inlet of the Gulf of Mexico (Mexico, Gulf of), forming a deepwater harbour for the city of Corpus Christi, southern Texas, U.S. The bay is 25 miles (40 km) long and 3–10 miles (5–16 km) wide and is sheltered on the east from the gulf by Mustang Island. It is linked to Aransas Bay (north) and Laguna Madre (south) by the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The entrance to the gulf is through Aransas Pass, north of Mustang Island. A western extension, Nueces Bay, receives the Nueces River. The bay supplies oyster shells for use in chemical plants, and its shipping serves the petroleum, chemical, and agricultural industries. The area is popular for sport fishing, waterfowl hunting, and boating; its year-round mild climate draws thousands of visitors and an increasing number of retirees. The bay is believed to have been entered on the feast day of Corpus Christi in 1519 by Alonso Álvarez de Pineda, who claimed the region for Spain.