Island news
Fall into winter on South Padre: the dates worth saving
The Shrimp Cook-Off, the Lighted Boat Parade and January's Market Days, with each date checked against the organizer's own page.
September 2026
Island news
October on the island: Sandcastle Days and Queen Isabella Days
Master sand sculptors at Clayton's October 2–4, and eight days of Queen Isabella Days across the bay in Port Isabel.
Island news
No tropical system is threatening the western Gulf this weekend
The National Hurricane Center's 18 September outlook puts the only Atlantic area it is watching several hundred miles southwest of the Azores.
Beaches & conditions
Bay water is still 86 degrees at Port Isabel
The NOAA gauge read 86.5°F on Friday afternoon, and the coastal forecast keeps the Laguna Madre smooth to light chop into next week.
Fishing report
Fishing report: light east winds and a small tide swing on the Lower Laguna Madre
Friday 18 September — smooth to light chop most of the week, under a foot and a half of tide range, and bay water still at 86 degrees.
Events
The Adopt-A-Beach fall cleanup is Saturday
The Texas General Land Office has its coastwide cleanup on Saturday 19 September at 25 locations from Sea Rim State Park to Boca Chica, and South Padre Island is one of the program's sites.
Events
Sea Turtle Inc.'s Kemp's Krawl 5K is this weekend
The rescue's own events list has the 5K on 19 September, and the new hospital it calls the largest in the world is open Tuesday to Sunday.
Community
Two numbers to keep in your phone if you find a sea turtle
The National Park Service's turtle hotline, Sea Turtle Inc.'s 24-hour line, and what the Park Service asks you to do first.
Island news
Laguna Atascosa's trails are open daily; the Bahia Grande unit is closed
The refuge across the bay is open sunrise to sunset every day of the year, its visitor center Tuesday to Friday — and the unit off Highways 48 and 100 is shut.
All times South Padre Island time.