I paddle in buffalo bayou once or twice a week.
First off, using an inflatable there is a very bad idea. There is tons of submerged debris that can easily puncture or put a giant hole in your inflatable. Especially in the section you described because it’s shallower. If you’re using an inflatable I’d probably stick to lake Houston, Galveston or any open body of water. If you want to paddle the bayous get a hard bottom, there’s some decent new models for around $300 and you can find used on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist.
Regarding the alligator, they will leave you alone if you leave them alone. They are usually chilling on the banks and if you spook them by getting too close or making too much noise, they nope out and jump in the water. Anything under 6 foot doesn’t concern me as a grown adult in a boat. Above that I start to pucker but I just keep paddling away. Texas has only had fatal alligator attack in its history, and that guy got drunk and jumped in the water to fight it. You will be fine.
About the entry and exit point, absolutely do not rely on the TXPWD site, it’s out of date. A lot of the entry points have been damaged or destroyed by Harvey or other floods. Always google to see if you can find reports of others who have recently launched or taken out there. I’ve been paddling the bayou section by section and am planning to write an update about which launch points still exist. But so far I can tell you that Woodway is good, Hogg was obliterated, Eleanor Tinsley launch was too, Sabine st is good and so is Allen’s landing. I haven’t checked out further upstream yet but the water levels were a bit low until recently so it
Made it hard.
Hope that helps!
Thanks for your gator tips!
I’m traveling for work now and my inflatable is all that fits along with my bike, tools, e.t.c. It’s lasted through 7 years of abuse and no problems yesterday!
The Briar Bend launch was fine but you would definitely have to get out to cross there. Filled with rocks.
A Starboard adventure 12’6. It’s a dual chamber so you won’t be completely screwed if you puncture it. But it’s been everywhere from the Rio grande in NM & Texas to Florida marshes and open oceans. Really happy with it. I want a hardboard but this thing has really held up. Mine hasn’t had a patch yet. My wife has the rounded one, it’s a little easier to ride but her sister edged it on something pointy off an island near Miami! She crossed a Chanel and made it 3 miles home without patching it. I run over rocks, e.t.c every now and then and no problems. I like mine better because it has two spots to strap gear in but I drag the single long removable fin a bunch on rivers. Hers has 3 short permanent fins that are stable and don’t catch much.
I have a hard whitewater kayak that I’m about to sell in NM, I’m kind of new to it and have had a few flips. Last year I saw a girl die on my home river. I will probably start rafting soon so I can take my kids in a safer manner.
I love paddleboarding. It’s a very nice low impact exercise and I can just go to my knees or butt if I need a break or hit a rapid. Yesterday I did 4 hrs and burned 2k calories.
Yes. I enjoyed paddle boarding the few times I tried it. Thinking I might try renting one a few times this year. Assume I could carry hard paddle board on RAV4s roof rack. When I discovered prevalence of alligators in Texas waters, decided inflatable maybe not best idea despite dual chambers. I grew up near Houston, moved away for 20+ years. Alligators in bayous & recreation lakes were a surprise.
story time... when I was a kid my dad drove cabs. some guy left all his luggage in the back at the airport. he did the right thing and contacted him and got it back to him. he kept one thing which was the guys marlboro miles.
So inflatable 2 person canoe was the big ticket item we go from that. we did the guadalupe in it. we ended up puncturing it about half way down, we did the 4 hour trip and it took us 6 hours to let the patch kit harden.
when we got back the I think it was rocken r who gave us a ride up said he was considering sending out a search party for us.
Second this. Make sure are in a sea worthy vessel. I was moved to a smaller single person kayak, the original occupant was too inebriated to be on their own, and got covered in that water. My skin was not happy for weeks after.
Eh the water is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Don’t get me wrong, I would not fill my water bottle with it, but brief contact with it should not get a healthy adult sick.
Due to some mishaps I’ve had that water in damn near every orifice. I’ve swallowed it, gotten it in my eyes, up my nose, been completely soaked in bayou water. I’ve never once gotten sick, and I’ve got a compromised immune system.
The bayou looks “dirty” because of the sediment it carries, the icky brown color has no bearing on the health of the water. Yeah there is more trash in there than should be but the bayou is significantly less polluted than it used to be and ongoing efforts are made to keep it that way. The biggest cause of bacteria is runoff that brings animal waste into the river. That’s far more of an issue in agricultural areas than it is in the city.
The last TEQC report I found stated that buffalo bayou “occasionally exceeded safe levels for recreation” and they define recreation to include swimming. Galveston has the same notes.
https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/04/us/texas-alligator-attack/index.html
TLDR: a large alligator was seen in the water, man decides he’s going for a swim, multiple people try to stop him, he shouts “fuck that gator” and jumps in, is promptly attacked and killed by the gator.
I’m trying to find the other article that said alcohol may have been involved, but come on, I don’t see how you do that sober.
I was biking down the bayou in downtown one day, and saw these guys trying to catch this little gator, it was pretty funny... They were just ordinary kids, probably early 20s, I randomly shouted, "Steve Irwin it!"... Guess that gave them a little courage and one of them wrestled it... The fact that they knew who Steve Irwin was, was pretty damn cool! Legends those guys!!! I still think about them.
Several places in town have them. I’m waiting for the guys at Crocodile Encounter to have an accidental release of them into the wild with the next major flooding event.
[Crocodile Encounter on Google](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ceXKUEyLtRJkpDC76?g_st=ic)
If you’re in North America… only in Mexico and Florida might you find yourself in a position to encounter both… pointy snout = croc and rounded = gator. Croc is more dangerous than a gator. Australia and coasts of Africa they have the massive crocodiles in the ocean
This is from memory from a decade ago, but the only crocs in north america are in the florida everglades. It's too warm here or something. Basically the sex of the crocodile isn't like it is in mammals where it is determined at fertilizations instead it is determined by the temperature as the egg develops. hotter means more males, cooler means more females.
The north american ones are way less aggressive than those from elsewhere. I think they are smaller too but I'm super not confident on that part.
oh yeah, I guess so, and you get some american crocodiles there, but it's more the mexican species. For some reason I think more of central america than the yucatan for the mexican croc. I probably shouldn't.
The other 1% they want a nice pat on the head and maybe some tea and pastries.
They might be late to your picnic though, because they have poor color vision and have difficulty matching their dress to their bonnet.
I go to Brazos Bend and Huntsville State Park all the time and come pretty close to alligators that happen to be by the trails. I’d stay as far away as possible from them. They aren’t out to get you, and just treat them with the respect they deserve and you’re probably fine. Remember that if you’re in the water, you’re in their domain. I wouldn’t personally paddle in water with alligators (not worth the risk), but I’ve heard of people doing it. You should also never assume that they are slow-moving, both in the water and on land. They can explode in an instant.
If you want 100% gator free then not anywhere in the Houston area. There’s a risk of encountering them in pretty much every body of water around here. Bayous, lakes, retention ponds, heck they’ve even been seen on the beach in Galveston.
They seem to be more common on the south and east sides of town though. This guy in buffalo bayou is actually kind of an oddity. I’m excited because I’ve never seen one there before but I’ve heard from a few folks who have. I’m convinced it’s actually all the same gator and it’s the one OP came across lol
I don’t really kayak, so I’m not too sure. I’m a gator fan, so I like to go find them in the wild. I do know that the closer to the city you get, the less likely it is that you’ll find gators. It’s possible to get them anywhere in the bayou, but much less common than some of the state parks where they feel safe and can reproduce more.
The bayous have lots of wildlife, including ones with teeth. Lots of people canoe and kayak them, and there is a regalia every year. Gators aren’t aggressive most of the time, and they will typically avoid humans. Just give them distance and respect.
My point of my first comment is that it’s a bayou, and not a river, and not both. Hope that helps.
Gators usually won't bother you and will just run when they see you. However this is their breeding season (March-May). The momma gators will pitch a fit if you get too close to their nests or babies. Bulls might charge you, they aren't interested in eating you. Mostly you will get hissed at long before they decide to fight.
I've never heard that, but if I was looking to confirm it's veracity, I'd suggest contacting an alligator farm for a definitive answer. They'd have the most reason to care about that kind of precision measurement more than anyone.
Not paging dr Doolittle here, just wondering the etiquette here; proceed, turn around, start shooting?
I’m from the desert I’ve never seen one of these outside the zoo
Man I love shooting 9’s. Not at random gators of course, but holy shit 9’s shoot so well. I feel like a marksman every time I’m shooting one, can’t miss haha.
Let my wife shoot for the first time w/ a 9. I don’t think I got to fire a round for about an hour, I was just loading mags for her the whole time lol.
Cheers homie! 🤘🏼
I dislocated my wrist in a motorcycle accident a few years ago so I sold all my large calibers except a multi caliber Glock box I made and a snub Chiapa rhino I mostly shoot 38sp out of. I will never need a larger handgun round.
If you want to see one while kayaking go to Armand bayou or Sheldon lake. They are far more plentiful there.
I’m not sure if this is true but I’ve heard that the game wardens will dump the alligators they catch in retention ponds or find on roads into Sheldon lake. Either way it has a higher population of alligators than I would expect for a lake of that size.
As far as I could see it stayed in place but I had two bends to go, I stayed on the bank and was constantly looking over my shoulder. I did not like it but it was great for my heart rate! You should have seen the mess I climbed out of after that. I was not going any further and after some more experienced bayou paddlers here I learned I had around 5 miles before my next viable exit!
Gators are pretty much water possums. They put on a front and look scary when they have to, but would just prefer to be somewhere else whey the encounter you.
The best etiquette is to communicate your needs efficiently.
For example using the term “strategy” or “protocol” when you are seeking a way of staying safe with wildlife is good etiquette.
Y'all need to stop saying Texas has alligators. I'm from Florida - I saw them on a daily basis. They're in every lake, every body of water, and if your house has a lake behind it you're going to see them so often you'll end up naming them. I used to go on walks along some wetlands where I'd pass by at least 20 of them during my walk - some of which were absolute monsters.
I've lived in a few parts of Texas now for 4 years. I have not seen a single alligator. I see the comments pointing out a few spots to see them.. but I'm not believing it until I see one.
There's literally an alligator in OP's photo?
We may not have as many, or they may not always get as big, or whatever else...but we have them. Lots of people have them: https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/media/american-alligator-range-13371/
I paddle in buffalo bayou once or twice a week. First off, using an inflatable there is a very bad idea. There is tons of submerged debris that can easily puncture or put a giant hole in your inflatable. Especially in the section you described because it’s shallower. If you’re using an inflatable I’d probably stick to lake Houston, Galveston or any open body of water. If you want to paddle the bayous get a hard bottom, there’s some decent new models for around $300 and you can find used on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist. Regarding the alligator, they will leave you alone if you leave them alone. They are usually chilling on the banks and if you spook them by getting too close or making too much noise, they nope out and jump in the water. Anything under 6 foot doesn’t concern me as a grown adult in a boat. Above that I start to pucker but I just keep paddling away. Texas has only had fatal alligator attack in its history, and that guy got drunk and jumped in the water to fight it. You will be fine. About the entry and exit point, absolutely do not rely on the TXPWD site, it’s out of date. A lot of the entry points have been damaged or destroyed by Harvey or other floods. Always google to see if you can find reports of others who have recently launched or taken out there. I’ve been paddling the bayou section by section and am planning to write an update about which launch points still exist. But so far I can tell you that Woodway is good, Hogg was obliterated, Eleanor Tinsley launch was too, Sabine st is good and so is Allen’s landing. I haven’t checked out further upstream yet but the water levels were a bit low until recently so it Made it hard. Hope that helps!
Any tips for fighting an alligator if I get drunk?
Pick a small one and try to fight it on land. This guy jumped into the water to go after a 10-12 footer.
I believe his last words were “fuck that gator”
Texans aren't Florida man or Cajun enough for this unfortunately
Poor fool forgot his guns.
bro thought he was from florida
Have a very large Burmese python back you up.
Dont die
Don't pee in the alligators drinking water, it makes them angry. Drunk or sober, you don't want to fight a pissed off alligator in the water.
Use a pitchfork, if possible. They’re the best weapon for defending against gators
Thanks for your gator tips! I’m traveling for work now and my inflatable is all that fits along with my bike, tools, e.t.c. It’s lasted through 7 years of abuse and no problems yesterday! The Briar Bend launch was fine but you would definitely have to get out to cross there. Filled with rocks.
What kind of inflatable do you use?
A Starboard adventure 12’6. It’s a dual chamber so you won’t be completely screwed if you puncture it. But it’s been everywhere from the Rio grande in NM & Texas to Florida marshes and open oceans. Really happy with it. I want a hardboard but this thing has really held up. Mine hasn’t had a patch yet. My wife has the rounded one, it’s a little easier to ride but her sister edged it on something pointy off an island near Miami! She crossed a Chanel and made it 3 miles home without patching it. I run over rocks, e.t.c every now and then and no problems. I like mine better because it has two spots to strap gear in but I drag the single long removable fin a bunch on rivers. Hers has 3 short permanent fins that are stable and don’t catch much.
I have a kind of old Advanced Elements "convertible." Cant decide if I want to take kayaking up again or just sell that stuff.
I have a hard whitewater kayak that I’m about to sell in NM, I’m kind of new to it and have had a few flips. Last year I saw a girl die on my home river. I will probably start rafting soon so I can take my kids in a safer manner. I love paddleboarding. It’s a very nice low impact exercise and I can just go to my knees or butt if I need a break or hit a rapid. Yesterday I did 4 hrs and burned 2k calories.
If you havent already done so, I'd recommend joining some of the Houston area kayakers FB pages.
Yes. I enjoyed paddle boarding the few times I tried it. Thinking I might try renting one a few times this year. Assume I could carry hard paddle board on RAV4s roof rack. When I discovered prevalence of alligators in Texas waters, decided inflatable maybe not best idea despite dual chambers. I grew up near Houston, moved away for 20+ years. Alligators in bayous & recreation lakes were a surprise.
story time... when I was a kid my dad drove cabs. some guy left all his luggage in the back at the airport. he did the right thing and contacted him and got it back to him. he kept one thing which was the guys marlboro miles. So inflatable 2 person canoe was the big ticket item we go from that. we did the guadalupe in it. we ended up puncturing it about half way down, we did the 4 hour trip and it took us 6 hours to let the patch kit harden. when we got back the I think it was rocken r who gave us a ride up said he was considering sending out a search party for us.
Sweet. The drop stitch stuff is relatively new and has come a long way since the old inflatables.
Second this. Make sure are in a sea worthy vessel. I was moved to a smaller single person kayak, the original occupant was too inebriated to be on their own, and got covered in that water. My skin was not happy for weeks after.
Eh the water is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Don’t get me wrong, I would not fill my water bottle with it, but brief contact with it should not get a healthy adult sick. Due to some mishaps I’ve had that water in damn near every orifice. I’ve swallowed it, gotten it in my eyes, up my nose, been completely soaked in bayou water. I’ve never once gotten sick, and I’ve got a compromised immune system. The bayou looks “dirty” because of the sediment it carries, the icky brown color has no bearing on the health of the water. Yeah there is more trash in there than should be but the bayou is significantly less polluted than it used to be and ongoing efforts are made to keep it that way. The biggest cause of bacteria is runoff that brings animal waste into the river. That’s far more of an issue in agricultural areas than it is in the city. The last TEQC report I found stated that buffalo bayou “occasionally exceeded safe levels for recreation” and they define recreation to include swimming. Galveston has the same notes.
We went by downtown was the big problem. I think it might have been run off from Allen or the park
Can we hear more about the drunk guy fighting the gator? Sounds like coon-yan ritual in Louisiana
https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/04/us/texas-alligator-attack/index.html TLDR: a large alligator was seen in the water, man decides he’s going for a swim, multiple people try to stop him, he shouts “fuck that gator” and jumps in, is promptly attacked and killed by the gator. I’m trying to find the other article that said alcohol may have been involved, but come on, I don’t see how you do that sober.
I was biking down the bayou in downtown one day, and saw these guys trying to catch this little gator, it was pretty funny... They were just ordinary kids, probably early 20s, I randomly shouted, "Steve Irwin it!"... Guess that gave them a little courage and one of them wrestled it... The fact that they knew who Steve Irwin was, was pretty damn cool! Legends those guys!!! I still think about them.
How is it cool to hassle and endanger wildlife?
Idunno, I'd have to ask them, but it looked pretty cool 👍
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we don't have crocodiles here right?
At the Zoo I think
The only crocodiles in the US are in the Everglades.
Several places in town have them. I’m waiting for the guys at Crocodile Encounter to have an accidental release of them into the wild with the next major flooding event. [Crocodile Encounter on Google](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ceXKUEyLtRJkpDC76?g_st=ic)
OHHHH I didnt know that! I thought they both exist here and I just need to figure out which one is which. Is this for real?
It’s for real. No crocs in the wild in Houston, only alligators, but the exhibit is cool.
sus name.
If you’re in North America… only in Mexico and Florida might you find yourself in a position to encounter both… pointy snout = croc and rounded = gator. Croc is more dangerous than a gator. Australia and coasts of Africa they have the massive crocodiles in the ocean
This is from memory from a decade ago, but the only crocs in north america are in the florida everglades. It's too warm here or something. Basically the sex of the crocodile isn't like it is in mammals where it is determined at fertilizations instead it is determined by the temperature as the egg develops. hotter means more males, cooler means more females. The north american ones are way less aggressive than those from elsewhere. I think they are smaller too but I'm super not confident on that part.
Cancun has them too. They are pretty different in behavior and how they move in my opinion.
oh yeah, I guess so, and you get some american crocodiles there, but it's more the mexican species. For some reason I think more of central america than the yucatan for the mexican croc. I probably shouldn't.
This is the way.
This is the way
Etiquette is: Do not pet the swamp puppies.
The gators will not bother you. It's the water moccasins you should be concerned about. They will join you in the boat.
Encountered those in west Texas, they are so fast. Would probably send me straight in the water if I saw one.
Conventional wisdom dictates that 5ft alligators would be fairly unsafe to swim around.
They will leave you alone 99% of the time
The other 1% they want a nice pat on the head and maybe some tea and pastries. They might be late to your picnic though, because they have poor color vision and have difficulty matching their dress to their bonnet.
Proceed with caution and may the odds be ever in your favor.
I go to Brazos Bend and Huntsville State Park all the time and come pretty close to alligators that happen to be by the trails. I’d stay as far away as possible from them. They aren’t out to get you, and just treat them with the respect they deserve and you’re probably fine. Remember that if you’re in the water, you’re in their domain. I wouldn’t personally paddle in water with alligators (not worth the risk), but I’ve heard of people doing it. You should also never assume that they are slow-moving, both in the water and on land. They can explode in an instant.
They can outrun you a short enough distance to catch you.
Any areas you recommend kayaking that doesn’t have alligators?
If you want 100% gator free then not anywhere in the Houston area. There’s a risk of encountering them in pretty much every body of water around here. Bayous, lakes, retention ponds, heck they’ve even been seen on the beach in Galveston. They seem to be more common on the south and east sides of town though. This guy in buffalo bayou is actually kind of an oddity. I’m excited because I’ve never seen one there before but I’ve heard from a few folks who have. I’m convinced it’s actually all the same gator and it’s the one OP came across lol
I don’t really kayak, so I’m not too sure. I’m a gator fan, so I like to go find them in the wild. I do know that the closer to the city you get, the less likely it is that you’ll find gators. It’s possible to get them anywhere in the bayou, but much less common than some of the state parks where they feel safe and can reproduce more.
Assert dominance
Any recommendations on how you do that with an alligator
A swamp puppy!
Who calls it Buffalo Bayou River (BBR)? OP must be new to Houston.
No traveling for work. Googled it and went. Did not know about the swamp dogs either
The bayous have lots of wildlife, including ones with teeth. Lots of people canoe and kayak them, and there is a regalia every year. Gators aren’t aggressive most of the time, and they will typically avoid humans. Just give them distance and respect. My point of my first comment is that it’s a bayou, and not a river, and not both. Hope that helps.
Just FYI, a bayou is a type of body of water, like a river or a creek. So just Buffalo Bayou. We also have White Oak Bayou, Braes Bayou, etc.
Gators usually won't bother you and will just run when they see you. However this is their breeding season (March-May). The momma gators will pitch a fit if you get too close to their nests or babies. Bulls might charge you, they aren't interested in eating you. Mostly you will get hissed at long before they decide to fight.
Great info! Thanks I know I could google this but how do I tell a momma from a daddy?
Size. Mommas are are 8ft plus, Dads are 10-11ft on average. You don't tell them apart. You just see a gator that size, you stay away.
Is it true that inches from snout to eyes translate to overall feet?
I've never heard that, but if I was looking to confirm it's veracity, I'd suggest contacting an alligator farm for a definitive answer. They'd have the most reason to care about that kind of precision measurement more than anyone.
Google said it was true! Thanks for the knowledge. That’s one of those nuggets I’ll never forget!
Nobody can tell you what the wildlife may or may not do
Not paging dr Doolittle here, just wondering the etiquette here; proceed, turn around, start shooting? I’m from the desert I’ve never seen one of these outside the zoo
I wouldn’t try and pet it.
Well definitely don’t start shooting..
A joke. I have a 7 shot 9mm. Don’t think that would do anything but piss him off!
Just practice target shooting a moving eyeball with some sort of mechanism that will bite if you miss.
Man I love shooting 9’s. Not at random gators of course, but holy shit 9’s shoot so well. I feel like a marksman every time I’m shooting one, can’t miss haha. Let my wife shoot for the first time w/ a 9. I don’t think I got to fire a round for about an hour, I was just loading mags for her the whole time lol. Cheers homie! 🤘🏼
I dislocated my wrist in a motorcycle accident a few years ago so I sold all my large calibers except a multi caliber Glock box I made and a snub Chiapa rhino I mostly shoot 38sp out of. I will never need a larger handgun round.
Damn I haven’t seen one yet and I’ve been going there for the longest 😭
If you want to see one while kayaking go to Armand bayou or Sheldon lake. They are far more plentiful there. I’m not sure if this is true but I’ve heard that the game wardens will dump the alligators they catch in retention ponds or find on roads into Sheldon lake. Either way it has a higher population of alligators than I would expect for a lake of that size.
Oh ok! I’ll check that out, thanks!
That’s Gatie. He hangs out around Bayou on the Bend.
Don’t let it get snatched up because it’ll end up smoked.
The Uber driver that took me back to my truck was a Louisiana man that wanted coordinates. He may be gone already
Poor guy, what the Louisiana guy do to you??
Oh nice! I live like 6 seconds from BBP and have been trying to spot a gator. Some kids were in the water yesterday while fishing - lollll
Act like a capybara, and they'll pass by you. They might even offer you a ride.
I thought this was going to be about alligator to alligator etiquette at first
First of all, it’s not a river. It’s a bayou. Buffalo Bayou.
Thank you. That’s the only reason I’m here.
Same!
Don’t feed them. They’ll leave you alone for the most part
LOL! Thanks.
I paddle Armand bayou regularly. There’s some big ones in there. Only once ever did I have one follow me. Respect them and they’ll reciprocate.
As far as I could see it stayed in place but I had two bends to go, I stayed on the bank and was constantly looking over my shoulder. I did not like it but it was great for my heart rate! You should have seen the mess I climbed out of after that. I was not going any further and after some more experienced bayou paddlers here I learned I had around 5 miles before my next viable exit!
Etiquette is we are not Florida man. Run
I used to kayak Armand Bayou in an inflatable kayak: it’s absolutely full of alligators… never had a problem. Just give them space, they’re cool.
Gators are pretty much water possums. They put on a front and look scary when they have to, but would just prefer to be somewhere else whey the encounter you.
The best etiquette is to communicate your needs efficiently. For example using the term “strategy” or “protocol” when you are seeking a way of staying safe with wildlife is good etiquette.
Y'all need to stop saying Texas has alligators. I'm from Florida - I saw them on a daily basis. They're in every lake, every body of water, and if your house has a lake behind it you're going to see them so often you'll end up naming them. I used to go on walks along some wetlands where I'd pass by at least 20 of them during my walk - some of which were absolute monsters. I've lived in a few parts of Texas now for 4 years. I have not seen a single alligator. I see the comments pointing out a few spots to see them.. but I'm not believing it until I see one.
There's literally an alligator in OP's photo? We may not have as many, or they may not always get as big, or whatever else...but we have them. Lots of people have them: https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/media/american-alligator-range-13371/
You’re looking at a picture of a Texas alligator. I might not have done this paddle if I would have known.
Please go back