2019 TWS Additional Announcements

• With the record number (186) of boats entered in this year’s Texas Water Safari the upper river from San Marcos (Spring Lake) to Staples Dam (First Checkpoint) will be heavily congested. Normal viewing places and water handoffs will be heavily trafficked and limited parking.  Spots like Rio Vista Dam, Westerfield, Skulls Crossing, Martindale Dam, Cottonseed Rapid, Spencer’s, Pecan Park and Staples, etc. will have limited parking. It’s conceivable you may be parking a mile away from the river to get to some of these access points.  Those who wish to view the start (pretty cool) of the race need to plan for the congestion and leaving (time delay) from Spring Lake. Team captains and spectators need to plan accordingly for viewing and supporting their teams.  After the Staples Checkpoint the race should spread out some.

• With 186 teams starting in Spring Lake and limited ways to portage the Spring Lake Dam (left is illegal) please be considerate of all teams.  You don’t get a patch, meal ticket and a finishers plaque for getting to Spring Lake dam portage first and running over 2 boats in the process.  We ask racers to be respectful and show good sportsmanship of other teams.  At the same time please don’t dawdle at the portage, get out, get moving and get to Seadrift.

• Martindale Dam Bridge is a mandatory portage.  The portage is river right just upstream of the bridge.  Teams can portage/carry around bridge any place between the dam and bridge river right.  About 15 yards above bridge, river right, teams have been pulling out to portage here.

• Palmetto Bridge is tricky and a possible boat eater.  As of right now portage what you have practiced.  We will have race officials at bridge and upstream of bridge giving instructions if needed.  If boats are stacking up river left and right of bridge we may hold boats up on gravel bar upstream of bridge to allow time for boats to clear out. See announcement for additional information.  2019 Palmetto Checkpoint Announcement

• We will have a limited number of state park passes for sale at race check in for Palmetto State Park.  You have to have a pass or permit to enter.  You can also buy a pass at Palmetto State Park at their office during normal operation hours or leave a payment in their drop box after hours.

• Gonzales Dam is private property.  Teams do not have access here to handoff water unless they have prior permission. The best water handoff is 1 mile downstream from Gonzales Dam at Gonzales Hwy 183 Checkpoint.  We will have 2 checkpoint officials at Gonzales Dam.  Also, all teams required to do the mandatory marked portage at Gonzales Dam (river right).  If you fail to do the mandatory marked portage (you can’t miss it, if you do, you shouldn’t be doing the race) you could penalized up to 2 hours.  The same for any other mandatory portages.

• The saltwater barrier is the final checkpoint before Seadrift.  The GBRA owns the saltwater barrier and lets the TWS use the property as a checkpoint.  Please be respectful and stay off the salt water barrier and any equipment they have there.  The gates will be left unlocked during the race for team captains and their support crews to use.  Please close all gates (2) when entering and leaving the property.  They are running cows on the property.

• Be careful driving with canoes on vehicles.  Make sure you know Texas law on how far a canoe/boat can extend from back of vehicle and if lights are required on canoe/boat (stern) at night.  DPS and local law enforcement officials have written citations.

• Please make sure you have registered your Spot prior to check in on Friday.

• One of the most important awards for the TWS is the Brad Ellis award.  Probably more important than the Argosy Cup.

The award will be presented to any TWS competitor or team captain that demonstrates an extraordinary, unselfish act of sportsmanship during the Texas Water Safari. Nominations will be accepted from any TWS volunteer, race official, team captain or competitor that witnesses the act. A written nomination of no more than 150 words must be submitted to the Texas Water Safari Board. If a worthy nomination(s) is submitted and approved by the Texas Water Safari Board prior to the TWS Banquet on Tuesday, the award will be announced at the Awards Banquet. However, if a worthy nominate has not been received and approved prior to the Awards Banquet on Tuesday, nominations will be accepted until the conclusion of the race at 1:00 PM on Wednesday. If the award is not presented at the race, it will be presented the following year.

• The TWS will start promptly at 9:00 AM, Saturday morning June 8.  Meadows Lake Center/Spring Lake has limited some of our entry points along river/lake left.  Boats/canoes are allowed to start entering/putting in at 8:00 AM in Spring Lake.  We highly encourage all boats/canoes to be prepared to start putting in at that time or shortly thereafter.

• The City of Martindale has passed an ordinance prohibiting all disposable containers on the San Marcos River within the city limits.  The rule is supposed to apply to tubers and we do not anticipate any issues during the race but want teams to be aware of the ordinance.  Please click on the link to read ordinance:   Martindale River Ordinance

• All canoes and other watercraft should be washed thoroughly before arriving at race check in Friday, June 7.  This is a requirement that the Meadows Center has requested to prevent the spread of the Zebra Mussels into Spring Lake and the San Marcos River.  You are required to wash and clean your boat before entering the Meadows Center.  If this has not been done you will be asked to leave the site and wash your boat before starting the race.  Thanks for your help and cooperation on this matter.  Clean_Boat_Protocol