Boating – One of the number one watersports anywhere there’s water, boating is the most popular way to get out and enjoy the water. With a wide range of sizes and shapes, there’s a boat for just about any activity imaginable, whether it be fishing, skiing, sailing or just pleasure boating.
Surfing – Possibly the most popular watersport behind boating is surfing. The only equipment needed is a surfboard and leash and you’re ready to go. There is a learning curve to getting proficient, but with regular practice, just about anyone can learn to surf and enjoy the waves.
Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP) – One of the fastest growing water sports in recent years is stand up paddle boarding or SUP. It offers a fun, relaxing way to play on the water with a minimum of gear while also providing an excellent full body workout. It consists of a paddleboard, which looks like a surfboard, and a paddle. Paddle boarders can cruise bays, jetties and canals or ride breaking waves while gliding long distances along coastal shorelines.
Kayaking – A great way to get out on the water for fishing, exercise or just having fun. An ideal item to have while on North Padre, this sport has also gained popularity in the past few years and there are many styles and shapes of kayaks to fit any need.
Kite surfing – Also called kiteboarding, this watersport combines aspects of wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing and paragliding into one extreme sport. A kite surfer harnesses the power of the wind with a large kite, somewhat like a small parachute, to be propelled across the water on a kiteboard which is similar to a wakeboard or small surfboard.
Windsurfing – Another water sport that harnesses the wind, it combines elements of surfing and sailing. The board used is usually six to twelve feet long and is propelled by the wind using a sail that is attached to the top of the board. The sport saw a boom in the 1980’s but has been declining in popularity since the late 90’s.
Body boarding – Is a sport similar to surfing in which the body boarder rides waves using a short, rectangular piece of foam to catch and ride a wave. Body boarders usually use swim fins for additional propulsion and stability while riding a wave. This sport is easy to learn and almost anyone can do it if riding small waves.
Skimboarding – This board sport uses a skimboard, which is smaller than a surfboard and without fins, to glide across the water’s surface by getting a running start on land and jumping on the board at the water’s edge. Some skimboaorders prefer to meet incoming, breaking waves, and ride it back to shore while others like to just skim along the surface, doing tricks similar to skateboarding.
Jet Skiing – A recreational watercraft that is smaller than a boat and comes in two basic designs that lets the rider either stand up or sit down. Jet ski is a registered trademark of Kawasaki, but the term is often used to refer to any type of personal watercraft.
Scuba & Snorkeling– Snorkeling and scuba diving are very popular recreational sports that many people have enjoyed since the 1940’s and 50’s. On North Padre and Mustang Island the two types of diving options are jetty diving and offshore diving at rigs. There are two jetties, Packery channel on North Padre Island and the Port Aransas jetties on Mustang Island. Conditions and Water clarity can vary and the best time of the year for good water visibility is normally during the summer months when the winds have let up for several days.
