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Padre Island National SeashoreAn aerial view of the beaches taken probably in the 70s or 80s.
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Padre Island National Seashore
Soundscape / Noise
 
Sea oats and sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico
NPS photo
Sea oats form the foreground for this photo of sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico, when the only sounds are of shorebirds and the lapping of the nearly glass-smooth surf against beach.
The soundscape is almost completely natural. Few ships or aircraft pass to disturb the natural tranquility. Occasionally military or Coast Guard helicopters fly low over the beach, but these disappear quickly. The only major sources of noise are the vehicles and infrequent portable stereos of visitors near the Malaquite Visitors Center. Few of these venture farther than a few miles south of the end of the park road at the entrance to South Beach.
The National Park Service arrowhead contains a white buffalo, an animal sacred to many native Americans.  

Did You Know?
Although Padre Nicolas Balli established the first permanent settlement on the island, the island was previously owned by his father and his grandfather, who obtained the original grant from the Spanish crown?
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Last Updated: August 20, 2006 at 12:20 EST