Surf Forecast Port Mansfield Jetties
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Port Mansfield Jetties surfspot characteristics
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South Padre Island is a long barrier island, barely half a mile wide and is probably Texas’ best surfing destination. Because Port Mansfield is isolated in the middle of this narrow strip of land, a 4WD is required to drive the sandy 80km (50mi) from Corpus Christi. This means that crowds are minimal at the inlet jetties that help to focus any swell direction into some of the longest, lined-up waves in the state.
General: The town of Port Mansfield lies on the Intracoastal Waterway about 80 miles south of Corpus Christi. By driving over 65 miles of beach, surfers can reach the jetties that protect the pass opening at Port Mansfield. Along the way, you can check the surf at Little Shell and Big Shell, which sometimes spawn hollow, punchy peaks across open stretches of beach. </br></br>The state government and the Army Corps of Engineers frequently dredge the pass near Port Mansfield to maintain the channel for transit between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. In the past, the dredges have pumped the sand onto the north side of the north jetty, which created a long, sweeping point for waves to peel from the tip of the jetty northward along the crescent-shaped beach. The jetties provide outstanding protection from heavy S winds, while still allowing chest-high waves to peel off this makeshift sandy point that can occur during such dredging events. The beaches to the north and south of the Port Mansfield Jetties, as well as the shoals that form between the jetties, possess quite a reputation for handling surf in the eight to 12-foot range, particularly during hurricane season. Tides: Medium Size: Chest high to a couple feet overhead Wind: N, NW or W with a swell pushing in. Strong S work also. Swell: SE, E, NE Bottom: Sand. Paddling: One of the easier paddles in Texas. Spot Rating: Worth the trek if you can time the swell and wind right.
Beginner to advanced
Remote. Four-wheel drive required over miles of beach or boat in.
Late summer/fall; late winter to mid-spring
Crowd Factor: Empty. Local Vibe: Positive.
More power and some rips, plus there's often a sandbar between the jetties, but current and shark factor are high.
Clean.
Isolation, lots of soft sand on the drive from SPI or Corpus.