The Daily News

Published April 22, 2012

When Cynthia Bergstrom first saw it, she vowed to never touch it.

Bergstrom, a Galveston native and Beaumont resident, admits she wasn't very merry when her husband, Jason, was given a 15-foot kayak for Christmas in 2010.

"Don't even think about it," she told him. "I ain't getting in that."

Despite her reluctance, within six months, she was hooked.

Now, the couple regularly kayaks along the trails at Galveston Island State Park, among other kayaking hot spots in Southeast Texas.

Bergstrom even goes so far as to say kayaking has strengthened her marriage and has provided a weekend outlet that easily trumps shopping at the mall or any of her other favorite pastimes.

Galveston County always has provided a favorable climate for kayaking, generally lasting year-round. At Galveston Island State Park, most trails are protected by breakwater, which makes the water relatively calm. The park also features three different trails — the 2.6-mile Dana Cove trail, the 2.8-mile Jenkins Bayou trail and the 4.8-mile Oak Bayou Trail.

Regulars along the Galveston Island State Park trails include the Artist Boat adventure series. From March through August, the not-for-profit outfit provides guided paddling through Galveston's wetlands.

The adventures are ideal for beginning kayakers, veteran paddlers, families and groups. The nine destinations around Galveston County include Drum Bay, the Christmas Bay Coastal Preserve, Galveston Island State Park, East Beach Lagoon, Scenic Galveston and several North County spots, including Smith Point, Clear Creek, Armand Bayou Coastal Preserve and Cypress Swamps.

But don't get the impression that kayaking in Galveston County is exclusively recreational.

The Galveston County Canoe Race takes place each March and recently ran its ninth annual event at Paul Hopkins Park at Dickinson Bayou. The race, which originally ran in the early fall, was moved to late winter because of the ideal weather.

Children and adults compete in the 10 different races offered, all the way up to a full 4.5-mile course.

"It's a great event for people who know about kayaking because they get to compete against fellow kayakers," race director Frank Gray said. "But we also get a lot of spectators who just want to come watch and see if it's something they might be interested in."

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