A Mysterious Sight on South Padre Island
Nestled just a few miles north of South Padre Island’s Beach Access #6 lies an unusual sight that initially appears to be the remnants of a UFO crash. This mysterious structure, buried in the soft sand, is actually an orange capsule measuring 14 feet in diameter. The surface of this object features holes punched into its hull, revealing a hollow interior and no sign of a pilot. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that this is not a spacecraft at all but rather an oil rig escape pod located on SPI’s unofficial nude beach, known locally as UFO Beach.
Tommy Saenz, affectionately known as Tiki Tommy in the area, is a regular visitor to the island who records updates for his Facebook page, Surf & Beach Report. This page keeps locals informed about the weather and conditions of South Padre Island’s shores. Saenz recalls that the escape pod first washed ashore around 2003 and shared a photograph of himself and a friend inside the pod, which showcases its original bright orange color.
Over time, the pod’s weathered surface became a canvas for graffiti, including the word “nude” scrawled across its surface. This discovery was made by the late Doug Wicks, the artist behind the iconic namesake of UFO Beach. According to Saenz, Wicks had a unique way of expressing himself, often running around naked on the beach. What stood out most about him was his dedication to cleaning up the area, picking up trash, disposing of it, and then using the cans and plastic to create art on the escape pod.
The Art of Transformation
UFO Beach can be found at 20451 State Park Rd. 100, South Padre Island. It serves as a reminder of the creativity and environmental consciousness that can emerge from unexpected places. Texas coasts are known to accumulate ten times more trash than other states along the Gulf of Mexico, according to a 2018 study by researchers from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Saenz often visits the beach to surf and explores the shoreline for interesting finds. He has come across various items, such as nice coral and parts from SpaceX, as well as a brick of marijuana that he decided to leave due to its condition.
Artist Connie Lovell, founder of Washed Up Texas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming trash into sculptures of South Texas coastal wildlife, frequently walks along South Padre Island’s beaches. Her intricate artworks often consist of around 6,000 pieces of trash. She has discovered debris like a 25-year-old rabies shot tag from Veracruz, Mexico, alongside bottle caps, rubber bales dating back to World War II, and toothbrushes.
Lovell emphasizes the importance of awareness regarding ocean pollution. She notes that people are often surprised by the amount of trash washing up daily. Her sculptures serve as a powerful reminder of the vast quantities of waste present in the ocean.
The Evolution of the UFO Sculpture
As litter continued to wash onto South Padre’s shores over the past decade, the UFO sculpture evolved. While Saenz is unsure when Wicks began his project, the original graffitied surface of the UFO gradually transformed with elements like starfish, peace signs, and the phrase “no tan lines” created from repurposed trash.
Wicks’ artistic endeavors extended beyond the UFO landmark. Although some of his works no longer stand, he created enormous abstract sculptures using hard hats and plastic buckets, as well as a Christmas tree molded from old sandals. Lovell encountered some of these creations during her own explorations for artistic materials. Her favorite was a tree made of hardhats that Wicks constructed, which was partially destroyed during a storm. Lovell collected the hardhats that were ripped off by the hurricane and used them for her own art, though she wished to collaborate with Wicks before his passing in 2018.
Despite efforts to replicate Wicks’ work, Saenz notes that none have captured the essence of the original creations. Nevertheless, visitors continue to flock to UFO Beach, drawn to take pictures with the remnants of Wicks’ original works and to avoid any obnoxious tan lines.
