History:
Galveston was named for Bernardo de Gálvez, a Spanish Colonial governor and general. Galvez sent Jose de Evia to chart the Gulf of Mexico from the Texas coast to New Orleans, and on July 23, 1786, de Evia charted an area near the mouth of a river and named it Galveston Bay. Later, the island and city took the same name. Bernardo de Gálvez died the same year, never setting foot on his namesake island. Galvestons prosperity suddenly came to a halt on September 8, 1900, when the deadliest natural disaster in United States history hit Galveston Island. A storm with winds exceeding 120 miles per hour and tidal surge devastated the island and killed more than 6,000 people. At the time of the 1900 Storm, Galveston had a population of 37,000 and was the fourth largest city in Texas following Houston, Dallas and San Antonio and the most sophisticated city in Texas. One-third of the city was completely destroyed, more than 3,600 buildings.
Navigating the Water:
Navigating in and around the Galveston Island area is quite easy if you keep a few pointers in mind. First, this is a commercial cargo and oil refining area, and some of the largest oil tankers, car carriers and even cruise ships use the deep-water channels the lead into Galveston Bay and the surrounding waters. Secondly, much of the off-channel water in Galveston Bay is shallow (five to ten feet with shallower spots), so you must keep an eye on the depth sounder and plot your navigational course for the deepest water if you draw more than five feet. Lastly, the maze of lights and onshore aids to navigation can make finding lighted buoys a nightmare at night. A slow and steady course, and a GPS, if available, are highly recommended tactics.
Statute Mile 350 of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is located dead in the center of the Galveston approach channel. This inland water way leads west and east of Harvey Lock in Louisiana, and farther west to the Rio Grande River.
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