Corpus Christi, Texas, is known as "The Sparkling City by the Sea," and while staying with my parents at their home on North Padre Island this summer, I had the chance to visit some of the local sites and attractions, including those in downtown Corpus Christi Bay, Flour Bluff, and Mustang Island.
Not surprisingly, the Island is home to some beautiful beaches. Warm, southern winds carry salubrious breezes from the Gulf of Mexico to the shore, where strong waves churn the surf day in and out.
My parents' house is within a 15-minute walk of the beach. Every afternoon, I followed the scenic, winding access road until I saw the thin strip of green-blue sloshing ahead past the dunes.
I realized quickly that no two days are the same on the beach. Every day, a new flock of tourists had driven down in their cars, trucks, RVs, and oddball transport (I saw an old, retired ambulance one day) to enjoy the coast. Different-colored flags were hitched to Bob Hall Pier each morning to alert beach goers to hazards, including strong currents and rip tides, jellyfish, man-o-war, and high levels of bacteria in the water.
A variety of fish and wildlife live at the shore, including seagulls, willets, pelicans, great blue herons, snowy egrets, and royal terns. Dunes rise up from the edge of the wrack line, scoured by wind and rain. Morning glories and railroad vines snake down their sides, and sand crabs pop into sight. Located in a humid subtropical region that closely borders a tropical savanna climate, the barrier island is home to some of the softest, most humid air I've felt.
Thankfully, the breeze kept me cool in the 95-degree heat as I frolicked in the waves, admiring the silhouette of a blue heron rising high up on one of the sandy hills or a group of people riding on horseback, or a pod of pelicans flying in a "V" overhead.
*
A sea turtle rides one of the jetties. Gulls pluck mussels from the sargassum. A little girl pulls her dad in the water. A little boy drops his popsicle in the waves.
*
*
One morning, my parents drove us to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, where we went on a boat tour and had the chance to view some of the area's birds as well as whooping cranes. The refuge is one of the last for the giant whooping crane.
Later in my trip, I traveled downtown to walk around and take some pictures of Corpus Christi Bay. It was about a 30-minute drive to the area, but the time was worth it, because the city offers a view of some really interesting streets. Downtown is quiet and serene with shops and businesses located throughout a growing cultural district.
The city's tagline really became evident when I saw some of the pristine white buildings, walls, and gates that had been bleached by the salt and sun.
