Surfing Tips

Tips for maximizing your fun and avoiding suffering, when Surfing South Padre Island

Protect Yourself From The Sun and Elements:

The sun is extremely strong here on SPI year round, and water temps range from the mid 80′s in summer to low 70′s in winter.  To be comfortable on the water and after your sessions, SurfSouthPadreIsland.com recommends:

  • strong waterproof sunblock (spf 50, and or heavily zink fortified) on all exposed skin year round
  • a rashguard or surf shirt to further prevent sunburn as well as stomach and chest chaffing in spring, summer and fall
  • sunglasses year round (yes, there are numerous brands of eye protection designed for surfing, which can be purchased at local shops like Air Padre Kiteboarding and Watersports)
  • stay hydrated to prevent dry and burning skin as well as heat sickness and dehydration headaches year round
  • a medium thick (3/2 or similar) wetsuit, for wintertime surfing.  Although the water is never very cold, air temps in the winter can dip into the 50′s.  A 3/2 wetsuit is generally warm enough, although locals acclimated to blazing summertime temperatures can be seen in thicker suits and wearing hoods, gloves, and booties.  Wetsuit and cold water gear can be picked up at one of the many local surf shops including Air Padre Kiteboarding and Watersports.

Protect Your Board

From the Heat and Sun:

  • Keep your board covered and out of the sun when not in the water
  • When leaving your board in the car, keep windows cracked, use sun shields in the window, and keep board in open board bag or under a towel

From Theft

  • Lock your car when parking at the beach, or lock your board inside the boardbag and to the roof rack or truck         bed.  Locking rack straps and bag locks are available at surf shops like Air Padre Kiteboarding and Watersports.

From Sand in Your Wax

  • The sand is very fine on South Padre Island.  It is beautiful and perfect, but also blows around a lot and coats everything that is the least bit wet or sticky.  Protect your clean wax job by never setting your board in the sand, or even on the ground in the parking lots or on the road.

Use Tropical or Warm Water Surfboard Wax Year Round

  • Both tropical and warm water waxes are good year round, although tropical is best in summer, and warm is best in winter.

Freshwater Showers

  • Many of the numerous beach access points on South Padre Island have showers, but some do not, so check if there is a freshwater shower at the beach access before you head out.
  • In Isla Blanca Park there are numerous showers nearby the restrooms at each Pavilion.

Tips for Longboard Surfboard Riders

Ride the Outside Breaks

  • Longboards can generally catch the slopey outside breaks fairly easily, and longboard surfers can enjoy longer rides and less closeouts on the outside break.

Paddle OVER White Water

  • South Padre Island generally enjoys a short period swell, which means a lot of waves, but not a lot of time in between them.   It is generally best to try and paddle longboards over SPI whitewater, unless it is absolutely necessary to roll and go under.  For longboarders there just isnt very much time between waves to recover and continue moving forward after rolling under a wave, before the next one hits.

Tips for Shortboard Surfboard Riders

Master Your Duck Dive

  • Short period swell requires a lot of ducking under whitewater with a quick recovery.

Ride The Inside Breaks

  • Generally the inside breaks are steeper and faster.  The rides are sometimes short, but they are high performance.   Paddling to the outside can earn the biggest waves, but unless it looks really good, the slopey, slower outside break is usually not worth all the extra work.

Plan a Drift Session

  • Drift sessions are fun, easy to arrange, and save surfers a lot of energy while catching more waves.  Drift sessions involve paddling out at one location, and drifting with the wind or current to another location, while surfing waves along the way.   Drift sessions are fun from any starting point on the Island, are interesting because the waves are always changing as you move through different areas, and are less work because you are not fighting the current or wind while trying to stay in one location.    The best way to arrange a drift session is to leave a car where you plan on exiting the water, and then drive, bike, or skate to where you want to start from.  3/4 to 1 mile is typically a good distance to drift, although you can go as far as you want.
  • If you don’t have a car or a bike or skateboard to use as a shuttle, you can arrange for a taxi to meet you at your ending destination where you are leaving your car, and take you to where you want to begin.  Another option is to  catch the free shuttle that circulates the island and ride it to and from your starting and ending destination. The shuttle, ironically called The Wave, makes numerous stops along the beach road (Gulf BLVD) approximately every 1/2 hour.

When its Windy, Go Kiteboarding!

When the Waves are Small, Go SUP!

  • SUP (stand-up-paddle) surfing is super fun and great exercise and balance training.  SUP’s catch small waves easily and are fun to freestyle on
  • Rent a SUP at Air Padre Kiteboarding and paddle directly from the shop into the flat waters of the Laguna Madre Bay to practice, or take it to any ocean beach location.

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