Land or Sea, Coastal Bend Has Plenty to Offer
Published May 27, 2008
Downtown high rises are a backdrop for youngsters learning the techniques of sailing in Corpus Christi Bay.
As the sun peeks over the horizon, tiny turtles inch toward the Gulf of Mexico, their webbed feet struggling to make their way across the sand. Soon, gently lapping waves will carry them to sea.
So begins some of the most remarkable days at Padre Island National Seashore, where park rangers and volunteers search for turtle eggs, lovingly incubate them and release the babies in effort to save Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, the world’s most endangered sea turtle.
“People think they’re just at the beach, but this is a national park like Yellowstone and Grand Canyon,” says Dimitra Guerrero, public affairs specialist.
At the Malaquite Visitor Center, rangers offer beach walks, deck walks, history programs and junior ranger classes. A few miles away, windsurfers try their luck at Bird Island Basin.
No matter what activity beach-goers have in mind, there is plenty of room for everyone. “We are the longest, undeveloped barrier island in the world,” Guerrero says of the 130,434-acre national seashore.
Corpus Christi also is home to additional beach areas, 190 city parks and a host of recreation centers offering free or low-cost activities for all ages.
The Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department recently completed improvements at the city’s marina and runs Cole Park’s new skatepark.
“We estimated 150,000 people over C-Sculptures (sand sculptures) weekend, and we have 2,000 children in our winter Latchkey Program alone,” says Sally Gavlik, the department’s director. “So, annually, we may see around a half-million people.”
The department’s other offerings include golf, tennis, swimming and team sports.
Increased interest in children’s programs is spurring plans to expand them, Gavlik says. As for grown-ups, registration for adult athletic leagues has doubled since 2006.
Roughing It in Style
In the Coastal Bend, recreational-vehicle enthusiasts can enjoy beachfront property, thanks to Nueces County campgrounds on Padre Island and at Port Aransas.
Padre Balli Park includes 65 campsites and 45 tables. Amenities include restrooms just off the beach and 25-cent freshwater showers for rinsing the sand away.
Situated on the south side of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, the park at Horace Caldwell Pier in Port Aransas has 75 sites, affording great views as large ships come and go. At this location, $1 buys an eight-minute warm shower.
“It’s busiest during spring break and then again Memorial Day through Labor Day,” says Blake Pettis, the county’s director of island parks. “We fill up during big holidays.”
All sites are first-come, first-served.
“This is a great place to relax,” Pettis says. “You can go fishing, surf or lay on the beach, listening to the waves and the children running. Everything runs on island time. It’s a slower pace, a more relaxed lifestyle.”
Other popular activities in the region include water skiing on Lake Corpus Christi, bicycling on the Corpus Christi Bay Trail and other pathways, and both freshwater and saltwater fishing.
Story by Leanne Libby
Photo by Brian McCord
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