10/09/2026
This past week’s Beachcombing survey took me quite a bit farther south than my usual beach area! 🌊 I traveled to Alacranes Reef, a remote group of islands and coral reefs off the coast of Mexico in the southern Gulf, and brought back more than 30 photos to share with you. This trip was especially meaningful because I first visited Alacranes 40 years ago, when I was just 12 years old, camping there with my family. Back then, it wasn’t a national park, and activities like collecting turtle eggs and queen conch, along with shark finning, were taking place. Returning four decades later, I watched baby sea turtles emerge from the sand and head toward the water, saw countless live queen conch, marveled at the sheer number of nesting seabirds, and spotted sharks swimming around the islands. What an incredible place! This time, I returned as a researcher with the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. Our eight HRI researchers joined 10 Mexican researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) to study this remarkable ecosystem. Our Coral Lab documented coral communities and bleaching, while our Bird Lab used drones to count nesting seabirds, including masked bo***es and frigatebirds. I focused on marine debris and plastic pollution through Nurdle Patrol surveys. I also filmed a 10-part Beachcombing video series that I’ll share later this year! Today, Alacranes is a protected national park. Seeing it again after so many years gave me a firsthand appreciation for what protecting special places can accomplish. Take a look through the photos for a glimpse of this Mexican treasure, from its wildlife and shorelines to our research team at work.
Let us know if you have a favorite photo from this week's Beachcombing survey. Hope to see you this Saturday, October 10th from 10am to 12pm at the North Padre Island seawall. Lots of free giveaways, a walk down the beach, and talking Beachcombing. See you there!
