National Park Service The Gulf Breeze Department of the Interior Padre Island National Seashore News and Information, 2015 The Gulf Breeze 1 Gulf Breeze Welcome 2015 Edition to Padre Island National Seashore! An Annual Magazine from I sincerely hope you enjoy your visit to the longest remaining stretch Padre Island National Seashore of undeveloped barrier island in the world. Over half a million visitors come here each year to enjoy camping, swimming, fishing, National Park Service boating, and other recreational activities. One of the top windsurfing U.S. Department of the Interior destinations in North America is located here in the park. Editor, Layout, and Graphic Design: Jody L. Mays Editorial Committee: Patrick Gamman, William The Seashore is an ever changing landscape of beaches, dunes, grasslands and tidal Botts, Lee McDowell, Lindsay Galland, Kathy Sanders flats where visitors can discover an amazing natural world sandwiched between the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre. Tens of thousands of migratory birds as well Padre Island National Seashore as many species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects and fish are found in the Mailing Address: Physical Address: park. The most endangered sea turtle in the world, the Kemp’s ridley, nests here P.O. Box 181300 20420 Park Road 22 more often than at any other location in the country. Visitors can also explore human Corpus Christi, TX 78480 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 stories of Spanish treasure, shipwrecks and survivors, open range cattle ranching, and more. These rich natural and cultural stories help make Padre Island National Park Information: (361)949-8069 Seashore a national treasure. Park Website: nps.gov/pais This national park was created to preserve the seashore, unimpaired, for purposes Weather & Beach Conditions: (361)949-8175 of public recreation, benefit, and inspiration. I hope you will join and support our dedicated park staff and volunteers in this effort. Please be safe and courteous while Sea Turtle Hatchling Hotline: (361)949-7163 boating, camping, or otherwise enjoying the park. Watch for children and animals Park Facebook Page: facebook.com/nps.pais while driving on the beach. Look for and report nesting and stranded sea turtles. And pick up a free trash bag from the entrance station or visitor center to help keep Sea Turtle Program Facebook Page: our beaches beautiful. We are all stewards of this special place, and we must work facebook.com/nps.pais.seaturtles together to protect and care for the National Seashore so that it may be enjoyed for generations to come. Partners and Concessions Increasingly, partnerships are an essential and ef- In 2016 the National Park Service will celebrate 100 years of connecting people fective means for the National Park Service to fulfill to America’s Best Idea—our National Parks. As we approach our Centennial year, parts of our mission and foster a shared sense of stewardship that is crucial for our future. Padre Island we want to introduce or reintroduce the National Park Service to all Americans. I National Seashore would like to thank its partners for encourage you to find your park—that special National Park site that you connect the continued services they have offered to the park’s with and want to visit over and over again. And I hope you will find it here, at Padre visitors throughout the years. Island National Seashore. Western National Parks Association Nature Store, located inside Malaquite Visitor Center, is a nonprofit partner of the park that provides support for park programs using proceeds from sales of edu- Mark Spier, Superintendent cational books, field guides, games, and other items. For more information, visit their website at wnpa.org or call (361)949-8069. In this Issue Island Seashore Gift Shop, located at Malaquite Pavilion, is a general concessions store. They offer Superintendent’s Greeting....................................................2 snacks, ice, souvenirs, beach equipment rentals, toys, Things to Do...........................................................................3 and apparel, as well as bait and tackle. For more King of the Hill or End of the Line?......................................5 information, call (361)949-9368. Which Beach Will We Leave Behind?...................................6 Worldwinds Windsurfing, Inc., located at Bird Jewels of the Sky...................................................................7 Island Basin’s windsurfing area, offers lessons and Park Map................................................................................8 rental equipment for windsurfing and kayaking. For An Island Ranching Empire................................................10 more information, visit their website at worldwinds. Top Ten Tips for Traveling Down Island.........................11 net or call (361)949-7472. Different Turtles, Different Needs......................................12 Day Trips to National Parks in Texas..................................14 On the Cover: A calico crab at Big Shell Beach, Padre Island National Parks: The Next Century......................................15 National Seashore. Photo by Kyle Christensen, NPS. Frequently Asked Questions..............................................16 2 The Gulf Breeze Things to Do or Access passes get 50% off camping fees. Malaquite Pavilion has cold-water rinse showers, restrooms, trash bins, and recycling. Malaquite Pavilion parking area has pet-friendly cold-water rinse showers, restrooms, and dumpsters. There are also chemical toilets and dump- Malaquite Beach. NPS photo. sters at the entrance to South Beach. Swimming & Sunbathing Fishing The seashore has about 65 miles of beachfront where Surf fishing is allowed along almost 65 you can swim, sunbathe, or just relax on the beach. miles of park shoreline free with your Malaquite Beach and Pavilion offer a family-friendly area entrance pass. Anglers can also enjoy closed to vehicles, fishing, and pets. No lifeguards are fishing by boat or wade fishing at Bird present. Malaquite Pavilion has cold-water rinse show- Island Basin for a fee of $5.00/day or ers and restrooms. Pet-friendly beach access trails, cold- with a $10.00 annual pass (in addition water rinse showers, and restrooms are located in the to the park entrance fee). Anglers must Malaquite Pavilion parking area. There are also chemical meet Texas fishing license requirements toilets at the entrance to South Beach. and follow state regulations. Surf fishing. NPS photo. Malaquite Campground. NPS photo. Camping Windsurfing & Kayaking Whether you want to camp along the beach or the bay, Bird Island Basin is one of the top windsurfing areas in near restrooms or in a remote area, we have camping the nation. Conditions in the opportunities for tents and RVs. Leashed pets are al- Laguna Madre are great for lowed in all camping areas. both windsurfing and kayak- ing. You can bring your own Malaquite Campground, tucked in the dunes along the equipment or rent equip- Gulf, is $8.00/night (in addition to the park entrance ment and even take lessons fee). It has cold-water showers, flush toilets, picnic at Worldwinds Windsurfing tables, shade structures, a gray/black water dump sta- concessionaire (361-949- tion, a potable water filling station, and paved parking. 7472). A Bird Island Basin Bird Island Basin, located along the Laguna Madre Bay, day use fee of $5.00/day, is $5.00/day or $10.00 for an annual pass (in addition or a $10.00 annual pass, is to the park entrance fee). It has a vault toilet and gravel required (in addition to the parking. Primitive beach camping at your own risk along park entrance fee). more than 60 miles of the park’s shoreline and at Yar- Photo courtesy of Worldwinds Windsurfing, Inc. borough Pass is free with your entrance pass. You can also windsurf or kayak in the Gulf of Mexico along the entire shoreline There are no RV hook-ups in the park. All camping is of the park free with your park entrance pass. first-come, first-served (no reservations). Permits are required for all camping. Those with Interagency Senior The Gulf Breeze 3 More Things to Do on the sand with a beach wheelchair, available free for loan at Malaquite Visitor Center. Grasslands Nature Trail offers a paved, accessible view of rare coastal prarie Bird Island Basin. NPS photo. habitat. You can also walk to Novillo Line Camp and see where cowboys once corraled cattle. Boating Beachcombing Bird Island Basin boat ramp is a popular spot for boaters Beachcombing for to access the Laguna Madre. It provides parking spaces shells, sea beans, and for 106 vehicles with trailers, 4 vehicles without trailers, other items is a fun and 4 vehicles with disabled parking permits. A day use way to enjoy the park’s fee of $5.00/day, or a $10.00 annual pass, is required (in shoreline. If you have a addition to the park entrance fee). 4-wheel drive vehicle, Little Shell and Big Shell beaches can be Beachcombing. NPS photo. Picnicking especially productive areas for this activity. You can picnic anywhere on the beach. Picnic tables and shade structures are provided at Malaquite Pavilion, on Malaquite Beach, and at the Picnic Shelter located at the Attending a Ranger Program northern end of the Malaquite parking area. Park Rangers offer a variety of programs free of charge. Programs are subject to change. Call the Visitor Center at (361)949-8069 for more Birdwatching information. Padre Island provides habitat for over 380 bird species and a critical rest stop for Beach Walk Evening Program tens of thousands of birds during spring Offered year-round. See what Offered winter. Enjoy a starlit Birdwatching. NPS photo. and fall migration. Birders come from all you discover on this easy 45-60 program on various topics at the over the world to see the incredible vari- minute stroll. campground amphitheater. ety and number of birds in the park. Join a free guided Deck Talk Star Party bird tour, borrow a pair of binoculars from the visitor Offered year-round. See and Offered winter. View and center free of charge, and discover the fun of birding.