March 26, 2024 • 27 mins
In today’s episode, the second in a series about Corpus Christi, Texas, we meet Zack Jurasek, the visionary behind GlowRow®, a one-of-a-kind experience that blends adventure, nature, and innovation. With Zack at the helm, GlowRow® invites you to embark on a journey where kayaking meets nighttime magic.
Imagine paddling through the tranquil waters of the Texas Gulf Coast, your kayak aglow with vibrant hues, offering a captivating glimpse into the underwater world beneath you. Each stroke of the paddle carries you deeper into an experience unlike any other.
GlowRow® isn't just about the visual spectacle; it's about immersion. Your knowledgeable tour guide will not only navigate you through these enchanting waters but will also unveil the secrets of the coast – from its rich history to its diverse wildlife.
So, if you're craving an adventure that ignites your senses and leaves you breathless with wonder, look no further than GlowRow®. Get ready to paddle into the night and discover the Texas Gulf Coast in a whole new light!
RESOURCES
- Learn more: GlowRow - Guided Kayak Tours in Clear, Lighted Kayaks
- Itinerary: Coastal Bliss: A Corpus Christi Escape of SUP Yoga, Nighttime Kayaking, Island Adventures, and Culinary Delights – Itinerary (globaljourneyswithjilldutton.com)
Want more? Follow Jill's travels, view itineraries, read travel articles, and listen to podcast episodes at Global Journeys with Jill Dutton.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Global Journeys with Jill Dutton, the
podcast where we embark on ajourney through culture and
place, one fascinating story ata time.
I'm your host, jill Dutton, anavid traveler and writer,
passionate about exploring theworld and uncovering the unique
tales of the people I encounteralong the way.
Join me as we delve into theheart of destinations, offering
(00:24):
an insider's perspective throughthe captivating narratives of
individuals who shape theircommunities.
Whether it's chatting with adistillery owner crafting
artisanal spirits, an anglercasting lines in remote waters
or a chef mastering the flavorsof a region, each episode offers
a glimpse into their world andexpertise.
Stick around till the end ofeach episode offers a glimpse
into their world and expertise.
(00:45):
Stick around till the end ofeach episode to discover more
about my travels and writingadventures.
In the meantime, get ready tobe inspired, enlightened and
transported to distant lands onGlobal Journeys with Jill Dutton
.
In today's episode, the secondin a series about Corpus Christi
, texas, we meet Zach Jurasek,the visionary behind Glow Row, a
(01:08):
one-of-a-kind experience thatblends adventure, nature and
innovation.
With Zach at the helm, glow Rowinvites you to embark on a
journey where kayaking meetsnighttime magic.
Imagine paddling through thetranquil waters of the Texas
Gulf Coast.
Your kayak aglow with vibranthues, offering a captivating
glimpse into the underwaterworld beneath you.
(01:30):
Each stroke of the paddlecarries you deeper into an
experience unlike any other.
Glow Row isn't just about thevisual spectacle.
It's about immersion.
Your knowledgeable tour guidewill not only navigate you
through these enchanting waters,but will also unveil the
secrets of the coast, from itsrich history to its diverse
wildlife.
So if you're craving anadventure that ignites your
(01:52):
senses and leaves you breathlesswith wonder, look no further
than Glow Row.
Get ready to paddle into thenight and discover the Texas
Gulf Coast in a whole new light.
Thank you for joining me today,zach.
(02:14):
I just want to start off bysaying a couple weeks ago I
joined you on one of your kayaktours and it just it was one of
the coolest experiences I'veever had.
So thank you for that and whata unique, wonderful activity you
have brought forth for othersto enjoy.
I'm excited to share your storywith our listeners today.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Awesome, awesome.
Yeah, thanks for having me on.
This is a real treat, just forbringing it into the light of
everyone and every adventurer.
It's really just to be outthere and make those memories.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Fabulous, fabulous.
Well, let's go way back.
I remember you telling me thatfishing when you were younger is
kind of how you got the ideafor the illuminated kayaks.
Can you give us the backstoryof where you got the idea for
these glowing clear, of whereyou got the idea for these
glowing clear, illuminatedkayaks at night.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Sure, so these kayaks ?
They are completely transparent, they're made of a
polycarbonate and I outfit themwith 4,400 lumens worth of light
LEDs that will then projectdownwards and outwards to
illuminate the water around you,to see all the aquatic
nightlife.
And that aquatic nightlife iswhat was the driving factor for
(03:34):
me creating this whole companyfrom the ground up and
grassroots, and as a kid,whenever me and my dad would go
out and we'd go flounder gigging.
Flounder gigging is a type offishing that requires no fishing
pole and we would just use anold gas lantern in one hand and
(03:56):
a gig in the other, and the gigis something similar to a hay
pitchfork.
So we would walk in about ankledeep water and we would be
looking for these flat fish.
These flat fish lay against thebottom of the seafloor and they
semi bury themselves.
So the only thing that you arereally able to see is their eyes
(04:16):
, which are on one side of theirhead because they stick up, and
then the outline of their tail,and that's the only part that
you can really see.
So you're you really have tohave a trained eye to see that
stuff.
So, going back and rememberingall of the different aquatic
nightlife that I saw whenever Iwas a kid and we saw seahorse to
(04:40):
to crab, to stingray flounder,we saw redfish, trout, all the
game fish.
It's really an incredibleexperience doing something like
that.
And then what we've done now istaken, that experience that I
(05:03):
had as a child, with all of thewonderment and amazement of all
the nightlife, because duringthe daytime you don't see this
stuff because it's it's not.
It's not very common to go outand just wander around with a
gig during the daytime becausemost of these type of animals
that we see at night they'reonly nocturnal and a lot of the,
(05:25):
the crab and everything they'llactually go on the hunt at
night.
They use the cover of darknessto actually hunt their prey and
it works out in our benefitwhenever we're educating and
showing everyone the new speciesand the aquatic nightlife at
night.
Every time it's it's somethingthat you can see.
The amazement brought tosomeone's face whenever they see
(05:48):
something like that for thefirst time.
It's really special.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Oh, absolutely, and I know we saw a stingray and you
caught a little baby blue craband we saw a variety of things.
So I'm curious.
You know the clear kayak.
It offers a really uniqueperspective underwater that you
were talking about.
So can you tell us some of themarine life and the ecosystems
that guests I know it's can'tguarantee, but what they might
(06:14):
see during one of the nightkayaking experiences?
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Oh, definitely, definitely Each one of the night
kind kayaking experiences thatwe have.
We have 10 different launchlocations now which offer 10
completely different, diverseecosystems, and in those
ecosystems we range from goingover in Galveston and the really
(06:38):
adventurous type people willactually go out there with me
and or with one of the otherguides and we'll go and look at
dolphin.
But the really cool thing aboutgalveston our galveston
location- is it actually hassome of the fresh water coming
right off of the brazos rightthere as well, so we have fresh
(06:59):
water species and saltwaterspecies and it is the most
diverse ecosystem that we dohave in any of our tours.
So we'll run across alligatorgar that are approximately about
six foot in length and they'llhang around the green lights
that some of the Airbnbs willhave behind them on the canals
(07:20):
and it is some really cool stuffseeing some of those right next
to your kayak.
It's almost a prehistoric orJurassic Park type experience in
that instance.
And then if we go across theSan Luis Pass, we actually go
and go over to a sandbar andthere's been one occasion where
(07:41):
we actually saw a shark and itwas about a six foot little
black tip.
It wouldn't stay inside of thelight spectrum too long, it
would go right to the edge of itand then he'd take off.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
So it's nothing to be afraid of Right right To be
afraid of Right right.
But then we have Port O'Connor,which is the largest
concentration of bottlenosedolphins on the Texas coast.
We can't guarantee it,obviously, because it is
wildlife, but I want to say thatthere's like a 99% chance that
(08:16):
you're going to go and paddlearound with dolphins at night.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Oh, that's fabulous.
It's a really cool experience.
And which location is that?
Speaker 2 (08:26):
That is Port O'Connor , that's Barroom Bay, okay, and
then we have Austin, which youcan go, and you can see Tulipia,
as well as Carp, which aretypically at the very bottom,
and those get pretty big as well.
As well as Snapping Turtle andAustin, we paddle right up to
(08:49):
the Mansfield Dam, which is thetallest dam in Texas, and then
we have a couple other locationsin Port Aransas and Corpus, as
well as our newest one, which isCanyon Lake, and we give a
little bit of history about thetowns that are sunken, that
you're paddling over from thedevelopment of that canyon lake.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Wow, I'm awed by how you've expanded.
I mean coming up with this ideato start with, and then you
know, expansion now with 10different locations.
Did you come into this withthis business acumen?
I mean, are you learning as yougo?
I'm just impressed, is what I'mtrying to say.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
My history is in the engineering field, or are you
learning as you go?
I'm just impressed is what I'mtrying to say comes into play in
a lot of the different aspectsfor Glow Row.
In fact, all of the lightingequipment that Glow Row emits
through each and every one ofthe kayaks, as well as the
(09:54):
paddles, is all solar energy.
It is green energy that'scharged up through the day, then
transferred over to thebatteries in each one of our
kayaks.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I did not realize that.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It's another little cool aspect of it.
So all of the engineering anddesign, the design patents, as
well as the utility patentthat's going into play all of
those things are by my owndesign, and then the weather
training comes from being acommercial pilot.
I'm a fully registeredcommercial pilot as well as a
(10:27):
drone pilot, and then I'vealways been in tune with nature,
so I also played a little bitin commercial beekeeping.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Oh really, yeah, Well , it sounds like a perfect
combination of experiences tobring you to this.
And I'm just curious becauseyour introductory talk is very
humorous.
I mean, you're humorous theentire trip.
But you know, I know safety isa concern and it's a top
priority for night kayaking, youknow.
(10:57):
So how do you ensure the safetyof your guests during these
excursions?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
When I developed the safety briefing for each one of
our excursions safety briefingfor each one of our our
excursions and it does vary perguide as well as per location,
so each one of our locations is.
It requires a little tweak tothe safety briefing here and
there.
But when I started talkingabout the safety briefing it
(11:21):
took me a little bit to toreally hone in on the aspects
that that will get the safetybriefing across and I didn't
want something that was like adry ice commercial.
I really wanted something thatwas that people were going to be
interactive to, that wouldbring smiles to people's faces
as well, as that would provide aadequate icebreaker for what's
(11:44):
to come, because the rest of thetour is then the whole vibe is
set right at the safety briefand once we set that vibe and
the ice is broke, then everybodyat that point, from us loading
into the kayaks to coming backon shore is friends and everyone
(12:05):
is just laughing and gigglingand it is a.
It is great fun, and especiallythe part about some of the fish
jumping in the kayaks withpeople.
They, they absolutely love thatpart oh, that's fun.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Okay, and you said there's 10 tour locations now,
and how many kayaks is that thatyou have?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Currently we have a total of 68 kayaks 68.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Oh my gosh.
And what is the limit on aparticular tour for the number
of guests?
Speaker 2 (12:37):
So the limits that we have on tours we have a typical
rotating tour and I sayrotating as in our weekly
schedule rotates for each one ofthese so we will go to each one
of these, so we will go to eachone of the locations per a set
night of the week and this waywe can staff it accordingly and
(12:58):
in doing so we can typically doabout 20 people maximum and
there's a minimum of six.
Now now, in the event that wehave a special request, we have
done up to 40 at once, okay, anduh, we have.
We have the capacity to even gofurther than that, but the
(13:21):
currently are where we find thathappy medium is right, around
40 people, which is four.
We have four guides on thewater at all times.
With that many boats and theway we we actually have a
structure.
For every five clear kayaks inthe water, we have one guide
(13:43):
required on the water and onceit goes over to that sixth kayak
, then we have to have a secondguide on the water and typically
for a normal tour, we'll have alead guide and a tail guide at
all times and this way, ifanyone is having a little
trouble, we're there to help.
Then, if anyone wants to goahead, of the guide in the front
(14:05):
.
We're a very loose type agencywhere we're not going to go and
tell you to specifically go inone direction or the other,
unless you're putting yourselfinto a safety scenario.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Okay, good, good, okay, and I noticed on our
particular tour there was allexperience levels, so you cater
to the novice as well.
As you know the, the semikayaks you know every weekend.
But I'm curious.
So if it's someone's first time, you know what would you have
to say to kind of reassure themor convince them to give it a
(14:38):
try oh man, I I really don'thave to say much.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
To be honest with you , the, uh, the pictures do most
of the justice to be honest withyou.
So, in the instance of someonebeing brand new and coming into
it and having the reservations,we do adjust each route
dynamically to each situation,and that is, the situation could
entail the tides as well as thewinds that we have to deal with
(15:08):
.
So each one of our locations,we take into account all the
weather, so you don't have toworry about anything.
Whenever you make a reservationwith Clover, we take care of
all of that.
The boats are set up for you,we supply everything for you to
be legally out there on thewater as safe as possible, and
we even exceed that by a factorof five per the Coast Guard
(15:30):
regulations.
Then, as far as the paddlinggoes, if you know how to ride a
bicycle and you have enoughbalance for a bicycle, then you
can definitely paddle a kayak.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
And since they're all tandem boats, is that correct
that there's two people?
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
That makes it easier as well, doesn't it?
For someone who experiencebecause of the swiftness of the
currents there, and that'sanother thing with our locations
is only one of our locationswe've deemed safe enough for
children, which is our RockportLittle Bay location, and that is
13 and up.
All of the other locations arerequired 18 and up.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Well, like I said, I am just awed.
I still am thinking about this.
It's like nothing anybody elsehas ever experienced.
I'm just going to put that outthere, and in my opinion it was.
It's such a great experience.
So do you have any, anymemorable experiences or
encounters that you know some ofyour guests might've had, or
something that just really wasfun, that happened on on one of
(16:45):
your tours?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
One of my most memorable experiences.
I have a lot but the mostheartfelt excursion.
So we didn't have a very biggroup that night, it was just
six people and they had gone outthere.
And we're about to go andthere's dolphins out there
(17:30):
breaching the dolphins.
This was at the Port Aransaslocation in specific.
This young lady starts crying.
I couldn't tell at first if itwas out of fear or what was
going on, and it was just thefacial expression that she had
and I asked her if she was okay.
(17:54):
She said yes, it's just been mylifelong dream to go kayak,
paddling with dolphins and beingpart of something that is that
heartfelt and that special.
I will never forget that.
That is one of my fondestmemories of doing this.
And then I there's.
There's countless times whereI'll go out there and I'll catch
our bioluminescent jellyfish,which are comb jellies.
(18:18):
These comb jellies, most, mostpeople from texas and in general
people don't reference yeah,they don't reference texas with
bioluminescence.
So whenever I ask someone doyou want to hold a jellyfish?
This is one that I just freshlyscooped up out of the water and
I'll hand it to them.
(18:39):
And as I hand it to them, itrolls out of my hand and into
their palm and it starts glowingand their face just lights up
with that childhood wondermentof just fascination, and it is
something that's priceless.
Then there was also anothertime where we were in Rockport.
(18:59):
In Rockport, little Bay, therewas so many mullet and mullet is
a bait fish and they typically,once we get close to them with
the kayak, they'll start jumpingout of the water.
And these mullets startedjumping into kayaks left and
right.
We it was.
It was absolute chaos.
(19:19):
And the people that were withme that night, they were saying
that well, I got five in thisboat, I got six in this, but it
was, it was, it was, it was.
It was like they were trying tomake a competition out of it.
We were always having to returneverything back to the water to
make sure we only leavefootprints, because we are only
(19:43):
there for education and to makethose really fond memories.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Yes, well, what a wonderful gift you're giving
anyone who experiences that,because it's just, it's
phenomenal.
And last question with all thatyou've done, I'm not expecting
this to be a big answer, but doyou have any upcoming plans or
expansions for Glow Row, or areyou going to just stabilize at
the 10 locations?
Now that you've got all thatgoing, what are the plans?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
that you've got all that going?
What are the plans so that thatis a?
It's a very, very big question.
Actually, we just launched ourpassport system and our passport
system is something that and Iwould literally just launch this
on, I think, last monday ourpassport system is a punch card
reward system that for eachroute that you take with Globro,
you get a new punch on thatcard and at five punches you can
(20:36):
redeem the card for a $50 giftcard and a free shirt.
Or if you visit all 10locations, you get a $200 gift
card, two free shirts and twofree cell phone protectors.
And it's a huge reward systemthat we just launched.
And we are, in light of all ofthat, we have some pretty big
(21:03):
talks going on with some otherstate entities where we are
looking at franchisee locationsin Florida, kentucky, ohio,
virginia and North Texas.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Wow, that is fabulous .
I'm so impressed.
I think that's it, unlessthere's anything else you want
to add.
I do have another quickquestion, just if you don't mind
.
I remember you mentioning Doc's, which was a bar that was
located across from where wewere at.
Was that North Padre Islandthat we were?
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Yes, ma'am, that was North Padre Island.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Did you mention that people could order drinks to go,
or something?
Speaker 2 (21:46):
So that location in particular, where we had met met
, is underneath the JFK CausewayBridge and we just recently or
I say we, me and the other ownerof Doc's Seafood just recently
I moved our lease agreement withthe Texas Department of
Transportation from the northside of the bridge under there
(22:10):
to the south side near docks.
And, with that being said, we'reactually moving in a little bit
closer to docks as well andwe're forming a new joint
partnership.
This partnership with docks isgoing to be something where
there will be a trailer therethat is going to be more along
the lines of a permanent basisas well, as people can make
(22:32):
reservations there five nights aweek and we can take people out
five nights a week instead ofjust the three nights a week
where we're doing it on theother side.
In doing so with Docs, they'rewanting to do a specialty drink
menu for Globro.
They're wanting to do aspecialty drink menu for Globro,
and it's going to be a reallycool partnership because with
(22:54):
Docs you get the at the dock onthe patio atmosphere with live
music.
They have a full service barthere and upstairs they have a
very, very good restaurant, very, very good restaurant, and by
far out of all of our locationsthat I've ever visited.
They still have the beststuffed flounder I've ever had.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
That sounds great, Wonderful, Well, thank you.
I just remembered you mentionedsomething about that and I'm
going to include a link in theshow notes.
But as well, if someone wantsto listeners want to just go
there.
Right now it's GlowRoadcom, Isthat correct?
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Yes, ma'am GlowRoadcom, and if they want to
make reservations, the phonenumber is 702-720-GLOW Fantastic
.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Zach, thank you so much, and I just can't wait to
come back to Corpus Christi andtry that again.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Awesome.
Well, thank you very much, jill, and thank you for having me on
.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Welcome to Global Journeys with Jill Dutton, the
captivating travel podcast thattakes you on an extraordinary
adventure around the world.
I'm your host, jill Dutton, andI am thrilled to be your guide
through the mesmerizing tapestryof cultures, landscapes and
experiences that await us.
Global Journeys with JillDutton is more than just a
(24:14):
travel podcast.
It's an exploration of humanityitself.
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Each person we meet adds a richlayer to the narrative of
(24:37):
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In this podcast, we embark on atransformative journey where
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Instead, we dive deep into thehearts and souls of the places
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Join me as we venture off thebeaten path, seeking
(25:00):
authenticity, connection and adeeper understanding of the
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Together, we'll unravel thetapestry of cultures, one story
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Although my writing careerbegan in the late 90s, when I
created and launched a wellnesspublication called Evolving
Magazine, since 2015 I've workedas a travel writer on a mission
(25:21):
to seek out the locallycelebrated foods, liquor trends,
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My work has been published inWine Enthusiast, afar, woman's
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chilled Magazine and many moredigital and print publications.
(25:42):
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Creating this podcast is thenext step in my journey of
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the next step in my journey ofsharing the stories of the
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So pack your curiosity, leaveyour preconceived notions behind
(26:03):
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Share your own travel stories,insights and recommendations
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(26:25):
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(26:45):
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Send your suggestions to me atjill at
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Until next time, may yourtravels be filled with endless
(27:07):
curiosity, open-heartedencounters and transformative
adventures.
Safe travels, fellow explorers,and keep wandering.
Welcome to Global Journeys with Jill Dutton, the
podcast where we embark on ajourney through culture and
place, one fascinating story ata time.
I'm your host, jill Dutton, anavid traveler and writer,
passionate about exploring theworld and uncovering the unique
tales of the people I encounteralong the way.
Join me as we delve into theheart of destinations, offering
(00:24):
an insider's perspective throughthe captivating narratives of
individuals who shape theircommunities.
Whether it's chatting with adistillery owner crafting
artisanal spirits, an anglercasting lines in remote waters
or a chef mastering the flavorsof a region, each episode offers
a glimpse into their world andexpertise.
Stick around till the end ofeach episode offers a glimpse
into their world and expertise.
(00:45):
Stick around till the end ofeach episode to discover more
about my travels and writingadventures.
In the meantime, get ready tobe inspired, enlightened and
transported to distant lands onGlobal Journeys with Jill Dutton
.
In today's episode, the secondin a series about Corpus Christi
, texas, we meet Zach Jurasek,the visionary behind Glow Row, a
(01:08):
one-of-a-kind experience thatblends adventure, nature and
innovation.
With Zach at the helm, glow Rowinvites you to embark on a
journey where kayaking meetsnighttime magic.
Imagine paddling through thetranquil waters of the Texas
Gulf Coast.
Your kayak aglow with vibranthues, offering a captivating
glimpse into the underwaterworld beneath you.
(01:30):
Each stroke of the paddlecarries you deeper into an
experience unlike any other.
Glow Row isn't just about thevisual spectacle.
It's about immersion.
Your knowledgeable tour guidewill not only navigate you
through these enchanting waters,but will also unveil the
secrets of the coast, from itsrich history to its diverse
wildlife.
So if you're craving anadventure that ignites your
(01:52):
senses and leaves you breathlesswith wonder, look no further
than Glow Row.
Get ready to paddle into thenight and discover the Texas
Gulf Coast in a whole new light.
Thank you for joining me today,zach.
(02:14):
I just want to start off bysaying a couple weeks ago I
joined you on one of your kayaktours and it just it was one of
the coolest experiences I'veever had.
So thank you for that and whata unique, wonderful activity you
have brought forth for othersto enjoy.
I'm excited to share your storywith our listeners today.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Awesome, awesome.
Yeah, thanks for having me on.
This is a real treat, just forbringing it into the light of
everyone and every adventurer.
It's really just to be outthere and make those memories.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Fabulous, fabulous.
Well, let's go way back.
I remember you telling me thatfishing when you were younger is
kind of how you got the ideafor the illuminated kayaks.
Can you give us the backstoryof where you got the idea for
these glowing clear, of whereyou got the idea for these
glowing clear, illuminatedkayaks at night.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Sure, so these kayaks ?
They are completely transparent, they're made of a
polycarbonate and I outfit themwith 4,400 lumens worth of light
LEDs that will then projectdownwards and outwards to
illuminate the water around you,to see all the aquatic
nightlife.
And that aquatic nightlife iswhat was the driving factor for
(03:34):
me creating this whole companyfrom the ground up and
grassroots, and as a kid,whenever me and my dad would go
out and we'd go flounder gigging.
Flounder gigging is a type offishing that requires no fishing
pole and we would just use anold gas lantern in one hand and
(03:56):
a gig in the other, and the gigis something similar to a hay
pitchfork.
So we would walk in about ankledeep water and we would be
looking for these flat fish.
These flat fish lay against thebottom of the seafloor and they
semi bury themselves.
So the only thing that you arereally able to see is their eyes
(04:16):
, which are on one side of theirhead because they stick up, and
then the outline of their tail,and that's the only part that
you can really see.
So you're you really have tohave a trained eye to see that
stuff.
So, going back and rememberingall of the different aquatic
nightlife that I saw whenever Iwas a kid and we saw seahorse to
(04:40):
to crab, to stingray flounder,we saw redfish, trout, all the
game fish.
It's really an incredibleexperience doing something like
that.
And then what we've done now istaken, that experience that I
(05:03):
had as a child, with all of thewonderment and amazement of all
the nightlife, because duringthe daytime you don't see this
stuff because it's it's not.
It's not very common to go outand just wander around with a
gig during the daytime becausemost of these type of animals
that we see at night they'reonly nocturnal and a lot of the,
(05:25):
the crab and everything they'llactually go on the hunt at
night.
They use the cover of darknessto actually hunt their prey and
it works out in our benefitwhenever we're educating and
showing everyone the new speciesand the aquatic nightlife at
night.
Every time it's it's somethingthat you can see.
The amazement brought tosomeone's face whenever they see
(05:48):
something like that for thefirst time.
It's really special.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Oh, absolutely, and I know we saw a stingray and you
caught a little baby blue craband we saw a variety of things.
So I'm curious.
You know the clear kayak.
It offers a really uniqueperspective underwater that you
were talking about.
So can you tell us some of themarine life and the ecosystems
that guests I know it's can'tguarantee, but what they might
(06:14):
see during one of the nightkayaking experiences?
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Oh, definitely, definitely Each one of the night
kind kayaking experiences thatwe have.
We have 10 different launchlocations now which offer 10
completely different, diverseecosystems, and in those
ecosystems we range from goingover in Galveston and the really
(06:38):
adventurous type people willactually go out there with me
and or with one of the otherguides and we'll go and look at
dolphin.
But the really cool thing aboutgalveston our galveston
location- is it actually hassome of the fresh water coming
right off of the brazos rightthere as well, so we have fresh
(06:59):
water species and saltwaterspecies and it is the most
diverse ecosystem that we dohave in any of our tours.
So we'll run across alligatorgar that are approximately about
six foot in length and they'llhang around the green lights
that some of the Airbnbs willhave behind them on the canals
(07:20):
and it is some really cool stuffseeing some of those right next
to your kayak.
It's almost a prehistoric orJurassic Park type experience in
that instance.
And then if we go across theSan Luis Pass, we actually go
and go over to a sandbar andthere's been one occasion where
(07:41):
we actually saw a shark and itwas about a six foot little
black tip.
It wouldn't stay inside of thelight spectrum too long, it
would go right to the edge of itand then he'd take off.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
So it's nothing to be afraid of Right right To be
afraid of Right right.
But then we have Port O'Connor,which is the largest
concentration of bottlenosedolphins on the Texas coast.
We can't guarantee it,obviously, because it is
wildlife, but I want to say thatthere's like a 99% chance that
(08:16):
you're going to go and paddlearound with dolphins at night.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Oh, that's fabulous.
It's a really cool experience.
And which location is that?
Speaker 2 (08:26):
That is Port O'Connor , that's Barroom Bay, okay, and
then we have Austin, which youcan go, and you can see Tulipia,
as well as Carp, which aretypically at the very bottom,
and those get pretty big as well.
As well as Snapping Turtle andAustin, we paddle right up to
(08:49):
the Mansfield Dam, which is thetallest dam in Texas, and then
we have a couple other locationsin Port Aransas and Corpus, as
well as our newest one, which isCanyon Lake, and we give a
little bit of history about thetowns that are sunken, that
you're paddling over from thedevelopment of that canyon lake.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Wow, I'm awed by how you've expanded.
I mean coming up with this ideato start with, and then you
know, expansion now with 10different locations.
Did you come into this withthis business acumen?
I mean, are you learning as yougo?
I'm just impressed, is what I'mtrying to say.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
My history is in the engineering field, or are you
learning as you go?
I'm just impressed is what I'mtrying to say comes into play in
a lot of the different aspectsfor Glow Row.
In fact, all of the lightingequipment that Glow Row emits
through each and every one ofthe kayaks, as well as the
(09:54):
paddles, is all solar energy.
It is green energy that'scharged up through the day, then
transferred over to thebatteries in each one of our
kayaks.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I did not realize that.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It's another little cool aspect of it.
So all of the engineering anddesign, the design patents, as
well as the utility patentthat's going into play all of
those things are by my owndesign, and then the weather
training comes from being acommercial pilot.
I'm a fully registeredcommercial pilot as well as a
(10:27):
drone pilot, and then I'vealways been in tune with nature,
so I also played a little bitin commercial beekeeping.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Oh really, yeah, Well , it sounds like a perfect
combination of experiences tobring you to this.
And I'm just curious becauseyour introductory talk is very
humorous.
I mean, you're humorous theentire trip.
But you know, I know safety isa concern and it's a top
priority for night kayaking, youknow.
(10:57):
So how do you ensure the safetyof your guests during these
excursions?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
When I developed the safety briefing for each one of
our excursions safety briefingfor each one of our our
excursions and it does vary perguide as well as per location,
so each one of our locations is.
It requires a little tweak tothe safety briefing here and
there.
But when I started talkingabout the safety briefing it
(11:21):
took me a little bit to toreally hone in on the aspects
that that will get the safetybriefing across and I didn't
want something that was like adry ice commercial.
I really wanted something thatwas that people were going to be
interactive to, that wouldbring smiles to people's faces
as well, as that would provide aadequate icebreaker for what's
(11:44):
to come, because the rest of thetour is then the whole vibe is
set right at the safety briefand once we set that vibe and
the ice is broke, then everybodyat that point, from us loading
into the kayaks to coming backon shore is friends and everyone
(12:05):
is just laughing and gigglingand it is a.
It is great fun, and especiallythe part about some of the fish
jumping in the kayaks withpeople.
They, they absolutely love thatpart oh, that's fun.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Okay, and you said there's 10 tour locations now,
and how many kayaks is that thatyou have?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Currently we have a total of 68 kayaks 68.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Oh my gosh.
And what is the limit on aparticular tour for the number
of guests?
Speaker 2 (12:37):
So the limits that we have on tours we have a typical
rotating tour and I sayrotating as in our weekly
schedule rotates for each one ofthese so we will go to each one
of these, so we will go to eachone of the locations per a set
night of the week and this waywe can staff it accordingly and
(12:58):
in doing so we can typically doabout 20 people maximum and
there's a minimum of six.
Now now, in the event that wehave a special request, we have
done up to 40 at once, okay, anduh, we have.
We have the capacity to even gofurther than that, but the
(13:21):
currently are where we find thathappy medium is right, around
40 people, which is four.
We have four guides on thewater at all times.
With that many boats and theway we we actually have a
structure.
For every five clear kayaks inthe water, we have one guide
(13:43):
required on the water and onceit goes over to that sixth kayak
, then we have to have a secondguide on the water and typically
for a normal tour, we'll have alead guide and a tail guide at
all times and this way, ifanyone is having a little
trouble, we're there to help.
Then, if anyone wants to goahead, of the guide in the front
(14:05):
.
We're a very loose type agencywhere we're not going to go and
tell you to specifically go inone direction or the other,
unless you're putting yourselfinto a safety scenario.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Okay, good, good, okay, and I noticed on our
particular tour there was allexperience levels, so you cater
to the novice as well.
As you know the, the semikayaks you know every weekend.
But I'm curious.
So if it's someone's first time, you know what would you have
to say to kind of reassure themor convince them to give it a
(14:38):
try oh man, I I really don'thave to say much.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
To be honest with you , the, uh, the pictures do most
of the justice to be honest withyou.
So, in the instance of someonebeing brand new and coming into
it and having the reservations,we do adjust each route
dynamically to each situation,and that is, the situation could
entail the tides as well as thewinds that we have to deal with
(15:08):
.
So each one of our locations,we take into account all the
weather, so you don't have toworry about anything.
Whenever you make a reservationwith Clover, we take care of
all of that.
The boats are set up for you,we supply everything for you to
be legally out there on thewater as safe as possible, and
we even exceed that by a factorof five per the Coast Guard
(15:30):
regulations.
Then, as far as the paddlinggoes, if you know how to ride a
bicycle and you have enoughbalance for a bicycle, then you
can definitely paddle a kayak.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
And since they're all tandem boats, is that correct
that there's two people?
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
That makes it easier as well, doesn't it?
For someone who experiencebecause of the swiftness of the
currents there, and that'sanother thing with our locations
is only one of our locationswe've deemed safe enough for
children, which is our RockportLittle Bay location, and that is
13 and up.
All of the other locations arerequired 18 and up.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Well, like I said, I am just awed.
I still am thinking about this.
It's like nothing anybody elsehas ever experienced.
I'm just going to put that outthere, and in my opinion it was.
It's such a great experience.
So do you have any, anymemorable experiences or
encounters that you know some ofyour guests might've had, or
something that just really wasfun, that happened on on one of
(16:45):
your tours?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
One of my most memorable experiences.
I have a lot but the mostheartfelt excursion.
So we didn't have a very biggroup that night, it was just
six people and they had gone outthere.
And we're about to go andthere's dolphins out there
(17:30):
breaching the dolphins.
This was at the Port Aransaslocation in specific.
This young lady starts crying.
I couldn't tell at first if itwas out of fear or what was
going on, and it was just thefacial expression that she had
and I asked her if she was okay.
(17:54):
She said yes, it's just been mylifelong dream to go kayak,
paddling with dolphins and beingpart of something that is that
heartfelt and that special.
I will never forget that.
That is one of my fondestmemories of doing this.
And then I there's.
There's countless times whereI'll go out there and I'll catch
our bioluminescent jellyfish,which are comb jellies.
(18:18):
These comb jellies, most, mostpeople from texas and in general
people don't reference yeah,they don't reference texas with
bioluminescence.
So whenever I ask someone doyou want to hold a jellyfish?
This is one that I just freshlyscooped up out of the water and
I'll hand it to them.
(18:39):
And as I hand it to them, itrolls out of my hand and into
their palm and it starts glowingand their face just lights up
with that childhood wondermentof just fascination, and it is
something that's priceless.
Then there was also anothertime where we were in Rockport.
(18:59):
In Rockport, little Bay, therewas so many mullet and mullet is
a bait fish and they typically,once we get close to them with
the kayak, they'll start jumpingout of the water.
And these mullets startedjumping into kayaks left and
right.
We it was.
It was absolute chaos.
(19:19):
And the people that were withme that night, they were saying
that well, I got five in thisboat, I got six in this, but it
was, it was, it was, it was.
It was like they were trying tomake a competition out of it.
We were always having to returneverything back to the water to
make sure we only leavefootprints, because we are only
(19:43):
there for education and to makethose really fond memories.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Yes, well, what a wonderful gift you're giving
anyone who experiences that,because it's just, it's
phenomenal.
And last question with all thatyou've done, I'm not expecting
this to be a big answer, but doyou have any upcoming plans or
expansions for Glow Row, or areyou going to just stabilize at
the 10 locations?
Now that you've got all thatgoing, what are the plans?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
that you've got all that going?
What are the plans so that thatis a?
It's a very, very big question.
Actually, we just launched ourpassport system and our passport
system is something that and Iwould literally just launch this
on, I think, last monday ourpassport system is a punch card
reward system that for eachroute that you take with Globro,
you get a new punch on thatcard and at five punches you can
(20:36):
redeem the card for a $50 giftcard and a free shirt.
Or if you visit all 10locations, you get a $200 gift
card, two free shirts and twofree cell phone protectors.
And it's a huge reward systemthat we just launched.
And we are, in light of all ofthat, we have some pretty big
(21:03):
talks going on with some otherstate entities where we are
looking at franchisee locationsin Florida, kentucky, ohio,
virginia and North Texas.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Wow, that is fabulous .
I'm so impressed.
I think that's it, unlessthere's anything else you want
to add.
I do have another quickquestion, just if you don't mind
.
I remember you mentioning Doc's, which was a bar that was
located across from where wewere at.
Was that North Padre Islandthat we were?
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Yes, ma'am, that was North Padre Island.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Did you mention that people could order drinks to go,
or something?
Speaker 2 (21:46):
So that location in particular, where we had met met
, is underneath the JFK CausewayBridge and we just recently or
I say we, me and the other ownerof Doc's Seafood just recently
I moved our lease agreement withthe Texas Department of
Transportation from the northside of the bridge under there
(22:10):
to the south side near docks.
And, with that being said, we'reactually moving in a little bit
closer to docks as well andwe're forming a new joint
partnership.
This partnership with docks isgoing to be something where
there will be a trailer therethat is going to be more along
the lines of a permanent basisas well, as people can make
(22:32):
reservations there five nights aweek and we can take people out
five nights a week instead ofjust the three nights a week
where we're doing it on theother side.
In doing so with Docs, they'rewanting to do a specialty drink
menu for Globro.
They're wanting to do aspecialty drink menu for Globro,
and it's going to be a reallycool partnership because with
(22:54):
Docs you get the at the dock onthe patio atmosphere with live
music.
They have a full service barthere and upstairs they have a
very, very good restaurant, very, very good restaurant, and by
far out of all of our locationsthat I've ever visited.
They still have the beststuffed flounder I've ever had.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
That sounds great, Wonderful, Well, thank you.
I just remembered you mentionedsomething about that and I'm
going to include a link in theshow notes.
But as well, if someone wantsto listeners want to just go
there.
Right now it's GlowRoadcom, Isthat correct?
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Yes, ma'am GlowRoadcom, and if they want to
make reservations, the phonenumber is 702-720-GLOW Fantastic
.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Zach, thank you so much, and I just can't wait to
come back to Corpus Christi andtry that again.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Awesome.
Well, thank you very much, jill, and thank you for having me on
.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Welcome to Global Journeys with Jill Dutton, the
captivating travel podcast thattakes you on an extraordinary
adventure around the world.
I'm your host, jill Dutton, andI am thrilled to be your guide
through the mesmerizing tapestryof cultures, landscapes and
experiences that await us.
Global Journeys with JillDutton is more than just a
(24:14):
travel podcast.
It's an exploration of humanityitself.
Through the power ofstorytelling, we illuminate the
lives of the remarkableindividuals we encounter along
the way, whether it's throughthe eyes of a fishing guide, a
distillery owner, a mixologist,a historian, chef, or even a
farmer.
Each person we meet adds a richlayer to the narrative of
(24:37):
culture and place.
In this podcast, we embark on atransformative journey where
the focus goes beyond thetypical tourist attractions.
Instead, we dive deep into thehearts and souls of the places
we visit, uncovering the hiddengems and untold stories that
make each destination trulyunique.
Join me as we venture off thebeaten path, seeking
(25:00):
authenticity, connection and adeeper understanding of the
world we inhabit.
Together, we'll unravel thetapestry of cultures, one story
at a time.
Although my writing careerbegan in the late 90s, when I
created and launched a wellnesspublication called Evolving
Magazine, since 2015 I've workedas a travel writer on a mission
(25:21):
to seek out the locallycelebrated foods, liquor trends,
outdoor activities and storiesof those I meet along the way.
My work has been published inWine Enthusiast, afar, woman's
World, first for Women, insider,road Trippers, modern Farmer,
chilled Magazine and many moredigital and print publications.
(25:42):
I'm also the creator of GlobalPlates the People we Meet, the
Food they Eat a syndicatedcolumn.
Creating this podcast is thenext step in my journey of
sharing the stories of thepeople I've met along the way is
the next step in my journey ofsharing the stories of the
people I've met along the way.
So pack your curiosity, leaveyour preconceived notions behind
(26:03):
and let's embark on globaljourneys with Jill Dutton, where
each episode promises toinspire, educate and awaken the
wanderlust within us all.
As we travel on this excitingpodcasting journey together, I
invite you, our incredibleaudience, to be a part of it.
Share your own travel stories,insights and recommendations
with us.
Whether you have a hidden gemin your hometown or a dream
(26:25):
destination that has capturedyour imagination, we want to
hear from you.
Your suggestions will helpshape the future episodes of
Global Journeys, with JillDutton guiding us towards
extraordinary locations andexperiences that deserve a
spotlight.
Remember, this podcast is notabout just the host or the
guests.
It's about the collectiveexploration and discovery that
(26:45):
unites us all as wanderers inthis vast world.
So reach out to us through ourwebsite, social media channels
or email, and let your voice beheard.
Send your suggestions to me atjill at
globaljourneyswithjillduttoncom.
I can't wait to hear from you.
Until next time, may yourtravels be filled with endless
(27:07):
curiosity, open-heartedencounters and transformative
adventures.
Safe travels, fellow explorers,and keep wandering.
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