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rpeebles · 26-02-2016, 11:04

Any experience in sailboat will be appreciated! Mostly places to hole up for overnight or if needed for unexpected. Thanks, Roger

**bstreep** · 28-02-2016, 21:34

If you go the ditch, stop halfway at Matagorda city marina. Call spoonbills restaurant and they will pick you up. They aren't open every night. You will have 2 sets of locks to transit.

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rpeebles · 29-02-2016, 12:39

Thanks! Yes the ditch in a 26 ft Friendship Sloop by outboard for the most part. How do I transit the locks? Is there a lock keeper? They are on the Brazos correct? Cheers, Roger

Garrettw · 29-02-2016, 19:30

The locks are at the Brazos and the Colorado. You talk to the lock keeper on VHF and also coordinate with the tows at the same time. We have done this trip a few times. I love going offshore because it can be quicker but the ICW is no big deal.

For the offshore option I recommend going on the ICW to Freeport and spending the night there. Jump offshore from there and you can do one long leg to Matagorda bay. At Matagorda Bay and anchor there overnight. Next day is another long day to Port Aransas. From there it's a short hop to Rockport. You can also do it all at once but keep in mind that there is significant oil and gas infrastructure offshore and we always see fishing activity as well so nighttime has risks.

The ICW is a different experience and takes a bit longer if you (wisely) decide not to cruise at night. Your schedule will be determined by what anchorages or ports you can get to before sundown (and your endurance). Our runs on the inside usually look like this: Kemah, Freeport, Matagorda City, Port O'Connor, Rockport. Commercial traffic is the big thing here. Communicate with every barge you are crossing with. You will also need to communicate win the the Brazos River Flood Gates, the Colorado River Locks and the New Caney Swing Bridge.

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**bstreep** · 29-02-2016, 22:31

Port A to Rockport is backtracking. I believe the locks answer on ch 13. 2 sets. Be sure and look online before going. One of the locks, I think Brazos, has closures on occasion. You can phone them.

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seahag · 29-02-2016, 22:53

How much draft is your boat? I've been out of Rockport a few times with very dense fog, and not trusting that the fast moving boats in the area are watching radar. The gas wells may or may not be charted well, and there is a lot of shallow water. Oyster boats and other commercial traffic is pretty heavy at times and for sure I would agree that the nighttime would not be the right time for making this run.