Smaller boat company to watch bats? (Austin, Round Rock: live in, tree, mosquitoes)

[Paulmmm]

Last year, my wife and I took about a 90-minute boat ride under the Congress St. bridge to watch the bats. It started before dusk and went maybe a half mile up the river while we were given a mini-history talk about Austin. Then we went back under the bridge and the boat parked there, so the bats came out right above us. It wasn't on a huge ship like Capital Cruises or Lone Star Riverboat have, but one that was a sort of flat boat that was totally open and sat about 6 across and had about 10 rows. I think we went out from right near Aussie's (the bar with outdoor volleyball). We want to do it again, but can't find the company's name. We've searched the internet, but all we can find is the huge ships, and we really liked how open and small the boat we were on the last time was. Does anyone know the name of the company with the smaller boats that I'm looking for? Thanks a lot!

[tremorviolet]

That's Cpaitol Cruises too. They don't just have big boats. There are only two companies on Town Lake and they launch from the same area: Lone Star (which only has the one big riverboat) and Capitol Cruises which has two big paddle wheel boats, two of the medium sized ones (one of which has the bat canopy), and a couple of the individual (seats 4) type boats plus the swan paddle boats.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

While watching the bats emerge from S.Congress Ave Bridge is a spectacle in itself...why not try something different? Get up before dawn and stand on the bridge and watch the bats return! Very neat to see!

[Paulmmm]

Originally Posted by tremorviolet

That's Cpaitol Cruises too. They don't just have big boats. There are only two companies on Town Lake and they launch from the same area: Lone Star (which only has the one big riverboat) and Capitol Cruises which has two big paddle wheel boats, two of the medium sized ones (one of which has the bat canopy), and a couple of the individual (seats 4) type boats plus the swan paddle boats.

That's great, tremorviolet - thanks for that info. When I call Capital Cruises to make reservations, I'll make sure to ask for the midsize, open boat instead of the larger ship. Thanks again!

[Rose Red]

Is there a website for this Capital Cruises?

[wineflight]

Bat watching and bat sightseeing - Capital Cruises

[G Grasshopper]

Thanks for that reference. We are coming to Austin soon, and will want to go see this. I understand there are actually fewer mosquitoes in Austin because of the bats (God love 'em).

[Paulmmm]

Make sure you call a couple of days in advance. I called in the middle of last week and they were already sold out for last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights. Plus, I read somewhere that the bats give birth in June (to like another 100,000), so there would be more flying out later in the summer.

[Franklyn]

Couldn't help but post this link as a reminder of another spot to view emerging bat colonies each evening just before dusk, this one at the corner of McNeil Road and the north I-35 frontage road in Round Rock. Seeing clouds and clouds of them become airborne and swoop through the tree tops south of Bellview Avenue West and then head out for their nightly feeding is quite spectacular. The numbers may be less than Congress Avenue Bridge, but the "show" still lasts a good 15 minutes.

[Rose Red]

I live in RR in Sonoma and can see the Bats here pretty frequently. I love the fact that we little to no mosquitos!