Sun, sand, surf in the Coastal Bend

People flock to Coastal Bend beaches to enjoy the sun, sand and surf. But don’t forget the sunscreen.

By Mike Bratten

   Put your toes in the sand and plug into Mother Nature at any Coastal Bend beach and before you know it, you’ll ask yourself, “What happened to the time?”
   Sun-worshippers come from near and far to these natural health spas for a variety of reasons — some to stroll in solitude and collect shells, some to give their kids a wet ‘n’ wild playground, some to fish in the surf and yet others to party and meet friends.
   Whatever your disposition, area beaches provide everyone a calming break from the daily grind. So rub in the sun block, open up a book or bait a hook. It’s time to relax, South Texas style.

Padre Island National Seashore
   The longest remaining undeveloped barrier island in the world, the seashore offers 65 miles of sandy solitude that families and retirees especially appreciate. A four-wheel drive vehicle is necessary after the first few miles. Sea turtles, deer, raccoons and coyotes are a few of the animals you might find here, not to mention a wide variety of shorebirds, flora and fauna. Visitors can enjoy good fishing and shelling year-round, and camping on the beach is permitted.

The beaches between Bob Hall Pier and J.P. Luby Surf Park have long been favorites of people who enjoy sunning, surfing and swimming.

   The visitor center at Malaquite Beach offers a bath house and sells snacks and souvenirs, and guests can rent umbrellas and other beach items. Entrance to the park is $10 per car, good for seven days. A one-year pass is $20.
   Those with RVs or trailers can stay at the Malaquite Beach campground, which includes about 45 black-topped sites, picnic tables, dump station, showers and restrooms. No electrical or water hook-ups are available. Sites are $8 per night.
   Also at Padre Island National Seashore is Bird Island Basin, where many people go to camp, windsurf and launch boats. Feeling brave? Windsurfing lessons are offered from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week by Worldwinds. Camping is primitive, but restrooms are available. The fee is $5 per day or $10 for an annual pass.
   Leashed pets are permitted throughout Padre Island National Seashore, except in areas around the visitor center.
   Information: 949-8068.

Bob Hall Pier, Padre Balli Park and J.P. Luby Surf Park

Parents should keep an eye on young children near the water while at the beach.

   The beaches between Bob Hall Pier and J.P. Luby Surf Park have long been favorites of young people who enjoy sunning, playing volleyball, surfing and flirting. But families also come here to swim, barbecue and Boogie Board. Portable toilets and rinse-off showers are dispersed throughout the beaches.
   During peak times, vendors sell refreshments on the beach and rent equipment such as jet skis and Boogie Boards.
   Beach parking stickers are required and cost $5 for a month or $10 for a year. Nueces County employees sell them on the beach, and they’re also available at area convenience stores.
   Padre Balli Park includes 66 developed campsites with water and electrical hookups, picnic tables, cabanas and a bath house. The cost is $15 per night (registered campers need not pay additionally for parking stickers). Primitive overnight camping costs $6 per night at Padre Balli Park and J.P. Luby Surf Park.
   Bonfires (under 3 feet in diameter) and leashed pets are permitted at both parks, but glass containers aren’t.

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   The store at Bob Hall Pier sells breakfast and lunch and rents beach equipment. For $1 each, visitors can walk onto the pier to fish or watch the surfers below (an additional $1 is charged for each pole brought onto the pier with a three pole limit). Depending on the season, sharks, whiting, hardheads, tarpon and speckled trout are pulled out of these waters. No fishing pole? No problem. The pier store rents fishing poles for $10 a day and a $30 deposit. Information: Bob Hall Pier: 949-7437; Padre Balli and J.P. Luby Surf Park: 949-8121.

Mustang Island State Park
   Families enjoy the more serene environment here, spending quiet weekends in tents and RVs. Barbecuing, fishing and bonfires are popular pastimes, and the shores offer a plentitude of shells and other treasures. Portable toilets, potable water and rinse-off showers are available along the 11/2-mile beach. The park store offers souvenirs, ice, firewood and snacks.

Sunscreen is a must while at the beach.

   There are 48 sites at the park’s campground, which include electrical and water hookups, picnic tables, barbecue grills, restrooms and showers. Sites are $15 per night. Overnight primitive camping costs $7 per night. Entrance is $3 per person per day. Children 12 and younger enter free. Bring the pets, but not the glass containers.
   Information: 749-5246.

Port Aransas
   Beaches in Port Aransas attract birdwatchers, surfers, parasailers and families who swim, camp and fish off the rock jetties on either side of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Horace Caldwell Pier is popular among fishing groups, and surfers ride the waves below.
   Nearby restaurants offer a feast of choices — from cappuccino to Cajun food — and visitors can arrange wildlife trips and fishing excursions through several Port Aransas companies. To park on city-owned beaches in the area, visitors need parking stickers, which cost $6 a year and can be bought at the beach, visitor center or at nearby Port Aransas stores. Parking on the beach is free during the day at Nueces County Park, which runs north and south of Horace Caldwell Pier. Overnight primitive camping costs $6. Showers are available.

Beach safety tips If you plan on serving cold foods, fill the ice chest with plenty of ice to prevent spoilage. Always keep an eye on children near the water. Wear lifejackets when boating. Reapply sunscreen every few hours, even if it’s waterproof. Never swim alone. If you can’t swim, stay near a lifeguard. Check water conditions before going in. Check the depth of underwater surfaces by jumping, not diving. If you don’t have a four-wheel drive, stay on packed sand. Keep a cell phone handy in case you need to call for help. Source: Caller-Times files

   There are also 75 campsites for trailers and RVs that feature water and electrical hookups, showers, cabanas and barbecue pits. Cost is $15 per night.
   Leashed pets are allowed at Port Aransas beaches. Information: Port Aransas city-owned beaches: 749-5919; Nueces County Park: 749-6117.

Oleander Point
   Sportsmen flock to this point on Ocean Drive for its excellent windsurfing and kitesurfing conditions. They can be spotted here year-round, catching waves and wind and performing intricate aerial moves. The U.S. Cellular U.S. Open Windsurfing Regatta has been held here in May for the past 14 years. Parking is free at Oleander Point, but camping is not permitted and there are no facilities. Information: 880-3461.

Magee Beach
   Located near downtown Corpus Christi, Magee Beach is a small stretch of sand with calm bay water and considerably less seaweed than other beaches. It’s a perfect swimming spot for children or a good place to wade after a stroll along Corpus Christi’s seawall. Visitors can sit on the seawall and watch boats sail by or walk north to the Selena memorial and the bayfront T-heads, where shrimpers moor their boats and sell fresh seafood.

Leashed pets are welcome at both Padre Balli Park and J.P. Luby Surf Park.

   At the north end of Magee Beach is a concession stand with a Wienerschnitzel restaurant, restrooms and indoor showers.
   Leashed pets are permitted, but leave alcoholic beverages and glass containers at home. Information: 880-3461.

North Beach and Corpus Christi Beach
   Just across the Harbor Bridge from Corpus Christi, this area is custom-made for tourists vacationing in the motels along Corpus Christi Bay. The calm waters are ideal for children and inexperienced swimmers. This is also prime sunbathing and fishing territory.
   Restaurants, bars and souvenir shops are nearby, and tourists enjoy the beaches’ proximity to the Lexington Museum on the Bay, Texas State Aquarium and the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History.

Caution: Jellyfish Jellyfish stings are a common beach injury. Portuguese men-of-war are the most injurious jellyfish common to Coastal Bend waters. Their ‘‘blue bags” may look pretty, but they sting. Watch your step. Between 30 percent and 40 percent of all jellyfish stings occur after the sea animal has washed up dead. The tentacles of the man-of-war can range between 3 feet and 15 feet in length and are covered with hundreds of stinging cells. Each stinging cell has a tiny trigger mechanism, which is set off whenever it is bumped. You can get stung several times by one man-of-war. When stung by a jellyfish, a paste of rubbing alcohol and unseasoned meat tenderizer is recommended. The tenderizer works with the body’s natural proteins to break down the injected poison. Source: Caller-Times files.

   Ample restrooms, rinse-off showers, cabanas and picnic tables dot these beaches. Overnight camping is allowed, and permits can be obtained free of charge at the Parks and Recreation Department at Corpus Christi City Hall, 1201 Leopard St. No parking stickers are required.
   Campfires, alcohol and glass containers are prohibited. Leashed pets are welcome, and owners are urged to clean up after their pets. Information: 880-3461.

Rockport Beach
   This area was recently certified as Texas’ first Blue Wave Beach by the Clean Beaches Council in Washington, D.C. — a status that identifies it as one of the nation’s cleanest, safest and most environmentally well-managed beaches. Straddled by Aransas Bay and Little Bay, its shallow, calm waters are a magnet for families with children.
   Adding to the family appeal is a playground, picnic facilities, exercise trail and lighted fishing jetty. Visitors also can take advantage of volleyball courts, a bird observation platform, a saltwater swimming pool, boat ramp and two indoor pavilions.
   Parking costs $3 per day or $7 per year, but parking for boat launching is free. Stickers are available at the visitor center. Overnight camping is not permitted. Pets are allowed in limited areas. Information: 361-727-2158.

Mike Bratten is a staff writer for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.