Participant Lists as of March 13, 2025
Texas Water Safari
Texas River Marathon (Prelim)
Calhoun's Gator Chase
HALL OF FAME:
On June 12th at the 62nd Texas Water Safari Safety Briefing, 5 inductees will be awarded Hall of Fame recognition. Three competitors have completed 10 Safaris (Jason Cade, Brady Lotz and Chris Stevenson) and two competitors have completed 20 Safaris (Stacy Greer and Joe Hunt). While we make every effort to ensure that our Safari records are accurate, the incorrect spelling on competitors names, and nicknames have caused errors in our records. If you know of someone that should be recognized with 10, 20 or 30 finishes on June 12th, please contact Bob Spain at rws0987@yahoo.com.
REGISTRATION OPENS FEBUARY 9th – 8:00 a.m.
Click here for information.
2025 Race Calendar Announcement
December 31, 2024
Texas Water Safari Community,
As it has several times throughout the history of the Texas Water Safari, it is time to change the day and date that the race starts.
The Texas Water Safari will start on Friday in 2025. This is driven by safety considerations as the commercial use of the river is causing negative and dangerous interactions between race participants and other user groups.
To put to bed the other rumor that is out there, The Texas Water Safari will not be returning to water and ice only in 2025.
The complete dates for the 2025 Texas Water Safari Season are as follows:
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2025 TWS Calendar |
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EVENT |
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Saturday, February 8, 2025 |
Safari Seminar – 413 Main St., Martindale, TX 78655 |
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Sunday, February 9, 2025 |
Online Registration Opens for Texas Water Safari, Texas River Marathon and Calhoun's Gator Chase. Links will be on Website under Get Registered Menu option. |
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Saturday, May 3, 2025 |
Texas River Marathon (online registration only) Team Captain is required. – River Haven RV Resort – Cuero, Texas 35-mile race from River Haven RV Resort to the Pump House Restaurant. This is the preliminary race used to determine starting positions/line up for Texas Water Safari. It is not mandatory to race this race in order to race the Texas Water safari. The cut off at Hwy 447 Nursery Bridge is 1:00 PM (Saturday). An additional cutoff deadline is 4:00 PM (Saturday) at Victoria City Park boat ramp. The finish line cutoff is 5:00 PM (Saturday) at the Pumphouse Restaurant in Victoria City Park. If you do not finish by 5:00 PM and are entered in Safari, you will lose your starting position in the TWS. You can still race the TWS, but your starting position will be moved back to one of the last starting rows. T- shirts are only guaranteed to teams and one team captain per team. You will register your boat number and you are required to have this number on you boat race morning. Team captains are required for this race and cannot be shared between teams. |
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Sunday, May 4, 2025 |
Calhoun’s Gator Chase (online registration only)
Entry fee is $40 per paddler. No Team Captain required. Deadline to register is April 12. |
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Friday, May 16, 2025 |
Texas Water Safari Registration Deadline (online registration only) Entry Fee $250 (through March 28), $300 (through May 2), $350 (through May 16) per paddler. No entry fee for team captains. No team captain changes after registration closes. Must be registered by May 4 to hold prelim finish for starting position in TWS. |
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Thursday, June 12, 2025 |
Texas Water Safari Check-In, San Marcos – The Meadows Center |
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Friday, June 13, 2025 |
Start of the 62th Annual Texas Water Safari – San Marcos, TX – The Meadows Center Postponement dates are TBD. |
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Monday, June 16, 2025 |
Awards Banquet – Seadrift Texas – Bill Sanders Memorial Park – 1522 Swan Point, Seadrift, TX 77983 |
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Tuesday, June 17, 2025 |
Texas Water Safari Deadline – Seadrift Texas – Bill Sanders Memorial Park – 1522 Swan Point, Seadrift, TX 77983 |
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Saturday, Sept 20, 2025 |
Jr. Texas Water Safari (shorter version of the Texas Water Safari with same age requirements as the Texas Water Safari)
16 miles from San Marcos City Park to Staples Hwy 1977 bridge. Entry fee $35 per paddler (race day registration only). Registration begins at 8 a.m. at San Marcos City Park. |
If you have any questions, please contact tws@texaswatersafari.org.
TWS Board:
1. Board Member- Jay Daniel
2. Board Member- Bob Spain
3. President – Allen Spelce
Garmin inReach® / SPOT Announcement
November 24, 2024
Texas Water Safari Community,
A reminder that for 2025 Texas Water Safari competitors may use any handheld c device or a SPOT Generation 3, 4 or X device, in the boat.
The Texas Water Safari will complete the switch to Garmin’s inReach® technology in 2026. The inReach® system will have been tested for two years and any issues with the Safari will have been worked out.
In making the switch, Texas Water Safari racers will be afforded greater latitude in choosing their Garmin inReach® devices. Choices range from the entry level inReach® Messenger and inReach Mini 2, to the high-end Montana 700 series. As with the SPOT devices, racers may use a device they own or choose to rent one from an external vendor for the duration of the race. Garmin has a wide variety of subscription plans for inReach® that can be found here: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/837461
The only requirement as far as what unit you use is that it be inReach® enabled.
NOTE: While the adoption of these Garmin devices allows tracking to be combined with a GPS device, regardless of what device you choose to use it must be able to be charged, or have a backup/external battery pack, in the boat.
If you have any questions, please contact tws@texaswatersafari.org.
TWS Board:
1. Board Member- Jay Daniel
2. Board Member- Bob Spain
3. President – Allen Spelce
Texas Water Safari
“They don’t call the Texas Water Safari The World’s Toughest Canoe Race’ for nothing. In addition to the length, the challenges include whitewater rapids, multiple portages, and the relentless, soul-sapping Texas heat. Competitors have four days and four hours to paddle from San Marcos, in the center of the state, to the shy little town of Seadrift on the Gulf Coast. There is no prize money for the winners; just Texas-size bragging rights for the finishers.”
Larry Rice, in July 2009 Canoe & Kayak Magazine
The Texas Water Safari is actually comprised of several events including an information seminar, two short races (one of which can be considered as a preliminary race) and of course, the Safari itself – the 260 mile race to Seadrift from the headwaters of the San Marcos River. The Safari itself, billed as the "World's Toughest Boat Race", is an annual race via the San Marcos and Guadalupe rivers, from Aquarena Springs in the college town of San Marcos, to the shrimping village of Seadrift on the Texas coastline, a total distance of 260 miles. The first official race was held in 1963, and is run annually on the second Saturday of June.
The primary requirement is a boat powered only by human muscle. Racers must take all equipment needed with them, receiving only water, ice and food along the way.
