Big Shell Beach

Big Shell Beach convergence zone. Padre Island National Seashore. IIRC according to an old roommate who was studying the geology of the barrier island while going to school to be a marine biologist, this part of the Texas coast is some sort of place where long currents push stuff here from both the south and the north depending on the season. Shellbanks like this are a result of the convergence. Something like 3/4 of the beach in this area is made up of shells and then just covered in with windblown sand. The tidal action has exposed the underlying shells here, showing why its actually called Big Shell Beach. Its normally covered over, with just a shell or two peeking out.

This part of the beach is just lousy with shells currently in case you missed it. Southern Quahogs, Giant Atlantic Cockles, Coquina Clams, Lightning Whelks, Lettered Olives. I have a book of shells endemic to the area and those were the ones I could identify easily before just getting lost in the sheer number of shells. If you are into beach combing this place has so many shells its overwhelming. I spent an hour here alone before remembering I still had miles of beach to go. Further north from here is Little Shell Beach with the same shell composition, just smaller shells due to the way the currents flow.

Its mind blowing that this stretch of shells is visible this week and next week it will be under a foot or two of sand and somewhere else nearby the shells will peek out like this. I venture this shoreline a lot beachcombing and it is never the same. Its appealing.