Greetings From

Coast Guard Station Galveston

Station Galveston is located at Fort Point on Galveston Island at the mouth of the Houston Ship Channel. From there the crews have easy access to the Gulf of Mexico or the entire ship channel to conduct law enforcement patrols or rescue missions.

The Station was first built in 1878 on Pelican Island, as part of the U.S. Lifesaving Service. Destroyed by the Hurricane of 1900, it was torn down and rebuilt in the same spot to continue the crew's lifesaving duties. In January of 1915, Station Galveston officially became a Coast Guard Station with the passing of the "Act to Create the Coast Guard." Later that year, the station was destroyed by the great hurricane of 1915. The station was again rebuilt, this time at the site of the old immigration station on Pelican Island. Finally, in 1938, the station was moved to its current location, Fort Point, Galveston, where it served under group Galveston until becoming an independent unit in 1994.

Station Galveston falls under the overall command of Sector Houston/Galveston, an hour north of Galveston Island. It shares facilities with the Aids to Navigation Team Galveston as well as several patrol boats and a buoy tender. There is an Exchange located on the base that offers some basic uniform supplies, food and other items.

The weather remains at a moderate average through-out the year, the highest months of summer reaching 85 degrees on average, the highest temperature recorded in August at 90 degrees. The coldest month of the year is January, averaging about 56 degrees, with the lowest temperature recorded being 49 degrees. There's rarely any snow, the usual precipitation is rain, with the heaviest rain fall averaging in September at almost six inches. Galveston does suffer from the occasional hurricane, but evacuation plans are well established and explained to all new members as they arrive.

Many members of Station Galveston live in the city of Galveston, only an hour south of Houston. The city is a summer spot, with long beaches and hotels and restaurants that are meant to draw a summer crowd. There is a water park in the city, as well as an expansive garden. Houston has several museums, including the Texas Museum of Natural History, the Houston Zoo, and the Houston Aquarium. Approximately an hour north of Galveston, the NASA Houston Space Center has several buildings open to the public, including interactive areas for children to learn about space and have fun.

GALVESTON, Texas - (From left to right) Petty Officer 3rd Class Trinity S. Danielson, Seaman Jonathan D. Volkerson and Chief Michael J. Bazzrea work on cleaning the .45 caliber pistols at Sation Galveston here today, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006.  The guns have to be kept clean and oiled so they can be ready to use at a moments notice.

GALVESTON, Texas - Coast Guard Station Galveston Crews patrol the Houston Ship channel and Galveston beach in a 45 foot patrol boat here today Monday, Nov. 20, 2006. Station Galveston is responsible for the Houston Ship Channel and the Gulf of Mexico up to 20 miles off the Galveston shore. 

GALVESTON, Texas - Petty Officer 1st Class Destry Bowen (left) and Fireman Lionel Dixon of Coast Guard Station Galveston handle the debris from the Pilot Boat that capsized three miles south of the Galveston Jetties here today.
Bowen and Lionel were part of the crew of the Station's rescue boat that conducted a search for a missing crewman from the capsized boat.

 GALVESTON, Texas - Petty Officer 2nd Class Joe Conley, an engineer from Coast Guard Station Galveston, re-attaches the engine of a patrol boat at the station here, Wednesday, June 27, 2007. Conley was replacing the hydraulic lift system on the engine as part of regular maintenance to keep the boat operating at its best.