Leaving Harlingen, we continued to Port Isabel (pop. 4,900), less than an hour's drive away. This picture was taken atop the Port Isabel Lighthouse.
On the horizon is South Padre Island with its numerous hotels. South Padre Island is one of many barrier islands that run parallel to the Texas coast protecting it from high tides, storms, and erosion.
The body of water between Port Isabel and South Padre Island is Laguna Madre. On the other side of South Padre Island is the Gulf of Mexico.
In the foreground is the restaurant Pirate's Landing; the food and service were excellent on the particular afternoon we were there. Between Pirate's Landing and the pier is a huge yellow fly fishing rod. It's a Guinness World Record holder, projecting into the air at 71 feet, 4.5 inches long (21.75 m).
On the right is the Queen Isabella Causeway. Completed in 1974, it connects Port Isabel to South Padre Island. At 2.37 miles (3.81 km), it's the longest bridge in Texas. This causeway replaced the original 1954 causeway, which was located further south (to the right of the photo). Before the causeways, people had to go by ferry.
On September 15, 2001, ferry travel returned after four loaded barges hit the causeway taking out two 80-foot (24.4 m) sections; a third 80-foot section collapsed later. Cars plunged into the 50-foot (15.24 m) deep Laguna Madre; eight people died in the disaster. The causeway was reopened on November 21, 2001.
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