Beaches in Galveston good for dipping/swimming?

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  • Moonpie

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    Gunz are icky.
    Hazards of the beach are many but relatively minor.

    Stingrays are always present. Just drag your feet when you walk in the water.
    Stepping down on one is usually how you get nailed. Painful experience.
    I've been fishing on the coast for 40yrs and never been popped.

    Another hazard is jellyfish.
    These stings can be mild to OMFG.
    Most outdoor places sell special medical wipes just for these. Its simple easy to pick up a few next time you're down at Academy and take them with you on beach day.

    Dead hardhead catfish spines. People like to throw these useless fish up on the sand to die after landing one. What then happens is you have a dam punji stake waiting for you. Its will be covered in rotten fish flesh to boot. Watch where you step.
    If you hook one be very careful removing it from your fishing line as the little heathens are experts at sticking their spines in your hands.
    Painful as hell. Not usually severe enough to require medical attention but can get infected.

    Trash left by people.
    Oh lawd the blood curdling tales I could relate.
    Broken bottles, syringes, dildoes, dead dogs, soiled baby diapers, I could go on. Watch where you step. Especially back in the dunes.

    Sunburn.
    Wear sun screen and proper clothing. Just because its cloudy does not mean you will not be cooked. If there is a shadow you are getting UV rays. Skin cancer sucks. It really is quite easy to prevent.
    Drink lots of cool water. Its hot as hell.

    Mosquitos.
    Bring mosquito repellant. Mosquitos usually aren't a problem during daylight hours. Not always tho. Some days the wind brings them out of the marsh behind the beach. Once the sun goes down LOOK OUT! They'll eat you alive.

    Get everything you need before you get on the island. Gas, ice, food, water, fishing bait, etc. It is sometimes available but at inflated prices. Its not always available. Especially later in the day.
    Military Camp
     

    Mohawk600

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    Texas beaches suck. They stink......they are murky.....no waves for surfing because the Gulf is a big saltwater bathtub of sludge. Go to FL.
     

    Axxe55

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    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    Texas beaches suck. They stink......they are murky.....no waves for surfing because the Gulf is a big saltwater bathtub of sludge. Go to FL.

    Feel free to leave at any time! Personally, I like most of Texas coastline. I have some really fond memories of Galveston when my father and mother were still married and took us there.
     

    Mohawk600

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    Feel free to leave at any time! Personally, I like most of Texas coastline. I have some really fond memories of Galveston when my father and mother were still married and took us there.
    Born and bred here.....will die here. That doesn't change the fact that Texas beaches suck.
     

    sobi1998

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    Lived within 30 minutes of Galveston all my life. This sums up Galveston, we got excited because a storm made the water slightly clear...


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    Gilbertc13

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    We took our dogs to Bryan beach in Freeport today. Beach was clean. Not crowded.
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    SA_Steve

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    Even when I was a kid all the way to a grown up in Houston, we never went to Galveston for the beach. Long drive to Padre or maybe nearby Surfside, Freeport. There was a time when the tar/grease/wax balls made Galveston beaches a disaster.

    What amazes me are all the condos and crazy priced beach houses that have sprouted up there. Somebody likes it.

    Wonder if Tilman F. still owns all the politicians including the sheriff ?

    I've had some business in Galveston which took me all over the island for many years and fondly remember when the restaurants there had flounder, red snapper, trout, things that I suppose are game fish only nowadays.
     

    TX OMFS

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    Grew up going to Galveston, now it's Mustang Island or NP Island. Beaches around Corpus & south are better. I wouldn't hesitate to go to Galveston, though. Moonpie posted lots of accurate details.
     

    satx78247

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    To All,

    Given that the Galveston beaches are a GREAT place to fish for BULL SHARKS, it's NOT a place that I want to go swimming, regardless of other issues.

    One of the largest BULLS that was ever caught in Texas waters was taken from the beach near 61st Street. = She was hooked, about 1700 hours, in water about "chest deep", using a 10 pound live sting ray for bait.
    (The fisherman used a toy balloon for a float.)

    To those who do NOT know, the BULL is by far the most dangerous of the "known man-eating sharks".

    yours, satx
     

    oldag

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    To All,

    Given that the Galveston beaches are a GREAT place to fish for BULL SHARKS, it's NOT a place that I want to go swimming, regardless of other issues.

    One of the largest BULLS that was ever caught in Texas waters was taken from the beach near 61st Street. = She was hooked, about 1700 hours, in water about "chest deep", using a 10 pound live sting ray for bait.
    (The fisherman used a toy balloon for a float.)

    To those who do NOT know, the BULL is by far the most dangerous of the "known man-eating sharks".

    yours, satx
    Good population of hammerheads too (sharks, that is). Some huge hammerheads have been caught just off the Texas City Dike.

    Used to see little sand sharks (harmless) on a pretty regular basis. Maybe a couple of feet long.

    Can't remember hearing of any shark attacks, though.
     

    Wiliamr

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    What you will find on Texas beaches, especially Galveston- Portuguese Man of War, jellyfish, tar balls, plastic trash, occasionally a bale of marijuana or a baggie of Mexican Brown....
     

    satx78247

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    Good population of hammerheads too (sharks, that is). Some huge hammerheads have been caught just off the Texas City Dike.

    Used to see little sand sharks (harmless) on a pretty regular basis. Maybe a couple of feet long.

    Can't remember hearing of any shark attacks, though.

    oldag,

    TRUE on the BIG hammers.

    The Galveston Chamber of Commerce & the local media COVERS UP their frequent shark attacks & have done so for decades.

    What I've wondered is how many of the "disappeared while swimming after dark" people were consumed.

    yours, satx
     
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    satx78247

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    To All,

    Fwiw, one of the BIGGEST Tigers that I've ever seen (I've fished for sharks since 1965.) was hooked about 200M off the 91st street area by a guy in an 18' bass-boat about 5 years ago.

    She was about 16 feet long & full of pups. = Thankfully the big female was measured, tagged & freed.

    Fwiw, I've not killed a shark (other than the very tasty & numerous bonnet-heads for the BBQ) in almost 5 decades.

    Locals on the TX coast often call sand sharks "tourist trout", as the tourists gripe, complain, carp & throw them back.
    The "outlanders" don't know that the little sandies & bonnet-heads to about 15# are BETTER eating (and have NO bones) than the specs & sea trout that the tourists are trying to catch.

    yours, satx
     

    WT_Foxtrot

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    My son and his family was at Crystal Beach over the weekend. He said never again, it was a party beach and nowhere close to a place you want your kids. Just a heads up. If you're looking to party might be just the spot.

    Wife just got back from Crystal Beach on a girls trip with her friends and their kids and our youngest. Said everything was great.....no issues whatsoever and you can drive on the beach. Trump flags everywhere, which seems like a good thing to me. We might head down before summer's out.
     
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