www.MatagordaHarbor.com Matagorda Harbor

Matagorda Harbor Hurricane Policy

TO:        ALL BOAT and/or RV OWNERS, MATAGORDA HARBOR

FROM:   Craig Hlavinka, Harbor Master, Matagorda Harbor

Hurricane season is upon us again, and with the lessons of Hurricane Claudette in 2003 behind us, perhaps we will all be better prepared for the next tropical event.

The best way for you to protect your boat/RV in the event of a hurricane is to REMOVE IT FROM MATAGORDA HARBOR! With our large number of tenants, it is impossible for our staff to secure your property for you in the event of a storm, or even to individually notify you of an approaching storm. Please tune in to your local radio/TV stations or access the National Hurricane Center's website for information concerning tropical weather. If an evacuation is ordered, law enforcement will not allow trailers (boat or RV) on the highway, so do not wait until the last minute.

If it becomes necessary to leave your boat in its sling, you should tie it off to the boat house pilings to prevent it from swinging in high winds and raise it to a reasonable height to protect it from a high water storm surge.

For those of you with larger vessels that cannot be trailered, shelter can be found at the Port of Bay City fifteen miles up the Colorado River from the locks. To reach the port, vessels must pass under the bridge at FM 521 which has a vertical clearance of 23 feet. For sailboats and other craft that cannot pass under, there are docks at the LCRA park just downstream of the bridge.

In the event of a storm, please be aware that the following actions will be taken:

1. The boat ramps will be closed until harbor personnel have deemed them safe to use.
2. The boat houses will be closed until the water has receded to below the walkway and harbor personnel have deemed them safe to enter.
3. Vehicular traffic past the gate will be blocked until harbor personnel are satisfied that all property in the RV park is secured.

Please don't show up in the middle of a storm and ask for access to your boat; we at Matagorda Harbor don't believe a boat is worth risking your life.

Matagorda Harbor went 14 years before being hit by a hurricane; let us hope we can go at least another 14 years before the next one!

Craig Hlavinka
Harbor Master 

Past notes on Hurricane Rita.

Other Policies:
Harbor Rules & Regulations
RV Park Policy

 
Hurricane Claudette making landfall July 15, 2003