David Portz is coordinating a trip on Armand Bayou from Bay Area Park this Saturday, September 1, 2018. It will start from the boat ramp at 9 a.m. Please register on the Event Calendar at the houstoncanoeclub.org site. Persons who are not American Canoe Club members as well as Houston Canoe Club members will have to pay a $5 fee; and the usual waiver stuff applies. The software of Club Express prohibits me from putting all details on the web site, so here is what you will need to know:
Date and Time: Start date: Saturday Sept 1, 2018 Start time 9:00 a.m.
Finish date: Same: Sept 1, 2018 Finish time 3:00 approx
Location Address: Bay Area Park 7500 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, TX 77058
Put-in: Meeting location is the waterfront boatramp accessible from parking lot of Bay Area Park (near the park’s exit). Meeting time is 9:00 a.m.
Take out at Same (ample parking)
City, State: Houston, Texas
Location phone: none
Restrooms at put-in: yes
Map/ Driving Routes to Armand Bayou Put-in
To get to Bay Area Park:
Directions from I-45 to Bay Area Park: Exit I-45 at Bay Area Boulevard and go East approximately 6 miles, crossing major intersections: Highway 3, El Camino Real, and Space Center Boulevard. Upon crossing the Armand Bayou Bridge, look for the yellow blinking light. This marks Bay Area Park on the right. Meet at the boat launch. Directions from Highway 146 to Bay Area Park Go South from La Porte or North from Seabrook. Turn West on any one of three streets: Choate Road, Port Drive, or Red Bluff Road. Each will take you to Bay Area Boulevard where you turn left (West). Continue on Bay Area Boulevard to Bay Area Park. Turn left at the blinking yellow light and go into the park. Meet at the boat launch.
: We’ll explore Armand Bayou connecting Horsepen Creek, an out-and-back, improvised paddle on slow moving water. 6 to 8 miles. ‘Gators likely visible, and much other aquatic wildlife.
Full description:
Route of paddle:
- trip south from Bay Area Park put-in head across Armand Bayou to Horsepen Creek, then “up the creek” to a little ways beyond Middlebrook Drive bridge or beyond it, the powerlines crossing,
- return, with side-trip into shallow Armand Bayou marshes,
- lunch/snack either on the water (along the way), or after having returned to starting point,[exit possible for those who are ready to “pull the plug”]
- Participants willing, we’d travel up Armand Bayou in the direction of Big Island Slough, and then return to put-in.
That is to say, depending on the number of participants, we’d somewhat ‘play it by ear’, with objective to let new members/paddlers who haven’t previously visited this place know its general layout and charms.
weather forecast at time of trip posting (8-29-18)
Sat 9/1
93° /76°
A p.m. thunderstorm in spots
Be sure to check the latest weather forecast to determine whether rain gear will be needed. You will need a canoe or kayak, paddles, life jackets (one per person required to be worn), lunch, plenty of drinking water (1/2 gallon per person), sunscreen, and insect repellent. Participants must provide their own boats and transport them to the trip site. Coordinator recommends a hat, sunglasses with a retainer strap.
This will be nature sightseeing, not fishing.
Informative sites:
Website info on Armand Bayou : Armand Bayou paddling trail: https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/boat/paddlingtrails/coastal/armand_bayou/
Tagging Armand Bayou Alligators: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDbnrHGS9u8