South Padre Island in Fall

johnl · Joined: 05 Jun 1994 Posts: 1330 Location: Hood River OR

Hi all,

I'm looking to get around a little this fall after retiring and I'm trying to find some places to go windsurf. How's the weather in South Padre Island in the fall/winter? Any good cheap places to camp out (with plugins if possible)?

If not, when is a good time to visit?

amarie · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 233 Location: Corpus Christi, TX

Bird Island Basin in the Padre Island National Seashore is a big windsurfing camping spot (corpus christi, tx)--lots of "winter texans" and you can sail from right next to the camper, although it does not have electricity. I think it's $30 now for a pass, and you can stay for months. there is also camping I think with electricity at Malaquite beach and also closer to town, on the island, at Padre Balli park. there are nightly fees for those that you'd have to look up.

At SPI i have camped at Isla Blanca state park and there were electricity options but you have to drive to the sailing sites. It's a very short drive to wave sailing (also at the park but you need the right conditions), and a longer drive (15 min) to the flat water sailing.

U2U2U2 · Posted: Sat May 01, 2010 9:14 pm Post subject:

the Bird Island camp ground has a federal restriction, something like 14--21days then you must leave for a short period, like 2 days, then start over. NO electric, no showers, but they are less than a 5min drive at the ocean campground mentioned above.

no camping fees, just the annual pass.

there are other private camping areas, about 30minutes away, closer to CC.

been twice in April, decent wind then both years, after May may be sketchy, and fall winds are un predictable from what I remember locals, and other reports.

BBYC · Joined: 10 May 2010 Posts: 2

Check out Sea Winds RV Park on Baffin Bay between Corpus and SPI, http://home.granderiver.net/~seawind/park.htm. Inexpensive plug-in rates, good bump and jump sailing, better wind than SPI, but the water's not as clear (actually not clear at all if the winds blowing).

BBYC

U2U2U2 · Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 9:09 am Post subject:

http://home.granderiver.net/~seawind/

your link did not work for me.. the above did

looks nice , you say wind is better than SPI ? CC in comparison, difficult to tell looking at the map

How much further south from CC is it ?

Cheers

BBYC · Joined: 10 May 2010 Posts: 2

As the crow flies it's about 35 miles from downtown Corpus, a little over an hour drive. Check out the current wind forecast, http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/GM/230.html.

BBYC

jordanwd · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 158

SPI in late fall / early winter can be great- after thanksgiving is good-- 15-20 knot winds from the s/se.. often stroger.. NW cold fronts move in about that time as well. The tourists are mostly gone and hotels are cheap.. It really has a beautiful south of the border atmosphere w/ whit(er) sand and more emerald green water than corpus..fishing can be fantastic as well. the laguna madre generally has stronger winds for flat water sailing.. also can have fun wave sailing on the gulf side..(more side shore than corpus. Corpus is OK- not as pretty..staying at bird island gives you easy access too the padre island national sea shore- if you got 4wd you can drive down to big shell-- the water turns a beautiful clear green colour w/ white crushed shell beach- beautifully remote- windsurfing can happpen as well but beware that people go down there to fish for big shark ( bull , black tip & evan mako have been caught within 300 yards of the beach) so make sure your jibes are ok-- other game fishing could be good as well.

given the choice- i would think spi (after thanksgiving) would be a more rewarding experience..