HOUSTON – Hello, from your fellow Houstonian! I know it’s already hot in Texas, as we prepare for the intense summer and humid heat we experience every year.
It apparently gets hotter and hotter as we get older – or is it just me getting older?
Anyway, I wasn’t much of a beach girl growing up, but there are plenty of Houston transplants ready to freshen up for the season and dip their toes in the sand.
But before you head to Galveston, I want to give you a glimpse of what might be lurking in the waters. We’ve seen some pretty strange and interesting creatures wash up on shores over the past few years.
Here’s what’s lurking in Galveston Beach and how to keep an eye out for them:
the Sharks
Um, yes…we have sharks in these murky waters.
Typical sharks found swimming are bull, hammerhead, tiger and blacktip sharks. Atlantic sharpnose sharks are also most common in the Gulf of Mexico.
Officials said most shark bites in the Galveston area are “hit-and-run” bites (not “attacks,” where the shark preys on schools of fish, bites a human by accident and s ‘swimmed away). These are cases of mistaken identity.
Snakes – but don’t worry too much in summer
Snakes on a beach?
In winter, snakes tend to leave their nests and burrows to soak up the warmth of the sand. Galveston Island Park officials say the dunes are ideal habitat for rattlesnakes because of their warm sand, good hunting grounds and protection from humans.
So what do you do if you see a rattlesnake at the beach?
Officials said not to panic, to leave the legless reptiles alone, to stay at least 5 feet away and to alert park staff.
Jellyfish
The Gulf’s most dangerous jelly is the Portuguese man o’ war, a community of animals called zooids, authorities say. This most obvious zooid is a purple floater with tentacles dangling into the water. Lifting the tentacle from the skin and dousing the area with saline solution provides relief.
What to do in case of a bite? Do not rub the area with sand, officials said. This will only ensure that all the stinging cells fire. And remember, just because the man o’ war or jellyfish washes up on the beach doesn’t mean you’re safe. The tentacles can still sting. Avoid stomping on them or hitting them with a stick.
Stingrays
Stingrays frequent shallow water and can stick a sharp rod into your foot or ankle when stepped on. This stem, located at the base of the ray’s tail, must be handled carefully, usually surgically, because the spines point backward and prevent easy removal.
A preventative way to avoid an encounter is to shuffle your feet while wading, which causes the stingray to move away.
Poisonous Blue Dragon
Blue Dragons were spotted along Texas beaches in March, but it remains a rare find, according to Jace Tunnell, director of community engagement at the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
The blue glaucus, more commonly known as the blue dragon, is a type of nudibranch or sea slug.
Experts say you’ll know immediately if you’re bitten by a blue dragon. Experts say you’ll know immediately if you’re bitten by a blue dragon.
Currents
As more people head to the beach to enjoy the water, it’s crucial to stay safe and know how to deal with rip currents.
To put the danger in perspective, rip currents cause far more deaths each year than shark attacks. Nationally, rip currents claim about 100 lives each year, while shark attacks result in about one death per year. This year alone, two people have died in Galveston from rip currents.
The most dangerous wave form involves straight waves moving from south to north, creating a strong current that flows out to sea. Rip currents are powerful, fast-moving channels of water that flow away from the shore, surprising people and overpowering even the strongest swimmers.
Before heading to the beach, check the current flag warning status with the Galveston Beach Patrol to ensure your safety. Visit their flag warning system for real-time updates on beach conditions and potential hazards.
Possible fecal contamination
Galveston’s water isn’t that blue but the color doesn’t come from fecal matter — I mean, I don’t think so (lol).
According to a new study by Environment America in 2022, about 55% of the nation’s beaches experienced at least one day with dangerous levels of contamination. In 2022, Texas coastline accounted for 90%.
According to the GCHD, people with diabetes, liver disease, cancer or other immunosuppressive illnesses who swim in natural bodies of water with open cuts or sores are at increased risk of infection. . Healthy people are extraordinarily less likely to get an infection than sick people.
As of this writing, the interactive map shows moderate to low bacteria levels. Just be sure to plan ahead and check before swimming in the waters.
Heat and sun
Due to the region’s triple-digit temperatures, you need to protect your skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, even on cloudy or overcast days.
You should wear a high SPF sunscreen (15 or higher); wear loose, light-colored clothing, a hat, and sunglasses. Also drink plenty of alcohol- and caffeine-free fluids to avoid dehydration, according to Galveston Beach Patrol.
Sandbars, troughs and holes
There are deep places hidden in the waves, which can be dangerous, especially for young children. Due to powerful waves, holes form in the bottom near the shore, which can be several meters wide. They can form at any water depth, so you can get into them by wading in very shallow water, according to Galveston Island Beach Control.
As for the sandbars, when you visit the beach you can see swimmers standing in waist deep water far offshore, but you can’t see the depth of the water between the beach and the area of the sandbar on which they are located. Natural processes in the Gulf create a series of bars and troughs in coastal areas of the Texas coast. The height of the bar and the depth of the trough vary, but the water in the trough is sometimes “over your head.”
Unless you’re a very good swimmer, don’t try to reach the offshore sandbar.
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