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  Visit Surf South Padre for Much More
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South Padre
As perhaps the premier surf (and spring break) destination in Texas, South
Padre Island consistently sports good waves, cleaner water and shallower
breaks. By taking Highway 77 from Corpus Christi south, past Harlingen,
and then following Highway 100 to Port Isabel and South Padre Island,
surfers have access to the benefits of a narrower continental shelf,
deeper offshore waters and comparatively closer sandbars.
The plethora of condominiums and hotels in the area for spring breakers
presents surfers with the opportunity to find really cheap lodging in the
off-season. Huge two-bedroom condominiums capable of sleeping up to eight
people, complete with fully furnished kitchens, can rent for as little as
$60 a night. Not bad, if you are willing to shack up your crew in a condo
while on a surf trip. If you make the run to SPI during spring break, you
won't find the cheap digs, but you will get your share of spring break
parties. Kegs on the beach and wet T-shirt contests at Louie's Backyard
tend to be focal points.
The local vibe in South Padre Island, like most of Texas, tends to be very
positive. SPI is a little different from other locales, in that there are
no major population or cultural centers nearby. The area depends heavily
on its tourist and fishing trade, and the town of South Padre Island seems
to quiet down quite a bit after spring break closes out, much like Panama
City Beach in Florida. However, there is a core following of devoted
surfers who call the South Padre Island area home. For anyone who has read
the Gulf Coast notes in certain surfing magazines, each month's notes read
like a list of the Port Isabel/South Padre Island crew. But take it all
with a grain of salt; they're good folks, friendly and helpful, and they
have the sandbars and peaks wired. Web surfers can also get a glimpse of
surf conditions at these peaks and bars by checking out the new South
Padre Island web cam at
www.southpadreskycam.com
On the south end of the island is the Isla Blanca State Park, with RV and
tent sites available for camping. This is South Padres' main -- and
basically only -- stretch of breaks, drawing just about all the area
surfers. Fortunately, there's plenty of room. On the north side of the
jetties -- referred to as North Jetties -- strong walls hit the bars and
provide long, workable lines. As you work north within the park toward the
hotel strand, the bars sometimes move closer to the beach and, in some
cases, become nonexistent. There are some micro-cove areas, just north of
the last of the pavilions at the park, that can yield explosive blue-green
peaks in shallow beach breaks. Continuing north from the park, these types
of beach breaks can also be found in the vicinity of the various hotels
and apartment complexes on the strand.
Article by Surfline |
