ready to regatta

Texas' largest canoe-kayak race and regatta paddles back to Buffalo Bayou with all-new route

The 51st regatta is back with an new start and finish line.

Photo courtesy of Buffalo Bayou Partnership

For years, the cherished Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta has been the perfect answer to Newstonians' and naysayers complaints that our fair city doesn't offer enough local water activities. Indeed, the regatta is the largest canoe and kayak race in Texas — how's that for Lone Star State scoreboard?

Now, the beloved race is back — with a bit of a twist — for the event on Saturday, March 11. New for this year, the 51st Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta will start start and end at Allen’s Landing (1001 Commerce St.).

After casting off at Allen’s Landing, all participants will paddle east and then navigate the turnaround point at Wayside Drive. Then, participants will paddle west to the Allen’s Landing finish line.

This new race route pivot is due to unforeseen lack of access to the usual starting point, according to a Buffalo Bayou Partnership press announcement.

As always, the regatta is open to participants aged 12 and older, who'll compete in the solo, tandem, or unlimited boating categories. Those just looking for an easy day on the water can paddle for fun along the 8.5 mile stretch of Buffalo Bayou.

Here's a quick rundown of the four race start times (all of which are in-water):

9 am: Non-competitive and day-of registrants
9:10 am: Tandem kayaks and solo kayaks
9:20 am: Team sponsors and tandem canoes
9:30 am: Performance Unlimited and Solo Unlimited

The annual event is also a favorite for spectators who line the bayou to cheer paddlers along the race route. The finish line festivities always promise food, drink, and plenty of activities — courtesy of myriad local businesses and sponsors — along with the popular awards ceremony.

Registration for the race is still open. Online registration closes on Thursday, March 9 for $55 per paddler. Day-of registration (March 11) jumps to $60. Discounts are available for BBP members, military, and students (with valid ID).

Importantly, registration does not include kayak or canoe rental. Safety equipment is recommended. Sponsorships are also still available, per BBP. Entry includes a T-shirt and lunch (while supplies last).

A free shuttle service (please, no boats) will be available from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm to take paddlers from the finish line at Allen’s Landing back to the start area, per BBP.

Those ready to paddle for a prize — or a for weekend watery fun should suit up, grab that GoPro, and plan to arrive early for this truly Bayou City bash that celebrates Houston's most significant natural waterway.

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The 51st Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta runs from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm on Saturday, March 11. Event starts and ends at Allen’s Landing (1001 Commerce St.). For registration, sponsorships, and more information, visit the official race site. $55-$60.

Unhappy holidays

Porch pirates swipe nearly $2B in packages from Texas homes this year

Porch Pirate Person in Glasses Steals Packages

Getty Images

The Grinch isn't the only one stealing Christmas these days.

’Tis the season for porch pirates. If past trends are an indicator, the Grinch will swipe close to $2 billion worth of packages delivered to Texas households this year, with many of those thefts happening ahead of the holiday season.

An analysis of FBI and survey data by ecommerce marketing company Omnisend shows porch pirates stole more than $1.8 billion worth of packages from Texans’ porches last year. Porch pirates hit nearly one-third of the state’s households in 2024, according to the analysis.

Omnisend’s analysis reveals these statistics about porch piracy in Texas:

30.1 million residential package thefts in 2024.
An average household loss of $169 per year.
An annual average of 2.9 package thefts per household.

“Most stolen items are cheap on their own, but add them up, and retailers and consumers are facing an enormous bill,” says Omnisend.

Another data analysis, this one from The Action Network sports betting platform, unwraps different figures regarding porch piracy in Texas.

The platform’s 2025 Porch Pirate Index ranks Texas as the state with the highest volume of residential thefts, based on 2023-24 FBI data.

Researchers at The Action Network uncovered 26,293 reports of personal property thefts at Texas residences during that period. The network’s survey data indicates 5 percent of Texas residents had a package stolen in the three months before the pre-holiday survey.

The Porch Pirate Index calculates a 25.8 percent risk of a Texas household being victimized by porch pirates, putting it in the No. 5 spot among states with the highest risk of porch piracy.

The Action Network included online-search volume for terms like “package stolen” and “porch pirates.” Sustained spikes in these searches suggest that “people are actively looking for guidance after something has happened. Search trends serve as an early warning system, revealing emerging-risk areas well before annual crime statistics are released,” the network says.

Tips to avoid being a victim
So, how do you prevent porch pirates from snatching packages that end up on your porch? Omnisend, The Action Network and Amazon offer these eight tips:

Closely monitor deliveries and quickly retrieve packages.
Schedule deliveries for times when you’ll be home.
Use delivery lockers or in-store pickup when possible.
Ask delivery services to hide packages in out-of-sight spots outside your home.
Install a visible doorbell camera or security camera.
Coordinate deliveries with neighbors or building managers if you’ll be away from your home when packages are supposed to arrive.
Request that delivery services hold your packages if you can’t be home when they’re scheduled to come.
Illuminate the path to your doorstep and keep porch lights on.

holidays porch pirates crime