How Mike Gilbert is Breathing New Life into Crystal Beach’s Latitude 29.2 For most people, a weekend drive during the height of the COVID pandemic was simply a way to escape cabin fever. For Mike Gilbert and his wife, Bella, however, a spontaneous trip to Crystal Beach turned into a life-altering pivot—leading them away from…

Hook, Line, and Sinker: The Hottest Fishing Event on the Coast. The shores of the Bolivar Peninsula are set to come alive with the thrill of competition as the highly anticipated Bolivar Beatdown shark and bull red fishing tournament casts off this Friday and runs through Sunday. The excitement is already building, with enthusiastic anglers…

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) Legislative and External Affairs Committee is meeting virtually on September 1, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. The agenda includes a high-profile topic: potentially restricting residential property insurance eligibility exclusively to owner-occupied homesteads. The proposal would seek to modify Chapter 2210 of the Texas Insurance Code to strip secondary homes and…

For Another Season Well-Baked By J. Lee AustinApologies for the dearth of articles recently, but spare time’s been sparse due to the fabricated pressure of Continuing Medical Education … you know, that lovely process by which health professionals get to allegedly prove their alleged competence by taking courses and answering multiple guess questions. It’s a…

Ah, Labor Day, a carefree three-day weekend of coastal breezes, saltwater, and sun. Let’s be honest: standard two-day weekends are a tease. By the time you unpack your bags, wash the beach towels, and wonder where Sunday went, Monday morning is already staring you down. Enter the Labor Day weekend. Those delightful extra 24 hours…

[August 20, 2026] Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., announced today that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have signed a Construction Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to coordinate activities that support early implementation of the Coastal Texas Project (CTX). This agreement reflects the State of Texas’s ongoing commitment to…

As a boat operator, you are responsible for your safety and the safety of your passengers. A first aid kit is not an item required by regulation, but it is highly recommended that you carry one, and it is also recommended that you carry plenty of water and beverages that can replace lost electrolytes as…

Surface water temperature is 85 degrees. This week we spent most of our time fishing open water reefs all over the bay system and it paid off big time with Specks, Reds, and Sand Trout. We are utilizing Mirror Lure suspending hard baits, Soft Body Swim Baits, and Tails with 1/4 oz heads in light…

Living by the ocean sounds romantic until you realize salt air is an aggressive, relentless monster that eats metal for breakfast. You bring a shiny, brand-new pickup truck down to the beach house. Six months later, it looks like an artifact recently recovered from the wreckage of the Titanic. Coastal air ages everything in dog…

One of our most favorite things to do in the evening. That’s when PawPaw decides he’s done doing whatever downstairs and it’s time to have a beer, sometimes two! Merry joins us if we can coax her out of the A/C for a while. This is when we usually discuss important stuff and try to…

Check out the upcoming events on Bolivar Peninsula—there’s always something going on! From community gatherings and outdoor adventures, the calendar is packed with fun for everyone. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, don’t miss out.      

Historical Window American History reveals how late-summer moments shape the nation’s trajectory. Spanning autumn developments, period from September 1 to 7 has served as a crucible for political, social, and industrial shifts. September 1 September 2 September 3 September 4 September 5 September 6 September 7

What do you get when a bunch of cowboys trade in their bucking chutes for golf carts and tee off for a great cause? A whole lot of friendly competition, community spirit, and a few unique twists you won’t find on any ordinary PGA tour. The Bolivar Arena Association (BAA) recently hosted its inaugural golf…

The saltwater of Crystal Beach, Texas, has been in my family’s blood for over two decades. Ever since I met my wife, the Bolivar Peninsula has been our anchor—the backdrop to twenty years of family memories. I’ve watched monsters pulled from the surf, gone charter fishing in the bay, hand-line caught blue crabs with string,…

For a third year in a row, Texas received significant rain in the spring across most of the state, bolstering the previous year’s healthy dove populations. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologist’s estimate both mourning and white-winged doves are near record highs again. These new population reports are good news for hunters hitting the…

Electronic Tax Statements The deadline to sign up to receive a 2026 property tax statement via electronic mail (email) is September 15th.  Visit the GCTO website at www.galcotax.com and click the large red button to search for your account(s).  At the account homepage, scroll to the bottom and click on Register to Receive Electronic Tax Statements. …

The Five Senses When we think of human senses we think of the usual senses of hearing, seeing, taste, touch and smell. We use our experiences with these senses to live our everyday lives, but we also use them to navigate new experiences such as operating a boat. All five senses require input from our…

Surface water temperature is 86 degrees. We are spending a good amount of time fishing over shell beds in 2 to 3 feet of water with active bait working in the area and catching good numbers of Specks and Sand Trout on most days when the conditions line up. We are utilizing Mirror Lure suspending…

“Just hang it over the deck railing! It’ll be dry by morning!” This is the greatest lie ever told on the coast. You carefully drape your wet beach towel across the railing at 4:00 PM, fully expecting the Texas sun to bake it crisp for tomorrow’s beach trip. You go out the next morning at…

Okay, you may want to take this with a grain of salt. As a matter of fact, you may want (or need) to throw some salt over your left shoulder. Wait, not meaning to get ahead of myself, but when you have a thought in your head it’s not a good idea to let it…