Welcome to South Padre Island located on the Tropical Tip of Texas! Enjoy free real live web cam views of our beautiful beaches with the South Padre Live Beach Cam™, the surf in the Gulf of Mexico with the South Padre Live Surf Cam™, the sunset over the Laguna Madre with the South Padre Live Bay Cam™, and enjoy the fact that all our real live South Padre Island cams are true streaming web cams! These are not fake refresh cams being falsely represented as live! Ours are the only cams on south padre that you can watch as birds fly by or turtles swim! Check live South Padre weather conditions as they are occurring. Book South Padre hotels, condos, and vacation rentals, check out South Padre real estate listings, golf, water sports and activities, surfing lessons, dolphin watch, diving, snorkeling, para sailing, horseback rides, restaurants, RV parks, or charter a fishing trip. Plan your family vacation, South Padre Island beach wedding, or Spring Break to South Padre Island on any of our many sites – We have the best streaming cams with the highest resolution web cams anywhere!!

South Padre Island Sand Castle Days live cams on the beach

Contact: Jerry W. Wilson
President: SouthPadreLivecams.com
Phone: 956-371-3339
Toll free: 877-323-6660
Email: southpadre@rgv.rr.com


October 18, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTH PADRE LIVE LAUNCHES 24 HOUR COVERAGE OF SANDCASTLE DAYS - OCT 21 - 24, 2010

To encourage and motivate participation and attendance to the 23rd annual South Padre Island Sandcastle Days www.SouthPadreLivecams.com, a local media corporation will begin streaming live coverage of 23 of the best sand sculptors in the world as they create amazing masterpieces on the beach in Isla Blanca Park on the South Padre Live Surf Cam in Isla Blanca Park. Amateur and professional sand sculptors from all over the world descend on South Padre Island every year to create beautiful works of art using natural elements of the beach. The not-for-profit event showcases the artwork and an appreciation for the coastal environment, and donates to organizations helping to preserve it. Well known for their coverage of local events and for providing viewers with actual control of the live cameras, South Padre Live will be broadcasting every exciting moment of this year’s showdown in the sand. Master Sand sculptors from as far away as Latvia and Holland will be participating in this year’s competition. Coverage begins as bulldozers start pushing up piles of sand on Monday, Oct. 18. By Tuesday, the sculptors will be hard at work on their massive demo sculpture. Wednesday they will move to their own piles and start packing, pounding and shaving sand into their original personal entry. As early as Thursday spectators will be able to start casting votes for their favorites. By Friday, the sculptures will be taking shape and the vendors will be set up. Sandcastle lessons will be in full swing over at lesson mountain and the Texas State Championship - a two-day contest for the first time in 2010 - will kick off. Saturday is the big day with the addition of the open categories (Youth/Elementary; Youth/Secondary, Adult Teams and Families), more sandcastle lessons, live entertainment and ultimately cash prizes in all categories. By Sunday the sculptures will be completed and available for viewing and voting upon and the vendors will still be up and selling.


Expect sculptures in both the masters and TSC categories to be more elaborate and carefully detailed than in years past. In each case, the sculptors are being given an extra day and so will be able to produce more fully-realized masterpieces. Also new in 2010, the master sculptors have been paired with specific sponsors. Look for clever and creative methods of incorporating the sponsor’s logo into the finished piece.

Several of the sculptors competing here this year placed in the money in this past as well as recent world championships so watch out for amazing sculptures from “heavy hitters” Wilfred Stijger, DanBelcher, Meredith Corson, Dan Doubleday and Karen Fralich. Fred Mallett - former SPI Alderman who has since moved to Port Aransas almost always places wherever he competes. Of course, locals have a bit of an edge in the Peoples Choice voting, so we can expect perennial crowd favorites “Amazin’ Walter” McDonald and his talented daughter Christy (aka “Ruby the Pirate Queen”) to do well in that contest.

South Padre Live features Live Cams covering activities in the South Padre Island area and also feature specials on condos, hotels, motels, and restaurants in the area. There are a great number of packages and deals available to those wanting to come see the week’s festivities. Large crowds are expected this weekend as the weather is forecast to be perfect and the level of skills and talents held by the sculptors is nothing less than amazing. You can see the coverage live now at www.sandcastledays.com . Live coverage includes the activities at Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island and continues to the awards ceremony at Louie’s Backyard on Sunday evening.

South Padre Island Hurricane Dolly Damage Photos

South Padre's Best Web Cams are back on-line

Our Real Live Bay Cam Survived Hurricane Dolly Go Here to operate the cam

Our Real Live Pirate Ship Cam also Survived Dolly's fury on the Port Isabel Side.Go Here to see the Pirate Cam

View both Bay and Pirate cams side by side HereGreat for watching fireworks from two angles at once

One Real Live Beach Cam that Did Survive Dolly We have three new HD Beach Cams that will be on-line soon

Our New Live Mobile Cam is located in our South Padre Live Mobile Internet Broadcast StudioFollow us most every day as we collect photos and videos of the progress of recovery on

South Padre IslandNew Daily photos added are now available Here (Over 500 total)If you don't see what you want-ask usTo request a specific location email it to southpadrenetwork@gmail.com

South Padre Rated Top Destination

South Padre Rated Top Destination
Comes amid banner year for resort
By Jim Forsyth
Thursday, July 3, 2008
South Padre Island is moving up on the list of the top vacation resorts, 1200 WOAI news reports.

Last year, Conde Nast 'Traveler' named South Padre one of the top thirty beaches in the world. Now 'Men's Fitness' Magazine has name South Padre one of the country's 'ten hotspots worth visiting' this summer, and citied activities like body boarding and windsurfing, and that pleases South Padre Convention and Visitors Bureau manager Dan Quandt.

"People who are interested in Men's Fitness magazine, for example, are not couch potato types," he said.

"As a vacation destination, South Padre Island is affordable and the people there are amazingly hospitable," the magazine wrote. "South Padre offers warm, turquoise waters and waves that are perfect for body boarding. Laguna Madre Bay, between the Island and mainland, is home to some of the best windsurfing in the world."

The recognition couldn't come at a better time for South Padre, which is enjoying a boom largely due to the high price of gasoline. It is reinventing itself as Caribbean beach resort that doesn't require a passport, long lines at the airport, or airline baggage check fees.

Quandt says he's not surprised by the magazine's high praise for the people of South Padre Island. He points out that tourism is the sole industry on the Island.

"We have people who are genuinely interested in making sure that our visitors have a good time," he said.

South Padre Photos and beach cams

Why do people with slow refresh web cams call them live cams?

For real live cams visit us at South Padre Live

South Padre is the Tropical Tip of Texas
Welcome to South Padre Island, Texas. You have surfed to the Tropical Tip of Texas for a tour of the Lone Star State's only true tropical island

Ask Google about South Padre IslandAnswers are from actual South Padre Related Web SitesHotels-Motels-Condos-Nightlife-Spring Breakwww.googlesouthpadre.com
South Padre Island is a coastal resort town on the Gulf of Mexico with miles of sandy seashore fun, shopping, dining and water activities. The island is also bordered by the Laguna Madre Bay and is ecologically significant with 34 miles of sand dunes, water birds, shrimp, and the best deep-sea fishing in Texas.Fireworks every Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day.Our High Definition Pan-Tilt-Zoom Beach and Bay Cams are rated as the #1 on-line attraction for South Padre Island Texas>See them belowHere Check out our Mega Live Bay Cam Here

Anyone who has ever crossed the Queen Isabella Causeway can tell you, it is a sight to behold. Spanning two and a half miles across the Laguna Madre Bay, the causeway connects South Padre Island to the mainland of Texas. From the Queen Isabella, the longest bridge in Texas, visitors receive their introduction to paradise. A swell of emotion comes over visitors and residents alike when they catch their first glimpse of the 34 miles of barrier reef that is South Padre Island, the slice of beach with the skyline that has become synonymous with fun, adventure, and relaxation. When visitors arrive on South Padre, they are entering an environment devoted to relaxation first and foremost. To remind everyone of this, the Town of South Padre Island has put up a sign announcing that the island is a "No Tie Zone." Yes, that's right. Wearing a tie on South Padre Island is against the law. The powers-that-be on South Padre want you to leave your cares behind you, and ties are a visible reminder that there is work to do out there in the world. Well, not on South Padre. The only thing you get to work on here is your tan line.

Nature photographers, landscape photographers, wedding photographers, hobby photographers... who doesn't love an excuse to take some photos at the beach? It is human nature to want to take photos of the places we are drawn to personally, so the beach is a great source of inspiration for photographers at all levels.Beach photography can be particularly challenging, even for experienced nature photographers. We are often inspired by the sounds, the smells, the open space; so the job of the photographer is not just to photograph a place, but to capture a feeling.This can make beach photography a deeply personal thing, so your approach to a photo will be guided by what that location means to you. However, there are some easy ways to add impact to your pictures. Here are five simple tips to help you enjoy your next beach photography outing.Beach Photography Tip #1. Time of Day. Every landscape photographer knows that early in the morning and late in the afternoon are the best times for taking outdoor photos. At these times the sunlight is soft and warmly coloured, and shining from a low angle to illuminate most subjects more evenly.This is even more critical at the beach, particularly if your beach has white sand. If you take your photos in the middle of the day, the glare from the sand and the white water will create stark, high-contrast photos that will not do justice to the location. However, when the sun is low it will illuminate the entire scene with much warmer colours. The froth at the waters edge will light up like champagne bubbles, and the whole photo will be richer and more atmospheric.Beach Photography Tip #2. Get Down To The Water's Edge. To get the best beach photos, be prepared to get your feet wet. Down at the water's edge where the sand is wet, your foregrounds will be more colourful, and wiped clean of footprints, tyre tracks and other distractions that can spoil the natural look of a beach photo. You may also discover reflections that add interest to otherwise plain foregrounds.Beach Photography Tip #3. Find An Eye-Catching Feature. A long, empty expanse of white sand with a clear blue sky is perfect for a walk on the beach, but can be too empty and plain for a photograph. You should try to find a feature to build your composition around. Many beaches have a rocky headland at each end; head for the rocks to find a more interesting foreground. Not only will your photos have a stronger focal point; they will also have more appeal for viewers who can identify familiar features in the image.Once you start looking, there are all types of features on a beach that can add interest to your composition; driftwood, shells, rocks, lifesavers' flags...just be creative and the list is endless.Beach Photography Tip #4. Make The Most Of A Good Sky. A clear blue sky at the beach can be a thing of beauty - and can also be a photographer's worst enemy. A great cloud formation can add a whole new dimension to your photo, especially if you can't find anything of interest in the foreground.Even if it quite overcast, don't despair. With a little luck, you might be able to capture the magnificent effect of sunbeams over the water as the sun rises or sets behind the clouds. Remember that beach photos don't always have to be bright and sunny. We see enough of that in advertising and the movies. The photos that stand out from the crowd are often the ones with dark skies and brooding atmosphere, not white sand and blue sky.Beach Photograhy Tip #5. Use Your Wide Angle Lens. A wide-angle lens can be the best way to capture that sense of isolation and distance that you often feel when walking on the beach. The smaller lens exaggerates the perspective, making the background appear to stretch away for many miles and creating a real sense of three-dimensional depth. If you are looking up the beach, you can capture everything from the swirling water right in front of you to the lighthouse in the distance. Even better, the stronger depth of field of the wide-angle lens lets you keep it all in focus.This 'wide-open-spaces' effect can look plain and empty if your scene lacks features, so remember Tips #3 and #4 and make the most of your skies and foregrounds. Obviously the wide-angle lens is not the best option for every photo, but it not a bad place to start if you are looking for ideas.So there you have my five simple tips for beach photography. This is by no means a comprehensive guide. As with all nature photography, beach photography is an adventure that never ends. You never get tired of taking photos, and you never take two photos quite the same. Still, if this little article encourages you to get out there and practice, then you are one step closer to becoming a better photographer.