Texas Pilot Notes
Coastal Summary 214 Galveston to Brazos Santiago 220
Sabine Pass/Port Arthur 215
Freeport 220
Galveston Bay/Houston Ship Channel 215
Matagorda 222
Galveston 216
Aransas Pass/Port Aransas 222
Clear Lake 220
Rockport, TX 224
Corpus Christi, TX 224
Brazos Santiago Pass 226
Coastal Summary
changing positions of much of this equip-
Texas Gulf waters are particularly shallow ment. Most are fitted with lights. Offshore
compared to the Atlantic coast. The shore is Supply Vessels (180-200ft; 20+ knots) service
low-lying and there are no significant land- the rigs.
marks along much of the coast. Seismic research vessels may be encoun-
Prevailing winds are SE, except during the tered anywhere towing instrument arrays on
passage of weather fronts. cables five or more miles long. Monitor VHF
Vessels inbound on passages from the E 16 and keep a sharp lookout.
and S will likely encounter E winds until From the E, stay S of the 1000-fathom line
within a few hundred miles of shore. Variable to avoid oil fields. Do not cross the shoal
currents exist seasonally alongshore. The ef- waters S of SW Louisiana; rigs and related
fects of major tidal movements at the edge of equipment create extreme navigational haz-
the continental shelf will be noticeable. ards. At about 27 50N, 92 35W, turn shore-
There are numerous wrecks along the ward toward Galveston or Aransas Pass.
coastline, many not properly charted or Galveston or Corpus Christi are recom-
marked. Commercial fishermen work along mended ports of entry for yachts; others are
the coast during the fishing seasons. geared toward heavy commercial traffic.
The only passable inlets from the Gulf are October to May, frontal passages can create
heavily dredged for shipping. Shipping is large breaking seas along the coast. Heave-to
heavy in and along the Safety Fairways at Sa- offshore of the 1000-fathom curve for any
bine Pass, Galveston, Freeport and Aransas front.
Pass leading into Corpus Christi Bay. These Avoid direct courses between inlets that fall
fairways offer clear routes kept free from oil close inshore (e.g. Galveston-Aransas Pass or
drilling equipment. Aransas Pass-Brazos Santiago Pass), passing
Oil industry operations offshore are exten- through surflines and inaccurately charted,
sive year-round. A variety of drill-ships and desolate shoreline. In the vicinity of Pass
rigs, together with production platforms will Cavallo at Matagorda Bay, offlying shoals are
be encountered. Inside the 10-fathom line, far more extensive than indicated on NOAA
individual wellheads are common. Charts charts.
are not updated to accurately reflect the NOTE: For a general description of the Gulf
Intracoastal Waterway, see pg. TK.
214