The World's 'Toughest Boat Race' Has Snakes, Heat, and Sharks—and It Starts in One of Texas's Prettiest Rivers

Travel + Leisure

18 hours ago

When most people think of Texas, they might imagine the harsh landscapes that they've seen in movies—flat deserts pockmarked by cacti, mesas, and buttes. And while certain corners of West Texas do indeed look like something out of a spaghetti Western, much of the state is actually characterized by thousands of natural springs, many of which flow together to form some of the most gorgeous rivers in the southwest. One competition lets you experience the beauty up close and personal—with a dash of sweat, elbow grease, and danger.
The annual Texas Water Safari has taken place every year since 1963, and it's since become a cornerstone of Central Texas's outdoor culture. It starts in San Marcos, Texas, and travels 260 miles down a series of rivers to the sleepy, coastal town of Seadrift. This year, the race will be held from June 13 to June 17. The fastest paddlers can cross the finish line in less than two days, but most racers have several grueling nights and days ahead of them. A paddler guides his boat off of Zedler Mill dam while competing in the Texas Water Safari.
Ashley Landis/Texas Water Safari
'Not only does it have a great lore in Central Texas, but nationally and internationally," said Allen Spelce, president of the Texas Water Safari Board. "There's nothing like it in the world. We don't offer prize money. People do this race for bragging rights, and that's a large part of that appeal.'
The race begins in Aquarena Springs, the crystal-clear headwaters of the San Marcos River, which is typically off-limits to boats and canoes. The springs are home to several threatened and endangered species, including things like Texas wild rice, the fountain darter, and the Texas blind salamander. Safari participants, however, get an exception.
At the beginning of the race, hundreds of spectators gather on the banks to watch the first several miles of beautiful chaos. Many of the paddlecraft are custom-built to endure the rocky, shallow Texas rivers and can hold up to six people. But the cypress-lined banks of the San Marcos River are a deceivingly serene backdrop for the muddy, brutal miles participants have ahead of them—there's a reason that the Texas Water Safari has earned its reputation.
There are many ultra-endurance boat races across the U.S. that are longer than Texas's. The Missouri River 340, the Great Alabama 650, and Alaska's Yukon 1000 all dwarf the Texas Water Safari in terms of mileage. But this race has a series of challenging factors that make it exceptionally difficult. It takes place in June, in the dead of the Texas summer, when the mercury regularly rises above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. During times of drought, like the one Texas is currently going through, racers will have more rocks to dodge and less current to push them along.
Additionally, participants have to carry everything they'll need with them, except for food, water, and medical supplies, which are delivered by team captains at checkpoints. As the sun blares down on their backs, paddlers must keep an eye out for local wildlife. In the Central Texas portion of the race, you may encounter alligators, alligator gar, and poisonous snakes like water moccasins. Near the coast, in the Safari's final miles, there will be sting rays, as well as tiger and bull sharks. And if that weren't enough, it's not uncommon for racers to go three, or sometimes four, consecutive nights without sleep. Racers have to deal with rough terrain and high temperatures during the Texas Water Safari.
Ashley Landis/Texas Water Safari
'When I paddle, I enter a reality where the outside world turns off,' says Kaari Gerber, who has completed the race three times. 'It allows me to remember that I'm simply human, using all five senses, alive and living. In busy, normal reality, we forget all that.'
Between the exhaustion and mental battle of enduring these conditions for hours on end, there's something addictive and even meditative about the Safari. Despite the pain, terror, and sleep deprivation, people often take on the race multiple times.
"Every time you step into the river, you get parts of it on you that never fully leave, and that's the main reason people keep coming back," says John Harras, who's in the Texas Water Safari Hall of Fame. "It changes your life.'