Port Aransas South Jetty

09/11/2024

Hurricane Francine is hundreds of miles away, heading toward Louisiana this morning this morning, but some of its waves are hitting the beach in Port Aransas, to the delight of surfers. This video was shot from Horace Caldwell Pier.
High tides from the hurricane largely have flooded the beach.
(South Jetty staff video © 2024 by Dan Parker.)

09/10/2024

A mayoral proclamation has closed Port Aransas beaches to camping from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. tonight and tomorrow night (Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 10 and 11) due to the extra-high tides that are expected from Tropical Storm Francine.
Francine isn’t expected to hit Port Aransas, but its tides might swamp much of the beach. The storm has been forecast to become a hurricane as it heads north toward a predicted landfall in Louisiana.

09/10/2024

https://www.portasouthjetty.com/articles/francine-to-become-hurricane-heading-to-louisiana/
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Tropical Storm Francine is expected to become a hurricane today (Tuesday, Sept. 10) but produce relatively few effects on Port Aransas. Early this morning (Tuesday, Sept. 10), Francine was located offshore, near east of the Texas-Mexico border, and it was heading north-northeast toward a predicted l...

09/09/2024

Here's an update on the weather situation. (Free access to this story.)

A tropical storm watch is in effect for South Texas today (Monday, Sept. 9) through Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service reported. The weather system, which is expected to become a tropical storm today, has been moving generally north-northwest from the southwest Gulf of Mexico for the pa...

09/08/2024

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A tropical system in the southwest Gulf of Mexico is forecast to become a tropical storm on Monday as it moves northwestward to northward near or along the Gulf coast, according to the National Hurricane Center. The system has been predicted to become a hurricane before it reaches the northwestern G...

09/07/2024

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A tropical disturbance now has a 70 percent chance of development over the southwest Gulf of Mexico within the next seven days, according to a statement issued today (Saturday, Sept. 7) by the National Weather Service office in Corpus Christi. Following is the rest of the statement, verbatim: A Coas...

09/07/2024

Fish Friday: Patrick Robins of San Antonio caught and released a 60-pound sailfish on a 12-hour federal water trip on Wednesday, Aug. 21. He was fishing aboard the Gulf Eagle with Capt. Kevin Haller out of Deep Sea Headquarters.

09/07/2024

Due to weather, officials have cancelled the Moth Lighting event that had been scheduled for tonight at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center in Port Aransas.
The plan was to set up lights to attract moths and other nocturnal insects. A city parks and recreation department worker was going to be there to identify various species.
Keep watching the South Jetty newspaper to see if the event is rescheduled. The print version is sold all over Port Aransas, and we're online at

The South Jetty is a weekly newspaper in Port Aransas, Texas on Mustang Island. We publish on Thursdays. Visit our Web site to subscribe to print and/or online editions.

09/06/2024

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Removal of beach “infrastructure” has begun because of unusually high tides that could be within the next week as a result of tropical activity in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a notice issued today (Friday, Sept. 6) by the City of Port Aransas. Items normally removed from the beach ahead of ...

09/05/2024

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Ferry operations will “pause” for less than an hour tonight (Thursday, Sept. 5) in connection with ongoing construction on the Port Aransas side of the landings, according to a news release issued today by the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT). “The pause is scheduled to begin at ...

09/04/2024

The 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is coming up. Becky Vlasak and Lynn Hanson live in Port Aransas today, but in 2001, they were Washington D.C. area residents who witnessed a hijacked airplane flying low over the city moments before it crashed into the Pentagon in the 9/11 attacks. Their recollections of that day are in this week’s edition of the South Jetty, hitting newsstands all over Port Aransas today.
Here are some more headlines in this week’s South Jetty:
• Creepy dolls found on beach;
• Boat crash that killed Port Aransas fishing guide two years ago remains under investigation;
• Art center reception scheduled Friday;
• Hundreds to run in cross-country meet in Port Aransas Saturday;
• Recreational snapper season to close Friday;
• Deadline nears for environmental award nominations;
• Port Aransas city budget to be approved soon;
• House on 12th Street to get historical marker;
• Fall softball league for adults organizing;
• Tarpon fishing was Mustang Island game changer many years ago.
And check out our photos of what the Labor Day weekend scene looked like in Port Aransas!
The South Jetty is the most accurate and comprehensive source of news on all things Port Aransas. Subscribe to the print and/or online editions of the South Jetty at www.portasouthjetty.com.

08/31/2024

Lots of folks are enjoying the beach in Port Aransas today, the first day of Labor Day weekend. This view is looking south from Horace Caldwell Pier. (South Jetty staff photo © 2024 by Lee Harrison.)
Watch for more Labor Day weekend coverage in the Sept. 5 edition of the South Jetty newspaper. The newspaper is sold at stores all over town and is available online at www.portasouthjetty.com.

08/30/2024

Fish Friday: Ruth Maspero of Port Aransas caught the first-place 64.9-pound wahoo at the 2024 Texas Woman Angler Tournament held Friday through Sunday, Aug. 23 through 25. She was fishing aboard the Big Trouble.

08/30/2024

Port Aransas city workers Dylan Stebbins, right, and Seth Sutterfield, left, were hanging American flags along Alister Street this morning in observance of the upcoming Labor Day weekend. (South Jetty staff photo © 2024 by Lee Harrison.)

08/28/2024

We’ve got some news on the Port of Corpus Christi’s proposal to build a desalination plant on Harbor Island. (Harbor Island is in the foreground of this photo. Across the Corpus Christi Ship Channel is Roberts Point Park and the rest of Port Aransas.) Port officials previously have proposed that wastewater from the plant be discharged into the pictured channel, but they more recently have been talking about situating the discharge site offshore, in the Gulf of Mexico, instead. Get the details in this week’s edition of the South Jetty, hitting newsstands all over Port Aransas today.
Here are some more headlines in this week’s South Jetty:
• Planned Port Aransas recreation center to be multifaceted;
• Port Aransas runners top other teams at meet;
• International students enjoy working in Port Aransas;
• UTMSI researchers conduct wetlands study;
• School board to OK tax rate, budget;
• Port Aransas city boards get new members;
• City offices closing Monday for Labor Day.
And check out our photos of the decorated boats and costumed competitors who took part in the Texas Women Anglers Touranment.
The South Jetty is the most accurate and comprehensive source of news on all things Port Aransas. Subscribe to the print and/or online editions of the South Jetty at www.portasouthjetty.com.

08/28/2024

A pet adoption day is set Saturday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Island Pet Company. The event is co-hosted by Salty Paws of Port Aransas and the Port Aransas Animal Shelter. The Island Pet Company is located at 110 W. Brundrett Ave. Find out more details at

Looking for a new furry family member? Pet lovers are invited to an adoption and play day on Saturday, Aug. 31, at Island Pet Company, 110 W. Brundrett Ave. Dogs and cats from the Port Aransas Animal Shelter will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., all hoping to find a new family and their forever ho...

08/26/2024

A new Navy ship, the USS Kingsville, passes by the pier at Roberts Point Park today as folks at the park look on. The vessel was commissioned on Saturday in Corpus Christi. (South Jetty staff video © 2024 by Lee Harrison.)
Watch for more on the ship in the Aug. 29 edition of the South Jetty newspaper, available on news stands all over Port Aransas and online at www.portasouthjetty.com.

08/25/2024

Today is the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Harvey’s 2017 strike on Port Aransas. This aerial photo was shot by South Jetty co-publisher Murray Judson two days after the hurricane hit.
That's East Street in the foreground. Tarrant Avenue is the next street back. The next street further back is East Cotter Avenue. The Dunes condominium can be seen in the background.
Before making landfall in Port Aransas, Harvey grew rapidly from a tropical depression to a major hurricane in just about 40 hours. When the hurricane hit, it carried 132 mph wind gusts and a storm surge of 6 to 7 feet.
The huge storm inflicted heavy damage to hundreds of buildings in Port Aransas, eventually requiring many millions of dollars to repair or replace them.
Seven years later, most all private property owners in town have repaired or replaced buildings that were damaged by Harvey. Many city, county, state and federal government facilities also have been repaired, but a few city projects remain unfinished.
On news stands now, the Aug. 22 edition of the South Jetty includes more Harvey photos and a story about Harvey-related city facility replacement projects that remain underway.
(South Jetty staff photo © 2024 by Murray Judson.)

08/25/2024

Synchronized swimming (of a sort) was happening at the Texas Women Anglers Tournament in Port Aransas today.
Check out the tournament results, plus photos, in the next edition of the South Jetty newspaper, hitting news stands all over Port Aransas on Wednesday, Aug. 28. Online, you can see the paper at www.portasouthjetty.com.
(South Jetty staff video © 2024 by Dan Parker.)

08/25/2024

Competitors dressed up, sang and danced at the Texas Women Anglers Tournament at Fisherman's Wharf in Port Aransas today. Oh, and they also caught a lot of fish!
The Aug. 29 South Jetty newspaper will have full results of the tournament. The newspaper is sold at stores all over Port Aransas and is available online at www.portasouthjetty.com.
(South Jetty staff video © 2024 by Dan Parker.)

08/24/2024

A boat parade in support of presidential candidate Donald Trump cruises past Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas today. (South Jetty staff video © 2024 by Dan Parker.)
The parade started in Rockport and went through Aransas Pass before ending in Port Aransas.

08/24/2024

The city's Parks and Recreation Department hosted a "glow party" at the pool at Port Aransas Community Park tonight. Colorfully glowing toys were part of the fun. (South Jetty staff video © 2024 by Lee Harrison.)

08/23/2024

Big Oops!

The 2024 Fall Visitors' Guide is mislabeled as the Spring Visitors' Guide. Our apologies!

We're "springing" into fall with the 2024 Fall Visitors' Guide. All the content is up to date for all of the fall activities residents and visitors alike enjoy.

08/23/2024

Fish Friday: Andrew Iberra, left, shows a kingfish, the tail of which was bitten off by a shark as Andrew was reeling the catch in on a recent day. Standing with him is his father, Jessie Iberra. The shark also bit into a kingfish caught by Jessie. Father and son were aboard the Wharf Cat, on a trip out of Port Aransas. The Iberras are Portland residents.
You can find lots more fishing news every week in the South Jetty newspaper, available on news stands all over Port Aransas and online at www.portasouthjetty.com.

08/23/2024

Don’t panic if you see smoke over Port Aransas today – Friday, Aug. 23.
A prescribed burn of about one acre of land is planned at the Port Aransas Nature Preserve at Charlie’s Pasture.
The area of grass and brush to be burned was left over from a prescribed burn that was conducted on Aug. 5, according to Rae Mooney, manager of the nature preserve.
She said she expects the burn to start between 1 and 2 p.m. and hopefully last less than one hour.
It will take place in the southern part of the preserve, between an observation tower and Mustang Beach Airport.
The closest structure reportedly will be about 1,700 feet away. Flames aren’t expected to spread beyond the area designated for the burn because it is surrounded by the area that already burned, plus sand and wetlands, which means little additional fuel for the fire, Mooney said.
The prescribed burns are design to cut back on brush and invasive plants such as the Brazilian pepper tree. Reducing brush will help maintain the grasslands that are native to the area, Mooney said.

08/22/2024

Throwback Thursday: Workmen place the roof on an addition to the sanctuary at Community Presbyterian Church in Port Aransas on a day in 1993. The work included realigning the sanctuary and moving the altar from the north side of the building to the east. The addition cost about $118,000, church elder Bill Otten said at the time. The congregation had $103,000 in cash and another $13,000 in pledges when construction began.
Years later, the sanctuary building was demolished as a result of damage sustained during Hurricane Harvey, which struck Port Aransas in 2017. Work recently began on a project to build a new sanctuary building on the site.
This photo originally appeared in the July 1, 1993 edition of the South Jetty newspaper. If you want to know all about Port Aransas, past and present, check out the South Jetty, available on news stands all over town and online at

08/21/2024

Cars and trucks travel on State Highway 361 just south of Beach Access Road 1 in Port Aransas on Monday, Aug. 19. (South Jetty staff photo © 2024 by Dan Parker.) The Texas Department of Transportation has plans to widen the highway between Beach Access Road 1 and Park Road 22, but construction isn’t expected to begin for at least six years. Get the details in this week’s edition of the South Jetty, hitting newsstands all over Port Aransas today.
Here are some more headlines in this week’s South Jetty:
• City parks official updates situation involving Boots the alligator;
• Help needed for ‘super heroes’ event;
• Shrimp boat leaves beach after being stuck for days;
• Anglers reeling in red snapper;
• Port A remains busy with rebuilds at Harvey anniversary;
• Fishing licenses expire next week;
• City budget funds large projects around Port Aransas;
• Officials launching updated hunting and fishing app;
• Superintendent testifies at capitol on windstorm insurance;
• Driver in fatal 361 wreck identified;
• Pool party set.
Also in this issue, check out our photos of Port Aransas High School’s cross-country team training and competing.
The South Jetty is the most accurate and comprehensive source of news on all things Port Aransas. Subscribe to the print and/or online editions of the South Jetty at www.portasouthjetty.com.

08/20/2024

A fiber line problem is disrupting calls to the Port Aransas Police Department's non-emergency landline number, (361) 749-6241, according to a statement issued by City Hall late this afternoon.
Anyone who needs to reach police about a non-emergency matter can reach the department by calling (361) 533-4785.
The 911 emergency line still is working.
The timeline for getting service restored to the regular non-emergency line is uncertain.