Shell Midden 8/8/26
By Joe Coker
On Saturday 8/8/26, seven of us did a great r/t paddle from Hugo Point to the Shell Midden on North Galveston Bay. Thank you Carl K. (HASK) for organizing.
This is a wonderful, scenic and fun trip through the marshlands about 40 miles east of Houston. Offering a variety of interesting, winding routes, it can be tricky for newbies and seasoned visitors alike.
Getting a little lost is part of the fun! But reasonably good knowledge, care, a compass, maps and a GPS are must haves. It’s also a very wind/ weather/tide dependent adventure, and there is very little cover….so be prepared! Spring and fall are generally the preferred seasons.
We launched at about 9:45 AM. The tide was up; wind was a light SE 8-9; the water was calm and the sun was blazing…mid 90’s. Total mileage varies between 9-12 depending on the route. Given the heat that morning, we chose Cross Bayou, the fastest path (see map),
roughly 9 miles r/t (5 hours). Steamy but bearable. We hydrated regularly and made good time reaching the Midden around noon. Beautiful and peaceful as ever out there.
We found a nice spot and settled in for a casual lunch.
The normal sea-breeze storms were cranking up big-time across the bay and kept us on guard. Before long, they were threatening ominously causing us not to linger on the open beach as much as we might have.
Shortly thereafter, we decided it was time to go! Before our rather hasty exit, we paid a secret ceremonial tribute to the Great Ancients.
These folks very likely lived and played on the very same beach some 10,000 years ago and were likely responsible, at least in part, for the mounds of shells. (For more info, Google “Shell
Midden”)
For safety sake, we chose to return the same way we had come rather than take the longer, scenic route up Double Bayou further west. Fortunately, we were able to evade the brunt of the storms as they veered to the NW. However, for a while we seemed surrounded. Indeed, our equipment (courtesy of Chuck F.) counted 38 lightning strikes in the vicinity, the closest at only 4 miles out!
As the bad weather cleared, to our delight the fast-moving storms left behind wonderfully refreshing rain-cooled air and great big clouds for welcome shade. So good! It made for a very pleasant and relaxed paddle back to Hugo.
An appreciated gentle breeze at our backs helped us get in a few minutes earlier than expected. All in all a fine trip! We will probably repeat in the fall and hopefully get to take one of the other routes.
Another great day on the water!
*See all pics on the HCC and HASK website photo pages.LINK