Scenic regatta on Cypress Creek to benefit the bayou
The race is on to register for a spot in the second Cypress Creek Regatta, which takes place Sept. 19 along a scenic stretch of north Houston’s best-known waterway from the Mercer Arboretum to Jesse H. Jones Park.
Described as a fun race for families and individuals of all ages and skill levels, the 7.5-mile Cypress Creek Regatta is shorter and less-crowded than the well-known Buffalo Bayou Regatta, organizers say. Both events raise funds for and awareness about Bayou Preservation Association Inc., a citizens’ organization working to protect and restore area waterways.
“BPA is working every day to make sure all our waterways are clean and in great condition and also safe for paddlers. This event will help raise funds to make sure they can continue to do that,” said Rick Torres, an outdoor outfitter who chairs BPA’s paddling trails committee.
Torres said paddling has become increasingly popular in the Houston area in the past five years.
“It tripled from 2010 to 2011 and has doubled every year since then,” Torres said.
The regatta course, from the arboretum at 22306 Aldine Westfield Road to Jesse H. Jones Park at 20634 Kenswick Drive, is one of three segments that make up the Cypress Creek Paddling Trail, a candidate to become one of the state’s longest sanctioned trails by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department later this year.
“I love the course. You don’t realize you’re in an urban setting because of the vegetation, trees and habitat,” said Steve Hupp, BPA’s water quality director and a frequent paddler on Cypress Creek.
“This is an area where you can see actual cypress trees on Cypress Creek,” Hupp said. “If you know the area’s history, these trees were heavily logged in the past because they were a commodity. They’re hard to propagate in a natural setting; so to see them back in their namesake creek is really nice. There are some beautiful specimens on this part of the creek.”
Last year’s first Cypress Creek Regatta attracted 54 racers. The fastest finisher completed the course in one hour, four minutes; the last boat finished in three hours, two minutes. This year’s regatta will be capped at 100 racers, said Torres, who is president of Bayou City Adventures, a race sponsor along with Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle and national outfitter REI.
“A lot of people will bring their own gear or rent gear from us or from other stores around town,” Torres said. “Whatever they want to do to get in the water, they’ll find a way.”
The event is free to enter, and racers are encouraged to recruit and raise funds through sponsors. Registration can be completed online at https://cypresscreekregatta.rallybound.com/; it closes when the entry limit is reached or the Wednesday before the race, with no registrations allowed on race day. There is no rain date for the event.
Check-in will be from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on race day at Mercer Arboretum.
A festival concludes the race from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will feature live music and an awards ceremony that includes the Preservation Cup for the paddler or paddlers who collect the most trash during the race.
Robin Foster is a freelance writer