Port of Houston Authority employees joined dozens of fellow canoe and kayak enthusiasts for the inaugural Greens Bayou Regatta, a 7.5 mile paddle race held Oct. 22. The event focused on combining recreation, stewardship and education on one of Houston’s most beautiful and secluded waterways, Greens Bayou.

Paddlers, made up of both novices and seasoned veterans, were greeted with opening remarks from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner near the launch site at Brock Park. Regatta volunteers and staff were there to cheer on paddlers and hosted a post-race celebration at the finish line with live music and refreshments.

PHA was the corporate sponsor for this year’s event and was able to field several teams in the Corporate Cup. Contributions raised from this event will help the Greens Bayou Coalition continue highlighting the importance of conserving area waterways and watersheds. “The Greens Bayou Coalition did a fantastic job hosting this inaugural event, and all of our teams had a great time participating in this year’s Regatta,” said Garret Berg, community relations assistant manager for the Port Authority. “We appreciate the opportunity to support the Greens Bayou Coalition’s mission of environmental stewardship and look forward to doing it again next year.”