Loraine Daly

“ A steel rod to thrust into the heart of Padre is weapon enough to reward the hunter with his own intimate glimpse of its vibrant past. The rod may only produce the false alarm sound of a buried coconut, or, maybe, it will discover the glittering loot of one who never returned. ”

“ Many millions of trees shade the Valley. Belle of them all is the Royal Poinciana, a gorgeous, flowering tree with deep red blossoms. More than fifteen varieties of palm trees thrive here, ranging from the three or four foot ornamental palmetto to the stately date and the majestic one hundred foot tall Royal Palms. To plant a palm is to insure a share in eternity, since palms are said to live forever. ”

“ For the fisherman who prefers a lure, advice from Padre Island is, “Fish, like men, are attracted by an extra bit of finery; those little frills that transform the ordinary into a ravishing dish so delectable that they can’t be ignored. ”

“ As one moves off the International Bridge at Matamoros, the elaborate mansions of the Mexican cotton and oil barons dominate the landscape with their architectural blends of ultra modern and traditional Spanish design. Hundreds of curio shops invite the tourists to buy anything from a live goat to a five hundred dollar pair of boots. As in many Mexican cities, the life of the community throbs around the market place, which is afire with color. There is always activity, with strolling musicians and romantic couples. ”

“ The holiday spirit, like the tropical warmth, never really seems to leave Padre Island and the Rio Grande Valley. All year long there is something going on that creates crowds, costumes, parades and a spirit of excitement and fun. ”

“ Here thrived humanity at its most intense pitch. Adventure, somehow, often seeks islands in which to ferment. Here were wars, savages dueling with royalty, romances of Indian princesses, pirates’ revenge, blood-soaked buried treasures, conquerors’ defeats, resting places of high-spirited explorers, refuges for thieves, scoundrels, and for idealists. ”

“ Deer and javelina, sometimes known as the peccary, are easily hunted on one and two day camping trips in the Rio Grande Valley.
For the simpler sports, hikers can enjoy a trip down the hard-packed sand beach of Padre or explore the thousands of sand dunes. Treasure hunting is also a funtime sport.
Camping out doesn’t necessitate any quantity of 48 stream-lined equipment. Most of the time one can sleep under the stars with no fear of rain or cold weather. The broad expanse of room provides plenty of activity for children, while adults may relax and enjoy the sea breezes. ”

“ On Padre Island, and in the surrounding Rio Grande Valley, are many and varied forms of recreation. Between Padre and the Texas coast lie the teeming waters of the famous Laguna Madre, where many varieties of fish await to challenge the fisherman. Whether he prefers fishing in the bay, from the jetties, surf fishing or deep sea fishing, this area provides many thrilling catches for the sportsman. ”

“ Residents and tourists on Padre Island and in the Valley can enjoy the indulgences of modern life in growing cities. Yet, if they want to take a step into the past to arrest the tempo of contemporary living, they can cross the border into Mexico’s picturesque towns and villages. These border towns are the gateways to the great Mexican cities of Monterrey, Saltillo, Guadalajara, Mexico City and other interior points. Visits to the border cities are uncomplicated by red tape. ”

“ With only three semitropical beach areas in the United States, the southern parts of Florida, California, and Texas, Padre is the largest and last undeveloped warm water beach area left. On Valentine’s Day, 1954, the beautiful Queen Isabella Causeway opened at the southern tip of the island.
The climate is as good as Miami’s, and it is blessed with one of the finest white sand beaches in the world. 50 Laguna Madre is a natural water sports basin, and the deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is already world famous. ”

“ Around the corner from Padre, bordering the Valley, is the gay flavor of Mexico. Visits to the border towns are gala occasions, with little or no red tape. Dollars meet their usual welcome.
Opposite the northern tip of Padre Island is the booming city of Corpus Christi, one of the country’s most beautiful coastal towns. On the mainland, beside the long stretch of the island, Texas presents its most historical and natural points of interest.
To playfolk who want year-round resort recreation; to hunters and fishermen or to treasure hunters and those interested in legends and wildlife ”

“ Respectable people, as well as robbers of the sea, often used Mother Earth as a safe hiding place. The owner of a buried cache often met death at the hands of Indians without having revealed to anyone the location of his valuables.
Money Hill is a sand dune reputed to be filled with a fortune of old coins, silver, gold and jewelry, hidden by John Singer. Some say that the real Money Hill is near Padre Beach, others say at the north end of Padre Island, and still others hold that it is on neighboring Mustang Island. ”

“ Artists frequently dot the beach to catch the vivid colors on their canvasses, so inspiring is the natural beauty of sea and sand.
Romping in the Gulf is considered safe because of long reaches of shallow water. The towns of the Valley offer golfing, auto races, horseback riding, wrestling, bowling, roller skating and swimming in the modern resort hotel and motel pools. Each year a Walkathon is held on Padre Island, in which the contestants must restrict their gait to a walk in covering the distance of the length of the island. ”

“ Formations of white pelicans chase tiny fish across the shallow water. It is surprising to see the apparently awkward brown pelicans dive like efficient machines. West Indian Negroes claim they have seen these birds seize fish six or eight feet under water. Soaring with what seems like a single wingbeat against the sky, the gulls and terns, airy wanderers all, shed their earthbound clumsiness to marvelously graceful flight. ”

“ They temporarily abandon the heavens. With noisy disharmony, they act out one of nature’s greatest dramas, the perpetuation of the species. On Padre itself, and on small nearby islands in the Laguna, as well as in certain areas along the coast of the mainland, they nest side by side and squawk and squabble as they raise their young.
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One’s first sight of such a nesting place is a vivid experience. On the sand and shell of the beach lie the speckled eggs of shearwaters and terns. In the low-growing brush are nests of ibis, egrets, spoonbills and herons. ”

“ Green Island, nearby and lushly overgrown with forests of ebony and cactus, lures birds that ride the winds for hundreds, or even thousands of miles; flamingos from Bermuda, yellow-billed tropic birds from the Antilles come to visit. Most frequent visitors are great black-winged fliers known as frigate birds. These pirates (who are too lazy to hunt their own food) , force, with buffeting wings, the gulls to disgorge fish in their craws, seizing the prey while still airborne. ”

“ Under Spanish architecture one hears soft Castilian spoken. The strong influence of ancient Mexican-Indian cultures survives in the rich-hued dresses of the local women, colorful comic wear, quaint customs, and many spicy border dishes. Exquisite inns with modern facades nestle in lush vegetation. The PORT OF BROWNSVILLE, western terminus of the Intracoastal Canal, serves as an outlet to world markets 30 for the South Texas and northern Mexico area. ”

“ Flirt with the fish; doll up your hook. Sheath a common hook in the latest styles of feather, set it off with just the right touch of glittering metal, and often the fish just can’t resist it. A pork rind, one of the most widely used baits, can be added to a spoon with devastating effect. It improves the action of the wobbling spoon and will often produce strikes when nothing seems to do the trick.”
One of the most interesting natural features of 47 the Padre Island area is its proximity to the only truly deep area in the entire Gulf of Mexico, Sigsbee’s Deep. ”

“ For ages Laguna Madre has sheltered myriad varieties of fish and shellfish, providing bounteous banquets for wildlife frequenting her shores.
Among the animals native to Padre are ’possum, jackrabbits, ground squirrels and pocket gophers. The days of the Padre coyote are limited due to encroaching civilization. People along the border swear the coyotes are fish eaters, also, and use their tails for fishing. ”

“ Many 20 sportsmen feel it is more humane to hunt with trained falcons than guns, since the game is either killed instantly or escapes unharmed. The fact that it was not generally known falcons winter on Padre Island until recently made them comparatively safe, but their numbers are rapidly diminishing now that they are being molested. ”

“ Padre intruded into history in the 1500’s, when one of the earliest explorers, and certainly one of the earliest winter tourists, Alonso Olvarez de Piñeda, set foot on its coast to open the door to the New World. Next in the parade of travellers was Cabeza de Vaca, who stepped ashore at the southern tip of the island. La Salle and De Soto also briefly touched Padre, and even Cortez (and Drake, in later history) explored the island on the way to conquest.
Fierce Indians were first masters of the island. ”

“ Across the Rio Grande from Brownsville is one of the largest border towns, MATAMOROS, a wealthy metropolis of one hundred thousand people. Here, there is a beautiful modern residential section. THE FRENCH OPERA HOUSE was built a century ago at the whim of Empress Carlotta, during the French occupation of Mexico. ”

“ For three years the island remained deserted, until still another episode in its colorful history unfolded with the wrecking of the three-masted schooner of the illustrious Singer family, of sewing machine fame. Captain of the ship was John Singer, brother of the founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. John Singer then built a house, brought cattle from the mainland, and raised a family at Rancho Santa Cruz, the same site used earlier by Father Balli. ”

“ He is about two feet tall, with a tail as long as its body, a ridiculous crest, stubby wings, rarely used and blue, mocking eyes, circled with yellow rings and shaded with eyelashes a movie star might envy. He is famous for his cocky self-assured air. ”

“ Pelicans pick the more open portions of the islands to hatch their young in nests that are little more than flattened places in the grass. When flying into these areas in a small plane, as research workers often do, birds retreat in stampedes. ”

“ Padre’s hard sandy beach road served perfectly for the movement of troops. General Zachary Taylor’s troops marched down the long slender isle and used it as a camping ground during the United States-Mexican War in 1846, as later did the Federal troops during the Civil War. General Sheridan blew apart the Singer Ranch on his way to give impetus to the French withdrawal from Mexico. As the Imperialists left Mexico, Carlotta’s faithful Belgians sought refuge here on the island. ”

“ It offers a full week of entertainment, with trips to Padre Island and Mexico. Of course, players are limited to those over forty. In June, Harlingen holds the COTTON FESTIVAL when the nation’s first bale is harvested usually in the Mission area.
At Mercedes, the RIO GRANDE VALLEY LIVESTOCK SHOW AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RODEO every March offers stars from the entertainment world, big names from the rodeo circuit, marching bands, and an opportunity to view prize cattle and livestock of all kinds. The Future Farmers of America play a big role in this show. ”

“ From Port Isabel to the island, one mounts the three million dollar, two and one-half mile long Queen 24 Isabella Causeway. Oldest of the three causeways is a wooden one which hops along the chain of islands from the mainland city of Aransas Pass, the Mustang Island community of Port Aransas, famous fishing haven. The fourth causeway is being planned to cross the Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield.
In the not too distant future, a scenic paved, multi-million dollar highway, reaching the full length of Padre Island, is in prospect. ”

“ Blue-winged teal, or pintails, arrive in October. By November first there will be a quarter of a million ducks; sometimes two million birds in all are on the refuge at one time. Flights of ten thousand ducks in one flock are not uncommon. ”