Neptune's Needle

Long, narrow, bow-shaped sand barrier isl., on W coast of Gulf of Mexico, S Texas; c.115 miles long, less than 3 miles wide. Separated from mainland by Laguna Madre through which passes the Intracoastal Waterway. Small channel at N end separating it from Mustang Isl. has been filled; N end is opposite city of Corpus Christi (W), connected to it by causeway. Separated from Brazos Isl. on S end by Brazos Santiago Pass, 8 miles N of mouth of Rio Grande (Mex. border), Brownsville Shipping Channel enters Gulf through Pass. Causeway connects resort town of South Padre Isl. with Port Isabel, on mainland. Roads at opposite ends of Padre Isl. do not connect. About 35 miles N of S end is man-made Port Mansfield Channel, which splits the isl. in 2 and provides access to Gulf from Port Mansfield on mainland. S part sometimes called South Padre Isl. Padre Island Natl. Seashore extends 80.5 miles from c.15 miles SE of Corpus Christi S to Port Mansfield Channel; park hq. in N.

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Peter Richards