In like a lion…?

They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Anything is possible, of course, but as of February, 13 the last full month of winter is but a paper tiger if indeed it has any feline blood at all. I cannot recall such mild weather; fishing and hunting snow geese in short sleeves – and sweating!

Whether we actually see anything colder in the coming weeks is almost irrelevant compared to the infamous March wind that is sure to blow. Anglers heading across open bays to reach favored spring fishing grounds are advised to keep a close eye on local marine forecasts. Sustained southerly wind can be enough of a daily threat but northers are often the real boogeymen of springtime on the coast. If your favorite fishing hat does not have a stampede string you might want to add one. And sunscreen! Some of my worst sunburns came on partly-cloudy March afternoons.

Lots of things will be changing. Water temperatures will be on the rise and the fish should respond by feeding more often and for longer periods. Boat ramps are sure to become crowded, especially during the spring break weeks. Along with safe boating practices, we will all need to exercise greater patience. Some of the folks going fishing have not been on the water in a while and their equipment may not be in readiest condition. If you see somebody struggling with a cranky outboard, rather than fussing and fuming and performing your best whirling dervish, be a good sport and offer to help. It will go a long way toward keeping everything sane and civil, and you just might find a new friend.

I wrote a while back of the San Jacinto Waste Pits, a toxic waste site created in the 1960s when “out of sight out of mind” unfortunately prevailed in industrial waste disposal. Roll the clock forward to the present and those pits are no longer safely buried in the past. Through a combination of subsidence and erosion, the concrete cap that was supposed to seal the mess safely underground is now exposed and leaking dangerous dioxin compounds into the San Jacinto River, Houston Ship Channel, and Upper Galveston Bay.

Galveston Bay Foundation and CCA Texas have been very involved, as have other organizations and agencies. What looked like a slam dunk via the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommendation to remediate the mess through complete removal of the 30-something acre site is now under fire from alleged “experts,” hired by the parties responsible for the cleanup. Another “cap in place” is being proposed, promising a safer solution than a full-blown Pandora’s Box, if the pits were to be opened to accomplish full-removal remediation strategies. Concern now rages, and rightfully so, that this is merely another Band-Aid, put forth by the folks who created the mess in the beginning and are now crawfishing to avoid the much costlier removal option.

TSFMag strongly urges your support of Galveston Bay Foundation and CCA Texas as they combine their strengths and resources to deal with this nasty problem. Simply pouring more concrete to hide a problem is not good stewardship.

Spring Break is for kids…Get ‘em on the water!