Kemah Boardwalk: Gateway to Galveston Bay

The town of Kemah in Texas is home to the third largest concentration of recreational boats in the US and has long been an idyll for generations of boaters looking to escape the state’s summer heat. Charlotte Niemiec invites Brad Grace, marina manager at 400-slip Kemah Boardwalk marina, to talk shop

Kemah Boardwalk is a 60-acre (24-ha) theme park situated on the Gulf Coast in Kemah, Texas, around 30 miles (48km) southeast of downtown Houston. Considered among the most impressive boardwalks in the US, the complex is owned and operated by leading hospitality company Landry’s and – in addition to its 400-slip marina – boasts thrilling rides, games, attractions, a boutique hotel, a charter yacht and multiple shops. Originally a small fishing town, Kemah is today a major tourist destination and the ideal location for visitors looking to spend a day on the water boating or fishing, or dining at one of the many fantastic waterfront restaurants. With a history steeped in the legend of pirate Jean Lafitte in the early 1800s, who developed Galveston as a base for his smuggling operations, local attractions include the Johnson Space Center, museums, a rainforest exhibit and stingray touch pool.
The marina, originally called Lafayette Landing Marina, was built in 1988. It was subsequently acquired by Landry’s in 2000, and renamed Kemah Boardwalk Marina. There are now over 30 marinas in the Galveston Bay area but, because of its location at the mouth of Clear Lake on the shores of Galveston Bay, Kemah is often called the ‘Gateway to the Bay’. Brad Grace explains its unique appeal is due to its “convenient and protected location on Galveston Bay, with deepwater slips and no bridge restrictions between us and open water – and within walking distance to dozens of restaurants, shopping, attractions and nightlife.”
“Our marina hospitality services offer more amenities and guest services than any other marina on the Texas Gulf Coast. Galveston Bay itself offers fantastic sailing activities and hosts weekly sailing races and larger sailing regattas each season,” he adds.
Grace started his career in the marina industry 30 years ago as a dockhand at a small family-owned marina in Northeast Florida. “I found I enjoyed working on the water, interacting with the guests and around boats, and the constantly changing dynamics of the job,” he says. “Over the years, I slowly worked my way from dockhand to assistant dockmaster, to dockmaster to marina general manager. I’ve had the opportunity to have worked and managed several marina properties over the years in Florida, the mid-Atlantic, New England, the Midwest and now the Texas Gulf Coast. I’m lucky enough to thoroughly enjoy my job and absolutely love experiencing what each new day brings.”
Among his short-term goals are to expand the marina’s hospitality services and guest experiences at Kemah and incorporate them into additional marina properties for Landry’s, and to continue to improve and add to those services for marina guests. “Our biggest challenge is continually coming up with new services to our marina hospitality offerings. I enjoy meeting and exceeding a marina guest’s expectations and assisting them in enjoying and maximising their valuable leisure time. A marina manager’s responsibilities are fluid and ever changing, which is a big part of the allure for me.”
Expansion and development plans
“We just completed the modification of B-Dock from 42ft (13m) monohull slips into one 450ft+ (137m+) alongside-tie dock to better accommodate the high demand for larger 50ft+ (15m+) catamarans (see Marina World, July/August 2022),” Grace says. “With most catamarans larger than 45ft (14m) unable to access most of the region’s marinas due to their mast heights and bridge restrictions, we decided to take advantage of our location on Galveston Bay to offer these larger yachts an ideal homeport for exploring the bay and the Texas Gulf coast. The additional alongside-tie dock will now offer catamaran owners a Texas homeport option instead of being forced to keep their yachts in Florida.”
Future improvement projects include plans to completely replace the docks within the marina, and redesign the layout to better accommodate the current boating trends of larger yachts and catamarans, Grace says.
His ambitious plans build upon a history of upgrades and improvements at the marina. “In recent years, we’ve upgraded the marina’s complimentary Wi-Fi system by placing repeaters out on the docks, installed a new Keco pump-out station for guest use, built a bocce ball court and putting green, installed guest seating areas with new propane fire pits and replaced our old charcoal grills at our dockside guest pavilions.”
Keeping pace with modern needs
Currently, the marina boasts more than 400 slips, T-heads and alongside-ties accommodating vessels from 25ft (8m) to 100ft (30m) in length. The existing docks are all floating docks with timber frame and wood decking, with 30amp, 50amp and single phase 100amp electric services. Plans for a new 150ft (46m) fuel dock and ship store are currently in the development stage.
Other marina facilities include a tropical pool and hot tub spa, marina dock carts, laundry, dog walking areas, yoga sessions and basic boat washing services.
The marina is currently at 93.5% occupancy, with a waiting list on larger slips up to 62ft (19m), as well as 70-100ft (21-30m) T-heads and alongside-ties.
While there are no haul-out or boatyard facilities at the marina, third-party insured marine contractors are allowed to conduct minor repairs on guest boats, and a large haul-out and shipyard facility is located just five minutes from the marina.
Tight security at the marina allows for visitor peace of mind. “Security is not a concern at our marina because we are ever vigilant,” Grace explains. “The marina property is enclosed by a perimeter fence with 24-hour guest access by electronic key card at our automatic front gate. Contractors and visitors may also be buzzed and signed in by the Marina Office and dedicated uniformed roving marina security personnel. We also provide local law enforcement marine vessels with complimentary slips to support their safety and law enforcement operations on Galveston Bay. These law enforcement slips were purposely assigned at the front of the marina property with the highly visual presence of four to five law enforcement vessels and five to six law enforcement vehicles providing the marina and our guests with an additional security measure by acting as a visual deterrent for any potential illegal activities.”
Grace is proud of the marina’s environmental credentials. “We are a Certified Texas Clean Marina,” he explains. “Our daily environmental tasks include removing any trash by dip net within the marina basin and cleaning all bird mess from the docks. We provide our guests with a used oil and waste water/diesel disposal centre. This enclosed area also accepts used battery disposal and is cleaned and maintained weekly. The marina has several trash and recycling containers scattered throughout the property, which are emptied daily. The marina also maintains a close working relationship with the US Coast Guard and Texas General Land Office in reporting any possible oil or fuel spills in Kemah and assisting with minor clean-ups.”