Baja versus Padre Island

jamesschmitt · Joined: 11 Jun 2000 Posts: 42

4 month stay- Dec thru March. What do you recommend for a RV windsurf trip?

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Both good choices.
I like SPID because it's got tummy deep flat water and little soft breaking side or slight side-on winds and US dollars.

NOVAAN · Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1549

Bird Island North Padre, camp next to the water and a great board shop on site. Lots of stuff to do in town. That said winter is not the best wind season. March thru May is solid 3.8 to 7.0 warm and shallow. Winter can rage from the north but it can be cold. South winds can blow but its not often, if they do it can be 75 air even in winter. Most likely better winds in la Vintana

mac · Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2020 9:36 pm Post subject:

NOVANN is right about the seasons. There are plenty of snowbirds at both places, but winter wind is much weaker and less reliable in Corpus. It also depends on what you are sailing. I wouldn’t try foiling in the lagoons—too shallow and too many oyster areas. Corpus adds the ability to surf, if you bring a board, with a much shorter drive than Baja. Baja adds great food very cheap, especially freshly caught seafood, and mountain biking. Surf sailing I’d give the nod to Baja, but you’re going to have to drive to the Pacific side.

kevinkan · Joined: 07 Jun 2001 Posts: 1661 Location: San Francisco

if you have four months, maybe do both? do the first two months in Baja and then head up to Texas?

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Corpus has hollow shorebreak surf.
SPID is mushy slow breaking softies.
Speed ditch is no longer legal.

NOVAAN · Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1549

Good Idea to do both that time of year

katiedog · Joined: 09 Jul 2000 Posts: 117

You should educate yourself on driving in Baja before hand to decide if it would be something you want to undertake .

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

BIG agreement on that, as well as what to expect if you get there safely. I've read more than a dozen WSing magazine articles on Baja and talked to twice that many people who love it, and in both cases the main attraction and the most reliable activity are one and the same: partying.

As for Corpus, search the forum on that word. Even facts, let alone opinions, regarding it are extremely disparate.

ldhr · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 121

Just returned from 2 months in Baja (camper van, kiting, mostly foil).
The trip exceeded my expectations.
Cheap food - safe, delicious, fresh.
Easy travels - roads are in good shape, no hassles, always felt safe.
Los Barriles and LV have great infrastructure for RV's.
Friendly people.
Wind was excellent (helps to foil - not a lot of days over low 20's.).
Alternative adventures - snorkel, sup, fish, sea kayak, mountain biking was great.
Texas is strip malls and fast food franchises. IMO - no contest.

I love Baja.... and for the record I don't party.