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General Information
Level:4-10 Season:January 1 — December 31 -
Named after a Catholic priest who was one of the original settlers, this little island is accessed via a causeway from Port Isabel on the mainland. In recent years it has become a popular spring break destination for students and other tourists. It has a long warm season, with average highs around 90-99 F and lows around 77F, and high humidity from June through September. Winter temperatures range between 52 F and 67F.
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Beach
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Beaches are sandy with gentle slopes into the water.
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Wind&Waves
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If you want to surf in Texas, this is the place to be. The continental shelf drops away very close to the shore and the water gets deep fast. Waves can be huge, so paddling out can be difficult but it is easily worth the effort. Isla Blanca Park, at the south end of the island, is the most popular spot with 2-3m waves less than thirty meters from shore. Go a bit further out, and a sandbar will give you regular 4-5m waves after a storm, with 8 second intervals between them. Surf here is consistently good.
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Facilities
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The islands activities are based around water sports, with surfing and dolphin watching the most popular. Other than that, you can go fishing, horseback riding, or join an eco tour. Recently, a music festival has been held on the first weekend of November and has up to 10,000 visitors listening to the wide variety of music played.
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Safety
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Be aware that the waves here are more powerful than elsewhere in Texas. Speak to the locals and learn where the good spots are, and it’ll be fine.