Published: April 23, 2008 01:16 pm         

South Padre: Fun off Texas tip

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — They say that as many as 85,000 students show up during spring break at South Padre Island.

The island is a 34-mile long, 2-1/2 mile wide vacation hot spot off the tip of Texas. And while annual visitation tops off at more than 1 million sun and fun worshipers each year, my visit in mid-December gave me almost unimpeded use of the sandy beaches during my dune buggy ride along the island’s eastern coast.

The only way to get to the island of 2,400 permanent residents by car is over the 2.5-mile long Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge. The ride over the bay is a dramatic one, providing a glimpse of a large portion of the long and narrow island from a lofty vantage point.

While you can laze away your time on SPI’s white sandy beaches (ranked in the top ten of American beaches with several clothing optional sections), go parasailing, snorkeling, kiteboarding, windsurfing, scuba diving or horseback riding on the beach, there are other attractions to more than fill up a couple of days.

For one, there are close to a dozen master sand castle sculptors on the island, and a specialized service known as the Sons of the Beach offers private and group sessions for visitors who may want to take a lesson or two.

In its lobby, the tourist bureau information center at 600 Padre Boulevard has the largest year-round sand castle in the state. The colossus rises to a height of ten feet and is made of 45 tons of sand covered with a gallon of Elmer’s glue.

Another interesting attraction, Sea Turtle, Inc. at 6617 Padre Blvd. was founded in 1977 as a rescue center to aid the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, native to Texas and endangered. The Center has since gone on to work with five of the world’s eight marine turtle species.

Visitors can see these massive appealing creatures, including loggerheads and leatherbacks, up close in the Center’s holding tanks. Turtle shows, held at the Center daily at 10 a.m., are led by volunteers who explain the different species of turtles, their importance to the environment and what the public can do to protect them from extinction.

Curator Jeff George, a native of New Castle, gave me a slew of interesting turtle data, including the fact that the truly magnificent leatherbacks can get as much as 6 to 8 feet long and weigh as much as 1,200 pounds.

As might be expected, fishing is big in the area, and about 60 different charters take anglers on both bay and deep sea excursions, where a total of about 600 different species inhabit the nearby waters. The most commonly caught fish include red or black drum, spotted sea trout and southern flounder in the bay and tarpon, red snapper, mackerel, amberjack and pompano in the gulf.

I spent a relaxing morning fishing in the bay with Captain Wesley De La Fosse, who provides a year round fishing guide service. Keep in mind that many island restaurants will prepare your catch for lunch or dinner at a minimal cost in the style of your choosing.

Several boats leave daily from South Padre Island on dolphin watch and eco-tours, and the Dolphin Research Center at 105 W. Pompano have two live-touch marine tanks where visitors can get up close and personal with area marine life.

Lighthouse lovers can take the free shuttle bus over to Port Isabel for a climb up the winding staircase of the original historic 1852 structure, restored in 2000. The 72-foot tall structure is the only lighthouse on the Texas coast open to the public.

Across the street, the Port Isabel Sea Life Center is a very interesting place to see up to 70 species of indigenous marine life as well as a informative video on dolphins.



Dave Zuchowski writes for the New Castle (Pa.) News.



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IF YOU’RE GOING ...



South Padre Island



•For more information on South Padre Island, call (800) 767-2373 or visit www.sopadre.com.

•For more information on Sons of the Beach, log on to www.sonsofthebeach.com.

•For more information on Capt. Wesley De La Fosse’s fishing guide service, call (856) 761-2865).

•For a place to stay, Casa de Siesta, 4610 Padre Boulevard, was completed in 2000 in the middle of town but has a quiet, secluded atmosphere. All of architecture and decor reflects either Mexican or Southwestern culture, and the beautiful and comfortable rooms feature a rosette stained glass window and are built around a central courtyard and pool. Ponderosa pine log beams support the ceiling in each room and the clay tiles on the floor are Mexican imports. A complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning in a beautiful dining room. Call (956) 761-5656 or visit www.casadesiesta.com.

•For places to dine, try: Sea Ranch, 1 Padre Blvd, (956) 761-1314 or www.searanch.com; Amberjack’s, 901 W. Amberjack St. (956) 761-6500 or www.amberjacks-spi.com; Blackbeard’s, Padre Boulevard and East Saturn Street. (956) 761-2962 or www.blackbeardsspi.com; or Zeste, 3508 Padre Blvd. (956) 761-5555 or www.zestegourmet.com.