Paddling for a Cleaner Greens Bayou – May 16, 2026
By Tom Douglas
|
Date
|
May 16, 2026
|
|
Meet-up
|
Thomas Bell Foster Park, 12895 Greens Bayou Street at 8:00 AM
|
|
Put-in
|
Thomas Bell Foster Park, 12895 Greens Bayou Street at 9:00 AM
|
|
Take-out
|
Thomas Bell Foster Park, 12895 Greens Bayou Street at 12:00 PM
|
|
Paddling Miles
|
4.9 Miles
|
|
Fees or Permits
|
None, although there were two other sets of waivers in addition to the one for HCC.
|
|
Gage
|
Because the gauge Greens Bayou at Ley Rd, Houston, TX - USGS-08076700 is located 7.4 river miles upstream from Thomas Bell Foster Park, the tidal cycle there is significantly delayed. Water Level at the gauge rose from 2.06 ft to 0.2.84 ft during the cleanup. Low Tide was at 2:45 AM, High Tide at 12:45 PM. The water level at Thomas Bell Foster Park rose by several inches during our paddle.
|
|
Temperature
|
76-86° F (William P Hobby Airport Station)
|
|
Sky
|
Mostly Cloudy
|
|
Moon Phase
|
Waning Crescent
|
|
Sunrise/Sunset
|
Sunrise 6:29 AM/ Sunset 8:08 PM
|
|
Precipitation
|
None
|
|
Wind
|
9-18 mph from the SSE to S – it was only intermittent during the southbound return leg of the paddle
|
|
Coordinator
|
Tom Douglas
|
|
Participants
|
Tom Douglas, Michael Farrell, Marsha Kamish, Constantin Platon, Fran Wilcox, and Alan Wilson +20 non-HCC Volunteers who paddled tandem kayaks provided by Kayaking Texas.
|
|
Shuttle
|
None
|
|
Craft
|
1 Solo Canoe, 1 Tandem Canoe, 3 Solo Kayaks
|
|
HCC Club Miles
|
24.5 miles (5 HCC Members x 4.9 miles)
|
|
Road Miles
|
14 miles Each Way – From Home to Thomas Bell Foster Park
|
|
Guide Book
|
https://www.greensbayou.org/thomas-bell-foster-launch
|
|
Photos
|
Tom Douglas, Karen Gilligan, Constantin Platon, and Alan Wilson
Photo Album: Kayaking Texas
|
|
Food
|
Snacks and Water Provided by Greens Bayou Coalition at Thomas Bell Foster Park
|
|
Water
|
Leisurely flow – The water level allowed us to launch and retrieve boats at either the park’s steppingstone launch or the grassy bank just upstream from it.
|
The May 16, 2026 “Paddling for a Cleaner Greens Bayou” event was our area’s part of the Trash Free Gulf campaign that was sponsored state-wide by the Gulf Trust and locally by the Greens Bayou Coalition.
In addition to the six of us who signed up through the Houston Canoe Club, there were another 20 volunteers who paddled tandem kayaks provided by Kayaking Texas. Trash grabbers and trash bags were provided by Greens Bayou Coalition.
Once participants had signed in at the Greens Bayou Coalition’s pop-up tent and received introductory information about on-the-water safety and tips on paddling technique, we were ready to launch our boats.
Signing In at the Greens Bayou Coalition Tent by Tom Douglas
Gearing Up and Receiving Instruction on Safety and Paddling by Alan Wilson
The water level allowed us to launch our boats either at the park’s steppingstone launch or on the grassy bank just upstream from it.
Boats Ready to Go at the Park’s Launch Site by Constantin Platon
The light gray canoe marks the grassy bank alternative launch site.
The Alternative Grassy Bank Launch Site by Alan Wilson
We paddled upstream to a little past Strickland Park, collecting floating trash as we went. Sites that we took in along the way included two structures that had been impacted by Hurricane Harvey and the outfall from the wastewater treatment plant that is located on the northern edge of Maxey Park. A little way downstream from the Woodforest Blvd. bridge, there was a large accumulation of floatable trash trapped in a downed tree on the river left side. We passed it up for the moment, but we returned to it during our paddle back downstream.
Our 4.9-mile Paddling Route by Tom Douglas
Attacking the Big Raft of Trash by Alan Wilson
Our paddlers collected a large quantity and diversity of items.
Quite a Variety of Trash by Constantin Platon
A Canoe Comes in Handy for This by Constantin Platon
There were lots of smiles as we neared the take-out back at Thomas Bell Foster Park.
Smiles by Constantin Platon
More Smiles by Constantin Platon
Approaching the Take-Out by Constantin Platon
Getting Help from the Staff at the Take-Out by Constantin Platon
At day’s end, we were all proud of our work bringing in some 236 pounds of trash.
Proud of Our Work! by Karen Gilligan, Greens Bayou Coalition
Our special thanks go out to the Greens Bayou Coalition for making many of the arrangements for this event, including kayaks, water, snacks, a convenient portable toilet, a pre-positioned dumpster for our haul of trash, and a drawing for prizes provided by the Trash Free Gulf Campaign.
Thanks to the Gulf Trust and Its Trash Free Gulf Campaign! by Constantin Platon