Texas Gulf Coast Living Gulfscapes

Seadrift was established in 1848. It began an expansion around 1909, when a railway came in and a channel was dredged to give access to the Intracoastal Waterway, which allowed easy shipping of goods and resulting good fortune. Port O'Connor was established as a town in 1912. Its boom occurred between 1909 and 1919, when excursion trains arrived on weekends bringing in an estimated 10,000 tourists every summer. Both towns’ prosperity was short lived due to hurricanes in 1919 and 1929 that devastated the area. Another setback occurred when Hurricane Carla blew most everything away in 1961. Seadrift is still a self-described “shy little town”, focused on the fishing industry, farming and chemical plants. Port O’Connor is experiencing growth recently, fueled by tourism, commercial fisheries and the oil industry.

Both Seadrift and Port O’Connor have legendary fishing. Seadrift is located on San Antonio Bay, while Port O’Connor is on Matagorda Bay. Both have access to the Gulf of Mexico, via Pass Cavallo, a natural cut in the nearby barrier islands. This makes for quick trips to the Gulf for sport fish, such as red snapper, kingfish, ling and jack fish, plus deep-water fishing for sailfish, marlin, tuna, dolphin and wahoo. There’s no need to go out into the Gulf to find fish, however, since Seadrift and Port O’Connor have the largest and deepest bay system on the Texas Gulf Coast. Matagorda Bay, Espiritu Santu Bay and San Antonio Bay are full of redfish, flounder, pompano, drum, jack crevalle, shark, tarpon and Spanish mackerel.

Every summer Port O'Connor plays host to a variety of bay and offshore fishing tournaments. The summer opens with the Port O'Connor Offshore Tournament (POOT) targeting king mackerel, ling and dolphin, and is headquartered at The Fishing Center. June is also the host month of the Pescado Grande tournament. July tournaments include the Cula Roja, Victoria Home Builders and Poco Bueno. Poco Bueno is the number one offshore tournament in Texas. August is the month for the Muske Tournament and the American Business Women's Association La Pesca Chica.

In addition to fishing, Seadrift and Port O’Connor have excellent duck and geese hunting. Those who like to see the birds without a gun will find world-class bird watching at nearby Matagorda Island, The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, and several other areas that are home to more bird species than any other place in the nation. Matagorda Island State Park is only a short boat ride away, and offers fishing, swimming, beach combing, hunting, camping, and birding. Most of Matagorda Island is owned by the U.S. Department of the Interior, which has set aside a large portion of the island as a wildlife management area to protect endangered species. The island is open to the public, but has no amenities. The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is 70,000 acres along San Antonio Bay and is home to alligators, whooping cranes, javelina, bobcats and much more.

Seadrift plays host each June to the Texas Water Safari, a grueling 260-mile canoe race from San Marcos, Texas to Seadrift. The race is non-stop and no motors or sails are allowed. It begins on the San Marcos River, and then follows the Guadalupe River all the way into San Antonio Bay, and then to Seadrift. The many perils along the way, including 20-foot high dams, snakes, blazing sun and rapids, mean many of the 200 entrants don’t finish.

Several upscale waterfront developments are taking place in the Seadrift/Port O’Connor area. These include Swan Point Landing, The Sanctuary at Costa Grande, Bay Harbour, and Bay Club at Falcon Point Ranch. Each of these developments uses the natural beauty and resources of this pristine area to attract homeowners.