# Drowning Texas City Dike



## FireEater (Jul 31, 2009)

Thought we had a bad day. 

Tried to launch this morning, pickup tube in tank clogged, switched the hose to the other pickup tube and off we went to the North Jetty. 

Wind blowing 900MPH, 30ft swells, getting beat up on bay side of Jetty and skunked. Outgoing tide moving super hard towards bottom while wind blew tide in on top, wrecking havoc on boat as the fight is on between the two. 

Other pickup tube trying to clog, finally threw in towel, but the anchor would not bulge. Brand new claw anchor. Tried to get it with the tag line, then tag line snapped. Finally had to cut the anchor line. 

Motor keep acting up and it finally got right. Got soaking wet and beat up on way back in. 

Trying to put boat on trailer all sideways due to it acting like a kite in the wind. Getting more frustrated every minute. 

Saw Truck 25 from Station 2 with empty Water Rescue 3 trailer. Figured they were out training in this mess. 

Got down towards Mosquito Island and saw R13 on side of road with E21 and E16 up on levee and a lot of cops and we knew. 

Pulled over to talk to them and they said 4 guys wading, they saw their buddy go under and never surface. Two of them sitting on ground by water looking completely lost and drained. 

None of them had PFD's on. WR3 and two Coast Guard boats searching for body. The guy went down in about 9 feet of water. Strong outgoing current might have got him. 

So my bad day is not so bad anymore. The guys looked to be in their early 20's, young life lost, family lost a son and friends lost a buddy.


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## Fish&Chips (Jan 27, 2012)

Sad news. Yeah sometimes our troubles seem way smaller when compared to others. Prayers for family & friends.


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## Mrschasintail (Dec 8, 2004)

Very Sad. Prayers.


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## SpeckReds (Sep 10, 2005)

Very Sad indeed. Prayers for the families and friends.
TCD and SLP claim way to many lives.
Been a bad few days at those 2 places.
Most dangerous 2 spots on the Texas Coast IMO.


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## BATWING (May 9, 2008)

Thats just awful..


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## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

Prayers for this young man's family.

I also extend prayers to the young man's friends. I could not imagine. 

That's it - I won't be wading TCD or SLP without a life jacket anymore. Period.
I can swim. Hell, I know I can float. I'd like to say i'm smart. But that just isn't enough.


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## Blk Jck 224 (Oct 16, 2009)

Tragic...Prayers Sent :frown:


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

Very sad news, prayers sent for him and his family. To bad he did not have a life jacket on, thing might have turned out for the better. Glad you made it back Ok.


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## rio frio (Jan 12, 2005)

Mosquito Island strikes again.....sorry to hear it


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## fishinguy (Aug 5, 2004)

**** it is sad everytime you hear about this happening but every year never fail people are out there dying.


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## PHINS (May 25, 2004)

Very sad. Prayers to the families and friends.


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## I Fall In (Sep 18, 2011)

Prayers, this is news we are hearing way too often.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Maybe a sign similar to how many deaths on texas roads...

"6 wade fisherman drownings this year along texas city dike....wear pfd!"


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## iridered2003 (Dec 12, 2005)

VERY SAD DAY! but if only all waders would take a PFD or a donut ring, alot of this would never happen. PRAYERS SENT out to the family and all involved


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## Hollywood1053 (May 15, 2009)

So sad....to have a day of fishing end this way.


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## Mad Mike (Dec 28, 2005)

Sad news for sure.


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## Texasgirl44 (May 18, 2012)

Sad. Prayers for his buddies who were there with him when it happened and to all of his family and friends.


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## JFolm (Apr 22, 2012)

Very sad. If you read these threads and still don't wear a pfd in these areas you are a fool.


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## tennisplayer2 (Feb 6, 2008)

Prayers sent.


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## jusintime (Jun 24, 2006)

First of all, prayers sent to family. 
Mosquito Island almost got me one year, finally bought a boat so no more wading for me...Wear them PDF"S !!


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## rio frio (Jan 12, 2005)

For the people who dont know.......

The ship channel side of mosquito Island is safe to wade
THE LEVEE SIDE HAS A DROPOFF FROM 3 TO OVER YOUR HEAD IN ONE STEP
This spot has killed many many people over the decades....IF YOU WADE OFF THE VERY END...OR ON THE LEVEE SIDE.....WEAR A PFD
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DONT KNOW
MOSQUITO ISLAND RUNS NORTH OFF THE DIKE
THE WEST SIDE OF THE ISLAND (LEVEE SIDE) IS DANGEROUS
THE EAST SIDE DOESNT HAVE THE SHEER DROP OFFS THE WEST SIDE DOES
I HOPE THIS HELPS THOSE THAT DONT KNOW


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## DannyMac (May 22, 2004)

Sad news, a PFD is much cheaper than a funeral!


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## tunchistheman (Feb 25, 2010)

Sad news. Can someone post a shot of the area with google maps. I don't fish the area but may just help someone out who is thinking about it or new to the area who wade fishes.


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## smokinguntoo (Mar 28, 2012)

*Found this. Can someone comment?*

Look at the depth markers!

SG2


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## Zeitgeist (Nov 10, 2011)

Google and Hook N Line Map.


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## smokinguntoo (Mar 28, 2012)

I was wading there 10 or 12 years ago (still had bait stands there then) when a guy stepped off the drop-off as he waded from the dike along that sliver of land on the map to the west side of the island - no floatation - drowned about 50 feet from me. I didn't see it happen but I saw his buds start running around and diving to try and find him. Sheriff found him later. Very sad.

SG2


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## baitbuckett (Jan 9, 2011)

Man that sux... Prayers sent for family.


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## FishBurd27 (Sep 18, 2012)

I'm not being as arse when asking this, totally serious. Do the people who drowned there just not know how to swim or were they wearing waders or was there generally some other variable involved... Other than just a deep spot. I'm familiar with how it drops off as I have been there many times. But sometimes when I hear something like this when its a middle aged male that most likely has spent some time around the water I just have to wonder if something else was going on...


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## roundman (May 21, 2004)

*earch underway for Houston man missing in Galveston Bay *

Posted: Thursday, May 30, 2013 1:00 pm | _ Updated: 3:55 pm, Thu May 30, 2013. _ 
By CHRISTOPHER SMITH GONZALEZ 
TEXAS CITY â€" A 25-year-old Houston man who was fishing off of the Texas City Dike is still missing in Galveston Bay.
Texas City police, fire fighters and the U.S. Coast Guard were searching for Julio Torres hours after he went missing in the bay, Texas City police Capt. Joe Stanton said.


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## SiteCast (Jan 6, 2012)

No, its a legit question, and I have wondered as well. At SLP, the answer is obvious, the current there is murderous and if you go over knee deep, you are at risk...but I used to wade Mosquito back in the day, and i learned those drops by wading around the edges and sticking one foot off the edge, sometimes at night no less. There is definitely some good current at this spot when the tide moves, but at least personally, I don't remember it being bad enough to suck you under, unless maybe it was a tanker wake or something...I am thinking that maybe these deaths are attributable to people wearing waders that fill up? Or, people that can't swim well? I haven't fished there in 10 years, so am not an expert on the spot...but, maybe others could tell us and educate those that do wade there...how does this happen? Stepping into deep water should not be enough to cause a drowning if one can swim...?



FishBurd27 said:


> I'm not being as arse when asking this, totally serious. Do the people who drowned there just not know how to swim or were they wearing waders or was there generally some other variable involved... Other than just a deep spot. I'm familiar with how it drops off as I have been there many times. But sometimes when I hear something like this when its a middle aged male that most likely has spent some time around the water I just have to wonder if something else was going on...


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## Zeitgeist (Nov 10, 2011)

There is a thread as we speak, a 2Cooler was rescued, had a vest but was wearing waders.


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## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

Prayers sent for family.


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## turnemNburnem (Aug 4, 2011)

Prayers sent. Sad news


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## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

FishBurd27 said:


> I'm not being as arse when asking this, totally serious. Do the people who drowned there just not know how to swim or were they wearing waders or was there generally some other variable involved... Other than just a deep spot. I'm familiar with how it drops off as I have been there many times. But sometimes when I hear something like this when its a middle aged male that most likely has spent some time around the water I just have to wonder if something else was going on...


 A little bit of panic can turn a dangerous situation into a tragic one pretty dang quick.

I've had to pull two of my kids at one time out of the surf at Matagorda, I was in chest deep water when they were being sucked out to the side of me. It was the most difficult thing Ive ever had to do to pull them out, and I never lost my footing. Panic sets in when you feel yourself losing control and your muscles just seem to lock up.


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## RLwhaler (Sep 10, 2005)

That Robbie Guy said:


> Prayers for this young man's family.
> 
> I also extend prayers to the young man's friends. I could not imagine.
> 
> ...


X2 ! Prayers sent.


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## Melon (Jun 1, 2004)

X3


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## PassingThru (Aug 31, 2005)

Prayers sent for his family and his fishing buddy's.


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## JFolm (Apr 22, 2012)

FishBurd27 said:


> I'm not being as arse when asking this, totally serious. Do the people who drowned there just not know how to swim or were they wearing waders or was there generally some other variable involved... Other than just a deep spot. I'm familiar with how it drops off as I have been there many times. But sometimes when I hear something like this when its a middle aged male that most likely has spent some time around the water I just have to wonder if something else was going on...


I lost my dad to water that he could stand up in and the current wasn't that strong...

Like someone mentioned you don't know how you are going to act when you panic. What would you do if you were in knee deep water and the next step you are over your head and your gasps for air are sucking in water. I don't ever want to experience it.


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## Boatcrazy700 (May 30, 2010)

Well this a truly tragic event. It's sad that after the 4 deaths from SLP over Memorial Weekend, no one took heed to wear a life jacket when wading or even kayaking. I have been on the water all day looking for this gentleman. It was reported they were hit by a large wave and knocked off their feet. They were together and the gentleman missing was k.o. His friends had a hand on him till they got hit again with another wave and lost their grip while treading water. Its very sad and I just hope we didn't loose a 2cooler today. Guys and gals please think twice and wear that life jacket, save your family and friends the heartache. Be safe boat smart


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## carryyourbooks (Feb 13, 2009)

here is the video from channel 2 where they report on finding the boy and his father that drowned over the weekend. if you fast forward to 1:50, there are others that can seen swimming despite the recent drownings. it goes to show no matter what, tragedies will continue to occur here.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/t...each/-/1735978/20326224/-/427rqw/-/index.html


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## Baconeer (Jan 17, 2010)

So many lives lost at TCD and SLP every year. I'm not one for gov't intrusion into our lives but this is where a law requiring PFDs will help. Some state or local entity must have the authority .


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

Very sad ,prayers sent be safe everyone all the time.That bay has all characteristis of the ocean it feeds.


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## livintofish (Dec 4, 2009)

Prayers sent


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## Bull Minnow (May 28, 2004)

Very Sad! Prayers sent for the family and friends. Be safe out there guys and gals.


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## WillieT (Aug 25, 2010)

Very sorry to hear this bad news.


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## roundman (May 21, 2004)

another one south http://www.caller.com/news/2013/may/30/coast-guard-continues-search-for-man-in-port/


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## BBCAT (Feb 2, 2010)

*PFD*



Baconeer said:


> So many lives lost at TCD and SLP every year. I'm not one for gov't intrusion into our lives but this is where a law requiring PFDs will help. Some state or local entity must have the authority .


We can't make the world fool-proof. Advising PFD's is one thing, forcing me to wear one while wading a familiar area is another.


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## FishBurd27 (Sep 18, 2012)

^^ agree with BBCAT. Again, you can't fix a problem by throwing another law on the board as well.


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## FireEater (Jul 31, 2009)

Well we got the call this morning to go out to the Levy as some boaters found the poor guys body up against the rocks. 

We pulled him from the water and wrapped him in two sheets. The police waited for the M E to show up while we went back in service. 

Found out that he had the fish they were catching with him along with some other items, a ship wave came by knocking him down. 

One of his buddies grabbed him to pull him back up. Then the second wave knocked them loose from each other and that is when the poor guy disappeared in front of them. 

So maybe he got tangled up on everything he had tied to him? 

Not sure, but God rest his soul. 


Sent from my iPhone 4.9 using Tapatalk 2


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## driftfish20 (May 13, 2006)

Prayers sent!


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## Drundel (Feb 6, 2006)

BBCAT said:


> We can't make the world fool-proof. Advising PFD's is one thing, forcing me to wear one while wading a familiar area is another.


This ^.

There always was, has, and will be accidents. You can't make laws to fix it.

Same for the gun grabbers, there will always be crazy, you take away guns, next up, gasoline, fire, knives, etc.


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## DannyMac (May 22, 2004)

Can't remember a summer gone by where someone has not drowned at SLP or TCD! Learned from dad at a young age to were a PFD and take note of your surroundings!


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## roundman (May 21, 2004)

another in texas city, sad,
* Teen drowns in Texas City pond *

Posted: Monday, June 10, 2013 5:45 pm | _ Updated: 8:42 pm, Mon Jun 10, 2013. _ 
By T.J. AULDS 
TEXAS CITY â€" A 15-year-old boy drowned while swimming in an isolated pond in West Texas City Monday. 
Emergency responders were called to the pond located behind the South Point subdivision near the Mainland Crossing shopping center at about 4:30 p.m.


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## Bigdaddy4360 (Jan 9, 2011)

Prayers up

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

Why do people think it's embarrasing to wear a pfd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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