Surf Blog - Part 11

Digging Sand Tunnels Can Kill You

Digging a tunnel in the sand may seem fun and adventurous, but it can quickly kill you or your kids. Find out why you should avoid tunnel digging.

Tunnels are Dangerous

Tunneling in the sand at the beach can kill you or your kids. Digging in the sand at the beach sounds innocent enough, but it’s very dangerous. The most alarming danger is that the sand can easily cave in on top of the person digging it. Tunnels are dug head first, which means the person’s head and arms are going to be inside the tunnel. When the sand falls in on them, they won’t be able to breath or even dig their way out.

Kids Who Died in Sand Tunnels

#1

This 11 year old boy was digging a tunnel at the beach when it caved in on him. His mother was asleep right next to him. She never heard him yell because the sand muffled any noise he may have made. He died right beside her. 11 Year Old Boy Dies in Sand Tunnel

#2

This boy was 14 and also died in a sand tunnel as his mom slept. When she awoke, the boy was buried under 5 feet of sand. She didn’t know this; she thought he’d gone on a walk, so she went for a swim in the ocean. After an hour of her son not returning, the woman asked people to help her find her son; he was found buried a few yards from where she’d been sun bathing. 14 Year Old Boy Dies in Sand Tunnel

#3

This 13 year old boy was found by his own brother, trapped in a sand tunnel he was digging in his back yard in Santa Fe, Texas. This is recent and very close to home. Santa Fe Boy Dies in Tunnel

More Examples

These are only three examples of sand tunnel tragedies. Doing a quick Google search will show you many more examples you can read and even show your children.

Tunnels are a Real Problem

Vehicles Get Stuck and Damaged

Aside from possibly killing you or your kids, tunnels are a problem long after you leave the beach. Even if you put all the sand back into the tunnel, (or giant hole – if you feel the need to build a giant moat around your sandcastle), the sand doesn’t pack down very well. In South Texas, people drive on the beaches very often all year round. It’s very possible for a truck or car to unknowingly drive over your filled-in hole or tunnel, and get stuck. The tire sinks in, the vehicle frame hits the sand, and we have a situation: car stuck in the sand.

People Get Hurt

If your giant hole or tunnel is in a location where driving isn’t allowed, someone is likely to step on the hole and fall in. These nuisances cause sprained ankles and even broken feet.

Tunnels are Traps

When you dig a tunnel at the beach, you are creating a trap. You are the first and most likely victim. If you survive and fill in the hole before you leave the beach, the next most likely victims are other people and vehicles.

Better Ways to Enjoy the Beach

Please don’t dig holes on our beaches. Create sandcastles and other sand sculptures, BBQ, camp out, drink canned beverages, and for crying out loud, take your trash with you. The beach janitors (community service workers and other volunteers) can only clean so much, and there are miles and miles of beach down here. Keeping the beaches clean and hazard free is good for everyone, including you.

Make Money Taking Photos for Texas Surfers

Found in Surfing, East Beach, Sandcastles —

On June 5 at East Beach will be the annual sand castle contest. I want to post pictures that you take at the contest. If I use your picture, I’ll pay you $10. Simply go out to East Beach on June 5, take some pictures of the coolest sand castles, and for every pic of yours that I use in the upcoming blog about the sand castle contest, I’ll send you a check for $10.

Email your pictures to micah[@]texassurfers.com. If I use your picture(s), I’ll use the Texas Surfers watermark on it, and I’ll email you back to get your address so I can send your check. If you have a business, I’ll also promote your business with a mention alongside your picture.

JUNE 5TH IS THIS COMING SATURDAY, so mark your calendar. The more photos you send and the cooler your sandcastles are, the more likely I am to use your picture.

If you’re IN the picture, I’ll mention this in the blog so people know who you are.

The deadline for sending in your photos is midnight, CST, of June 7th.

Riding Bikes with Sharks

Found in Comedy, Funny, Shark, Sharks, Weird —

You gotta see it to believe it.

This is hard to believe but there are pictures for proof: people riding bicycles with sharks.

Source.

New Book! Surfing Corpus Christi & Port Aransas

Found in Surf News, Surfing, Bob Hall Pier, Corpus Christi Surf, Gulf Coast Surfing, Horace Caldwell Pier, Packery Channel, Surf Port Aransas, Surf Shop, Surf Texas, Surfers, Texas Surf Spots —

"Surfing Corpus Christi and Port Aransas" is a new book written by locals Dan Parker and Michelle Christenson, with the help of the Texas Surf Museum. It basically walks you through the history of surfing from way back in the 1950's, up through today.

This book is full of photos of the first surf shops, first surfers, first everything. For example, check out this picture of Benjamin’s from when it was still located on Padre Island in 1979 (click it to make it larger).

Here’s an old photo (look at how the people are dressed at the beach) of Bob Hall Pier in 1962.

This picture reminded me that people have been surfing at my favorite spots since before I was even born. It’s interesting to see what was going on at these spots before I was ever even thought of. Surf spots become “ours,” like we own them because we’re the ones who are out there surfing them all the time, but they were owned long ago; we’re not the first or the last.

Million Dollars Surf Spot in Corpus Christi, 1974:

This book is a must-have if you surf in Corpus Christi or Port Aransas because it’s the story of our life style. You’ll better understand the culture you’re dedicating your life to. Pretty much every page of this book has a photo that says a million things about the history of Texas surf. There are also stories about surfers, surf shops, and storms. There are a lot of pictures of storm surfing, competitions, board makers, you name it. I found a picture of a guy in there that I’ve been surfing along side for several years, and found out he’s been a major player in the South Texas surf culture for his whole life. Before I opened the book, he was just another guy in the lineup.

This book is sure to open your eyes to the fact that surfing in Texas is greater than our lives at the beach. It’s good to feel the connection between us and the past, and to realize we are now part of the story that future surfers will be looking back on.

The book comes out Monday, May 24 and can be purchased at the Texas Surf Museum or by going to this website: www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Here’s a flier that will tell you even more. Please click on the picture to make it large enough to easily read it. And if you get the book, come back here and put a comment telling everyone what pictures and stories you found in it that really interested you.

The Lowdown on Port Aransas

Found in Surf Travel, Surfing, Gulf Coast Surfing, Surf Port Aransas, Surf Texas, Surfing Links, Surfing Websites, Texas Surf Spots —

Know as Port A to locals, Port Aransas is a great place to stay and surf if you're headed to the gulf coast for a surf trip. It's a small beach town, and I'm pretty sure that every single person in Port Aransas knows every single other person in the town (the 2007 census counted 3775 residents).

Live Cam of Port Aransas:

The beach is very long, and has plenty of miles of driving, perfect if you like to drive the beach or want to find a secluded spot to camp out.

Port Aransas is about 45 minutes from Corpus Christi, and a lot more friendly (in my opinion). Corpus Christi is a city, and Port A is a small town, smaller than most. There are plenty of places to stay, including hotels and bed & breakfasts. The Dunes Condos are right on the beach; in fact, the cam view above is provided by The Dunes and the cam is on their building; the perfect place to stay for surfing.

There are also lots of places to eat, and several surf shops where you can buy or rent a surfboard, and get your sunblock and surf wax. For a surf trip, it’s perfect because of the island atmosphere, great waves, and proximity to the city (the city being Corpus Christi). In addition to surfing, there are lots of things to go and do. Here’s a calendar of events you’ll find very useful: Calendar of Events

Here’s a blog dedicated to Port Aransas. It has a lot of information and pictures that you’ll enjoy if you’re considering a trip there. Let’s Go to Port Aransas

This page provides lots of facts about the place. Port A Facts

Map and Directions: This website will help you navigate to Port Aransas; it also has a lot of information on local businesses you’ll want to take a look at to help plan your trip. Map to Port Aransas

Questions?

Post your questions about Port Aransas right here, just scroll down. We’ll help you get them answered so your trip goes smoothly. You don’t have to sign up on Texas Surfers to post a question; you can simply sign in with your Facebook account.

Port Aransas People:

Got a business in Port Aransas? Help tourists find you by putting a free comment below, on this web page. They need to know where to buy surf wax, what hotel to stay in, where to eat, where to buy souvenirs, and more. Help them and help yourself, free of charge, by simply posting a comment right now on this web page. They’ll be glad you did!

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