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CJ ending his day with just as much power surfing as he started with.

Sometime around mid-morning, the crumbly conditions lifted and good form started showing. It started getting pretty hollow straight out front during the heat of the day. The sun was out full force, the air was hot and the winds weren't too bad. It was definetely the time to be on it. Even if it was siesta time, the waves were calling.

By late afternoon the size was gone. Still fun, but the juice had stopped flowing. People were milking every bit of the swell though. No one would let go, and rightfully so. Even at a small waist high, the lines were much more groomed than a windswell. As the sun set, ending this fine day, a handful of surfers were slashing the waves like they still had all the energy in the world. Surfers that had started their day dropping into head high mini bombs, ended it with enthusiasm on the waist high left-overs. It takes a lot more than a little bit of wind chop to stop the stoke of a Texas surfer. If there's waves, they are on it!

Just like Pipe, eh brah?
Sort of, yes. South Padre is just like the rest of the world's popular breaks in that it experiences a huge crowd when the surf is big. Anytime there is groundswell in the water, you will likely find the jetties' parking lot full of cars that have bug guts spattered all over the windshield from driving all night.
"It's always been that way, even before internet sites and swell maps. If Galveston broke like that, we'd drive up there. Next time, I'm going to Corpus to surf an empty line-up." -spi surfer
One thing that is different than the old days, is that there are even more surfers in the water than ever. Crowded breaks all over the world have become the norm and surfers are learning to live with that. Long ago, as the crowds started building, a surf etiquette was formed. It was done for safety and for good times. Just as we need rules on the highway to keep cars from slamming into each other, we need rules in the water to avoid the same. With crowds at an all time high, these rules are even more important.
On top of right-of-way, there is also a respect issue. Not many surfers would travel halfway around the world and then dis-respect the local by paddling around him, at the last minute of an oncoming set, trying to out-position him on the peak. Actions such as that get looked down upon and chances are, the local will get upset. Any surfer would get upset. It's not so much a feeling of ownership, just plain and simple respect. Chances are that local surfer has been waiting for a long time to see his backyard go off. Having someone show up at the last minute, paddle around to out-postition or drop in on him is going to upset him. No matter what part of the world it happens in.
So, just like Pipe, come on down and share the stoke. Aknowledge the people that live at the break and you will find a little respect will go a long way.