Texas Pilot Notes
Landmarks: 73ft highway bridges cross Landmarks: Radio towers at Port
the GIWW to the barrier island immediately O’Connor are sometimes visible.
NE and SW of channel entrance. Numerous Anchorage: In settled weather with a SE
tanks and towers at Dow Chemical. flow, anchor along shoreline 1nm SW of Ship
Anchorage: Excellent all-weather anchor- Channel behind Decros Point portion of Ma-
age four miles NE at GIWW Mile 391. This tagorda Pennisula.
disused part of an old canal system is 75ft Regulations: Avoid channel and waters
wide and 8ft deep. Approach from SW, near the commercial Port of Port Lavaca-
anchor 1mile down on upwind side due to Point Comfort on the NE side of Lavaca Bay.
small-boat traffic.
Waypoints
Bridges: Surfside Bridge, fixed, 73ft verti-
Matagorda Ship Channel Approach
cal clearance on GIWW, 1sm NE of Freeport
Lighted Whistle Buoy MSC
Channel / GIWW intersection.
Regulations: Some portions of Freeport
28 12.0N, 96 05.2W Mo (A) W 6M Red/White
Harbor are restricted.
stripes w/ red spherical topmark. RACON M (– – ).
Waypoints
Matagorda Ship Channel Entrance
Freeport Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy FP
Lighted Whistle Buoy MB
28 52.6N, 95 14.1W Mo (A) W 6M Red/White
28 23.0N, 96 17.0W Mo (A) W 6M Red/White
stripes w/ red spherical topmark. RACON N (– • )
stripes w/ red spherical topmark.
Light 7
Port of Entry: Port Lavaca 361-575-6277
28 55.7N, 95 17.5W Q G 5M
Dockage/Moorings: Nautical Landings
Marina, 7 ft
Skeleton tower. 17ft
Fuel: Port O’Connor Fishing Center, on
Lighted Bell Buoy 8, 250ft outside channel
NW bank of GIWW, one mile SW of Port
28 24.9N, 96 18.8W Q R 4M Red
O’Connor jetties. Port Lavaca Municipal
Harbor.
Light 12
Supplies: Limited marine supplies. Grocer-
28 56.0N, 95 18.4W Q R 4M 17ft.
ies and shopping available. Local hospital.
Services: Limited services.
Port of Entry: Customs 979-233-3004
Dockage/Moorings: Bridge Harbor Ma- Aransas Pass/Port Aransas: 27 50N, 97 03W
rina, 5-6 feet. Pilotage: Inbound vessels should respect
Fuel: Gasoline and diesel at Bridge Har- sea buoy AP. An approach alongshore should
bor Marina and new fuel dock opposite on not be made to arrive closer than Marker
GIWW. 6. The jetties are about one mile long and
Supplies: Limited marine supplies; grocer- can be difficult to spot in a seaway. The pass
ies and other shopping several miles away by range lights are often obscured by back-
private vehicle. ground lighting or a vessel lying alongside
Services: Limited, haulout available. Harbor Island.
Shipping traffic is moderate to heavy. Naval
Matagorda
vessels, ships carrying military cargoes and
Pilotage: Vessels inbound from a pas-
large offshore petroleum equipment can
sage may arrive at buoy MSC, then proceed
require one-way traffic and moving security
to MB. From the jetties, follow Matagorda
zones; monitor VHF 16/13 for commercial
Ship Channel markers across the bay to the
traffic and warnings.
GIWW intersection or further to the Port
Hazard: Use extreme caution where the
Lavaca Ship Channel (19nm).
channel intersects the alternate route of the
Shipping traffic is light. Monitor VHF 13
GIWW at Lydia Ann Channel, about 1.6sm
for pilot information.
above the entrance jetties, where Corpus
Hazard: The shoals lying off Pass Cav-
Christi Channel intersects the GIWW
allo extend seaward more than recorded
main route, about 7.1sm above Lydia Ann
on NOAA charts. The area NE of the Ship
Channel. Situations resulting in collisions,
Channel/GIWW intersection shoals badly
groundings, and close quarters passing have
and should be avoided.
222