Watersports in The Laguna Madre Bay
The Gulf waters are not the only venue for water sports enthusiasts visiting South Padre Island. The Laguna Madre Bay, between the island and the Texas mainland, offers a variety of ways for visitors to enjoy the water without the big waves.
Perhaps two of the fastest-growing sports at South Padre Island over the past several years are windsurfing and Kiteboarding, and both owe their popularity to the windswept waters of the Laguna Madre.
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Windsurfers head for South Padre to sail the bay because it ranges in depth from three to five feet, and wind speeds average about 18 miles per hour. Some of the more experienced windsurfers also test their skills at other South Padre locations, including the Jetties, Boca Chica, and the Ditch, site of some of the fastest windsurfing speeds achieved in North America.
Kiteboarding is a relatively new water sport in the States, and the Laguna Madre Bay at South Padre Island is widely recognized as one of the best spots in the country to learn and hone your skills. Imagine standing on a surfboard and being dragged across the water by a big parachute, and you’ve got the general idea. More-experienced boarders perform jumps, flips, and aerial tricks, making Kiteboarding as much fun for the observer as for the participant.
Those who want their entertainment to be somewhat less athletic need only check out the many boat charters available on the bay side. Guided boat tours leave the bay several times a day for dolphin watches, sunset cruises, glass-bottom-boat and marine ecology tours, and deep-sea fishing trips.
