Space City Paddle Fest
April 9 @ Clear Lake Park Road, Seabrook, TX 77586, United States
COURSE MAP
A unique marathon course through coastal tall grass prairies and the riparian flatwoods forest of Armand Bayou Coastal Preserve. The 13 mile up and back course starts in Mud Lake, runs upstream through Armand Bayou to the buoy turn near Red Bluff Rd, and back to Mud Lake. Wind and water conditions may vary from windy and choppy in Mud Lake to calm flatwater in Armand Bayou.
Ocean Canoe/Kayak Course
Distance: 8 miles
This course will give the participant varied conditions depending on the wind direction the day of the race. Racers start in Mudd Lake heading south/southwest out the lake under NASA Road One bridge into Clear Lake. Running across the lake to a buoy turn near the entrance of Clear Creek. From that turn the racers will head in an easterly direction towards the Kemah Bridge. This section will run on the south side of the boat channel. About 3/4 mile along this track, participants will angle to the right/south as they head towards the entrance to Kemah Channel. Near the entrance of Waterford Harbor and off Clear Lake Shores, the racers will make hard left turn and head northeast across the lake toward Lakewood Yacht Club for about half a mile. Then, the racers will take a hard left turn and head northwest directly towards the NASA Road One bridge. This approximate two and half mile stretch can be a surfing run on a SE wind day. The racers will go right under the bridge an head Northwest towards the 2nd buoy then heading Northeast briefly to the buoy at the North end of the lake. The racers will make a full, hard turn to their right and head Southwest to the Start/Finish buoy off of Clear Lake Park.
SUP Long Course
Distance: 10 km
This course is similar to the Ocean Canoe/Kayak course, just a few miles shorter. Racers start in Mudd Lake heading south/southwest out the lake under NASA Road One bridge into Clear Lake. Running across the lake to a buoy(channel marker?) off the northern shore of South Shore Harbor. From that turn the racers will head in an easterly direction towards the Kemah Bridge. This section will run on the south side of the boat channel. About 3/4 mile along this track, participants will angle to the right/south as they head towards the entrance to Kemah Channel. In approximately half a mile, the racers will make hard left turn and head northeast across the lake toward Sam's Boat for about third of a mile. Then, the racers will take a hard left turn and head northwest directly towards the NASA Road One bridge. This approximate two mile stretch can be a surfing run on a SE wind day. The racers will go right under the bridge an head Northwest towards the 2nd buoy then heading Northeast briefly to the buoy at the North end of the lake. The racers will make a full, hard turn to their right and head Southwest to the Start/Finish buoy off of Clear Lake Park.
Novice/Short Course
Distance: 5 km
This course will be run entirely within the confines of Mudd
Lake. This lake is sheltered enough from
the wind thus experiences minimal chop and minimal power boat traffic. Too, this a very shallow lake and on day with
a higher tide, the depth through most of the lake is barely four feet. This is a very safe venue for novice and less
experienced paddlers. The paddlers will
leave the Start/Finish buoy off Clear Lake Park and head directly Northwest
across the lake. The racers will make a
hard right turn moving in Northeasterly
direction towards the buoy at the North end of the lake. The racers will make another hard right turn
and paddle in Southwesterly direction to the Start/Finish buoy where they will
begin the second and final lap. The
paddlers will make a hard right around the Start/Finish buoy and repeat the
course on their second lap finishing off of Clear Lake Park at the Start/Finish
buoy.
