Station South Padre Island, Texas 

Photographs by Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam Eggers

 The history of Station South Padre Island

Station South Padre Island has had a life saving presence along the Gulf of Mexico for the last 83 years.  A lifesaving station was established on Boca Chica beach in 1918.  A hurricane destroyed the station on Boca Chica beach sometime before 1924.  In 1924, the lifesaving station was moved to the southern end of South Padre Island to a building that was used to 50 years.  The current station was constructed in 1974, which now houses the main office spaces and duty crew berthing.  Though the old building is still standing, it is now used as an annex for the University of Texas-Brownsville/Texas Southmost College.  In 1998, Station Port Isabel was renamed to Station South Padre Island reflecting the island name and the actual geographic location of the station.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - A 47-foot motor lifeboat and one 33-foot response boats are tied up in Station South Padre Island's boat house while another 33-foot response boat (far right) gets underway on a training mission.  The station received three new 33-foot response boats in June 2006.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - The sun sets on another busy day at Coast Guard Station South Padre Island.  The station is constantly responding to search and rescue cases, illegal migrant cases and illegal narcotic interdiction missions.  South Padre Island's location near the U.S.-Mexico border make it a hotbed for illegal activity.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - A 33-foot response boat chases down a 27-foot boat during illegal narcotic interdiction training at Station South Padre Island.  The 27-foot boats, called Guardians, are being replaced as the station's main law enforcement craft by the new 33-foot response boats.  The new response boats are faster and can comfortably carry more crewmembers and equipment.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Andrea Martynowski stands at the helm of a 30-foot small boat while a 33-foot response boat gives chase during a training exercise.  The small, 30-foot craft are commonly used by fishermen fishing illegally in U.S. waters and by drug smugglers along the Gulf Coast.  These small craft are preferred because they are difficult to see in the open water.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - A crewmember onboard a 33-foot response boat practices shooting a pepperball gun at crewmembers onboard a 30-foot small boat commonly used by fishermen and drug smugglers.  The pepperball gun is a non-lethal way to incapacitate crewmembers piloting craft fleeing the Coast Guard.  The station maintains one of these 30-foot small boats for training purposes.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Samson Ferrell, of Station South Padre Island, fires an M16 rifle during a visit to the firing range.  Crewmembers at the station must train and be prepared to face any kind of law enforcement mission, including the use of multiple types of firearms.  The station works closely with local law enforcement agencies to train their members.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - A Coast Guard crew from Station South Padre Island prepare to board a 30-foot small boat, whose crew is suspected of fishing illegally in U.S. waters.  The captain of the boat shut down his engines and surrendered after seeing two of the new, high-speed 33-foot response boats approaching.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - Two 33-foot response boats from Coast Guard Station South Padre Island briefly pause during a training mission in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  The new boats are intended to increase the station's law enforcement capabilities along the U.S.-Mexico border.