CRYSTAL BEACH, Texas – Capt. Jeff Brandon usually spends his days taking customers fishing on East Galveston Bay. As a tropical system approached the Texas coast, however, he decided to bring his boat to dry land.
Brandon said he normally leaves the boat on a lift near his business for most of the year. With a tropical storm warning in effect for the Bolivar Peninsula and flooding possible, he decided it was safer to move it.
“This road that I’m on, where my business is, it has a tendency to flood,” Brandon said.
Capt. Jeff Brandon (KPRC 2)
Brandon planned to place the boat on its trailer and keep it at his home until the storm passed.
“I would rather be a little more cautious,” he said.
Protecting the business
Brandon runs guided inshore fishing trips and said his business depends on keeping his boat operational.
“Well, my business depends on being able to go out on my boat,” Brandon said. “So without a boat, I’m rather, handicapped.”
Brandon has spent much of his life fishing and said he’s owned about 17 boats over the years. He began offering guided trips during the COVID-19 pandemic and became more serious about the business in late 2021.
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“Just like taking people out and seeing the excitement when they catch fish,” Brandon said. “And just being out on the water itself is calming and just a good office view.”
His family began visiting Crystal Beach years ago, and Brandon said they eventually fell in love with saltwater fishing and the community. He and his wife moved to the area after their daughter left for college.
“It’s really just a little laid back community,” Brandon said. “Close enough to Galveston, but far enough away that you can relax and not be bombarded by huge crowds most times.”
High water remains a concern
Brandon said the water can cover the dock area and surrounding parking lot when a strong enough storm approaches.
“If it’s a big enough storm, this whole parking lot and everything will be underwater,” Brandon said.
How much flooding occurs depends on the storm’s track, strength, wind and tides. Brandon said the area near his business is particularly vulnerable to rising water.
“It really just depends. It’s kind of hit or miss,” he said. “This area has a tendency to get a little higher water levels over here anyway.”
Water can also cover portions of the beach and nearby roads.
“There are times when we have a tropical storm and I live in a neighborhood, it’s about a mile from here that, you know, you can’t drive down the beach, you drive down the road and there’s water,” Brandon said.
Brandon said boats left on lifts can also be damaged by high water or strong winds. Rising water can cause a boat to strike the roof of a boathouse, while strong winds can push it into the sides of the structure.
“I would just rather not do that,” Brandon said.
Businesses monitoring the storm
Brandon said many residents and business owners on the peninsula have experienced tropical systems before and were not panicking. However, they were continuing to monitor the forecast because conditions can change quickly.
“Not scared. Just, optimistically cautious,” Brandon said.
He said people who have lived in the area for decades have watched many storms approach and pass without causing significant damage.
“People that have been here, you know, for ten, 20, 30 years, a lot of them, they just, they’ve seen it come and go and they’re, they’re just not as concerned,” Brandon said. “But, I don’t know. I’m just a little more on the cautious side.”
A short disruption would not significantly affect his business, Brandon said, but an extended closure would be more difficult.
“You know, a day off is not bad. You know, a week or two weeks off would be a little more difficult,” he said. “It’s not a huge deal to give me some time to do a little work on my boat.”
Brandon expects to return to the water soon after conditions improve.
“Absolutely. Because once the storm passes, it’s just a tropical storm, you know, in a couple of days, we’re going to be back out, back on the water again,” he said.
How to prepare
Meteorologists warn that tropical systems can strengthen quickly. Residents should monitor the forecast and prepare before conditions deteriorate.
Recommended supplies include:
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Nonperishable food
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Drinking water
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Flashlights
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Extra batteries
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A weather radio
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Necessary medications
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A portable or solar-powered phone charger
Residents should also secure outdoor items, move recreational vehicles from flood-prone areas and avoid driving through high water.
Brandon said his household keeps basic supplies available but planned to purchase additional water.
“We’ve got our things at home that we need,” Brandon said. “We’re going to go out. We’re going to go out and buy a ton of water and toilet paper.”
Crystal Beach residents can register for Galveston County emergency notifications at GCOEM.org. The system provides alerts by phone call, text message or email. You can also download the free KPRC 2 App to stay up-to-date on the latest forecast.
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