Table of Contents
Tigards Awarded Lifetime Membership
Trip Reports
Christy Long: 2006 New Year Guad/San Marcos
Ken Anderson: 2006 New Year Clear Creek
Christy Long: Jan 07, 2006 Surfside
Natalie Wiest: San Antonio River
Natalie Wiest: North Shore of Galveston Bay
Natalie Wiest: Remember Goliad!
John Bartos: Buffalo Bayou 01/15/06
Mark Ittleman: Anahuac Harborfest
Mark Ittleman: Nov 2005 Sierra Club Paddle
Remember
Goliad!
by Natalie Wiest
In case there are any of you out there less versed in Texas history than I am, you should know that “Remember Goliad” was the cry that rallied Texans to the Alamo and the fight for Texas independence, before “Remember the Alamo” became the battle cry at San Jacinto. Over 300 Texas “militia” were cold-bloodedly murdered at and around Goliad, some of them on the banks of the San Antonio River. But that was before 1836, and in 2005 “Canoe Trail, Goliad Texas” was the action and several of us from Houston participated.
The group “Canoe Trail Goliad” is led by citizens of Goliad County to create a safe, integrated system of access points along the San Antonio River. As any successful group on a mission like that, they have many public and private partners, and in this case the Goliad State Park staff were very much in evidence. Consider this service with a smile and a strong helping hand, as you shall soon see.
What I noticed is that at the current time, both putin and takeout have gated access roads, so if you’re not here on a scheduled trip day, you may be out of luck. The objective of the Canoe Trail group will be to improve these points and make them more accessible – great idea!
The putin place was practically under the highway 59 crossing, north of the river and on the west side of the road. I don’t know what the total count was on floaters for the day (can’t say just “canoeists” or “kayakers”, we followed a motorless jon boat with six people and a dog in it), but there were bunches of us and pretty well spread out. Those of you who know my daughter Ellen know she’s not real secure about less than flatland walking, and I was wondering if we’d get her down the 8’ mandatory butt-slide down a near vertical bank to the river, but we did. Gravity sure helped!. Here and at the takeout, ablebodied volunteers helped get boats down to the water and and back out, and their assistance was much appreciated – and needed!
The view from the water was a very different environment than what we’d driven across to get here. The banks were entirely tree-lined; and the river flow occasionally tree-obstructed as a result of flooding the past year or years. There were large sycamores, native pecans, and many oak trees. The bird treat of this trip was the green kingfishers crossing from side to side. The length of the trip was 6.5 miles, and good maps to putin and takeout were provided by the committee – and free shuttle service too for drivers. I met Wyatt Collier and Anna Luckenbach, and their friend Roberta at the putin. Marilyn Kircus was paddling with another group that included at least Page Williams and Mark Arnold from Corpus Christi. There were more Houstonians as well and we made a long leisurely float down the river. It was well worth the 3 hour drive from Houston, even if there hadn’t been a free lunch provided (which there was!).
Several of the group camped at Goliad State Historical Park. I’ve enjoyed several other non-paddling visits to the park and its Spanish mission church. Presidio La Bahia is quite close by, so whether you paddle or not it’s well worth a drive to see the parks.
Natalie Wiest
HCC Paddler