Skimming The Surface
Cool waters for windsurfing.
Bird Island Basin, Padre Island National Seashore (from Interstate 37 in downtown Corpus Christi, head south on the Crosstown Expressway, turn left on Texas Highway 358 [South Padre Island Drive], which becomes Park Road 22, and continue to the end of the road, about 30 miles in all; 361-949-8173). This internationally known spot on the Laguna Madre side of the national seashore is one of the windiest places on the Texas Gulf Coast. But that isn't the only thing it has going for it. The flat, shallow water (about two to six feet deep) makes it a superb area for beginners to get their feet wet and for speed sailors to go full throttle. Padre Island National Seashore fee $10 per vehicle (good for seven days); Bird Island Basin fee $5 (day pass) or $10 (good for a year).
Oleander Point at South Cole Park, Corpus Christi Bay (from Interstate 37 and Shoreline Drive in downtown Corpus, head south on Shoreline for 3 miles until it becomes Ocean Drive; the park will be on your left; 800-766-2322). Home to the U.S. Open Windsurfing Regatta in May, this locale is for the more advanced sailor who wants to jump the swells (the high winds and deep water make for choppy seas). The hillside is a good vantage point for spectators. Free.
Windsurf, Inc., South Padre Island (from the Queen Isabella Causeway, head north on Padre Boulevard for 3 miles, then turn left on Carolyn Street until it dead-ends at the waterfront; 956-761-1434). You can rent everything you need right here at Windsurf and surf for free or bring your own gear and pay a $3 launch fee. The average wind speed in South Padre Island is eighteen miles per hour, and this in-town site is right on the Laguna Madre, which means warm, shallow water. "People can ride out on the bay for miles and still stand up if they fall off or have a problem," says Windsurf owner Phillip Money. Shop open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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