland side to see where the oyster larvae, spat, would take hold starting in June.
•••
Six months later, on this last day of November, it’s time to collect the bags, check for spat, and move the bags to an oyster bar breakwater so they can mature.We’re at the Roper’s residence, it’s a brilliantly clear afternoon, and the folks from Galveston Bay Foundation are curious to see what’s inside two ice chests at the Roper’s front door.Hallie Carter, Galveston Bay Foundation’s Habitat Restoration Coordinator, and Michael Neibuhr, Program Technician, open the chests and remove the wet towels covering bags that neighbors have dropped off.One bag, hung in the canal, shows no spats; the other, hung in the wetland, is full of spats.Commenting on that neighbor’s results, Chris says, “We’ve had very little influx.I’m not surprised that our water in the canal was not absolutely full of silt.It was dark brown.You couldn’t see anything.”
Unlike Chesapeake Bay, where oyster gardening has been going on for years, it’s not legal to seed oysters here.In Texas, it has to happen naturally.So, if communities want to build oyster populations, they have to set their bags in optimum conditions.This first year at Bayou Vista is a telling example for future sites.
Jeannie Kidwell has just returned from Christmas shopping for her grandkids when she comes to her dock to help pull up her half-year effort.“I was a Foster Parent,” she says.
Haille and Michael open her bags and the others on the Roper’s dock, sorting the shells, looking for spats.“I’m amazed at what I see,” says Haille.She’s finding spat on every 10 oysters.Some shells are covered with three or more spat.
That’s a spat! The oyster gardening program is designed to spawn new oysters each year.
It will take two years for this spat to grow to the legal 3-inch-size oyster for harvesting.But these will never be harvested.Today they’re going into restricted waters off Galveston Bay Foundation’s 449-acre Sweetwater Preserve.There, the oysters will build a breakwater for land quickly eroding at a rate of two feet each year.The waters at the edge of this Galveston Island preserve connect to Bayou Vista’s wetland nursery.“When we transport spat, we have to keep them in the same sub-bay system,” says Haille.And, in this case, it’s West Bay.
The evening is closing in when we arrive at the Sweetwater Preserve to deposit the bags.Near the water is a tall pile of oyster shells, a curing site for those collected from nearby restaurants.So far, six Bay Area restaurants participate in the shell-recycling program.They’ve been given 32-gallon collection bins that Galveston Bay Foundation retrieves and brings to the curing site on a weekly basis.Michael led that effort for most of last year. “I’d visit Tookie’s the most, about three times a week,” he says.
Shells at the curing site will go into the 5-pound bags for the gardening program.They also make up the 35-pound bags that form this and other breakwaters.Since 2011, the program has collected 570 tons of shells.
As they set the bags in the reef, Haille talks about how the program will expand to Galveston Island in the next year.“We‘ll partner with Gaidos and Cajun Greek, and continue our partnership with Texas A&M-Galveston with students picking up shells at those recycling sites and taking them to the curing sites.”
Oyster gardening is easy for families to do with their kids, and it’s a good way for kids to connect to their eco-system.To get involved, contact:
By utilizingthe latest technology in live, high definition, interactive web cameras, Saltwater-Recon.com is becoming the “Know Before You Go” resource for millions of people. Whether boating, fishing, or observing real-time conditions, Saltwater-Recon.com’s array of coastal HD cameras, combined with expert boating, fishing and weather content will give visitors the information needed to plan a safe and successful day on the water.
In addition to aiding the public with their decision-making, Saltwater-Recon.com aims to provide government entities, such as NOAA, U.S. Coast Guard, N.W.S., U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, as well as local news, and maritime logistics companies the information they need to make time-critical, and potentially life-saving, operational decisions.
It has been a long-time dream of ours to be able to look at the water from the comfort of our own home. Not everyone has the luxury of living close enough to the bay to be able to pop over and check out the water before an outing. Well, we have made that dream a reality.
With the help of our site sponsors and the Saltwater-Recon Team, CTO, Broc Adams and CFO, Larry Perez, (both BOI’s), we are using industry-leading, HD cameras that pan, tilt, and zoom with the click of a mouse to provide our users with the highest quality video stream, and YOU control the cameras! Our site allows the user to point the camera and even adjust how close they want to get with 30X zoom capabilities.
We currently have cameras in three locations; Trinity Bay, the Galveston Causeway and San Luis Pass. We are currently working on adding another three camera sites by the end of March 2017. New camera locations will include a Galveston beach cam, Seabrook and two cams at Seawolf Park to give users expansive views of the Galveston Ship Channel!
Along with our HD, interactive webcams, we also have some amazing bay/weather content including tide charts, access to weather/water information from NOAA buoys, weather radar and wind speed maps. We also have a full-time meteorologist on staff to bring our users the best, most up-to-date conditions of greater Galveston Bay.
We are also working on a very exciting new algorithm to bring bay conditions and weather forecasting into the 21st century. But that’s all we can say about that for now… please stay tuned to Saltwater-Recon.com and our Facebook page for updates on all the latest happenings and tournaments around the greater Galveston Bay complex through our EVENTS page, or check out the exclusive offers and coupons on our DEALS page.
We are excited for the opportunity to continually expand our network of cameras to bring real-time, reliable weather and bay conditions to anglers, boaters, and saltwater enthusiasts.
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The manager, Geovanny, and his staff go above and beyond to take care of you and make sure you are having nothing less than a great trip. Not only do they become your friends, they are very talented at surfing. It is amazing to watch.
Connect with K59 Surf Resort:
