I beachcomb at least four times a week, and on the best weeks, every day. The reason is simple: I’m always afraid I’ll miss something. What washes up one day can disappear the next, sometimes not returning for months - or ever again. 

I’m also a do-it-yourselfer at heart. I love finding things I can use at home or experiment with, and the beach is full of unexpected materials if you know what to look for. 

 One of the most overlooked treasures along the Texas coast is something most people step right over: clay balls. Many beachgoers barely notice them, and if they do, they usually see them as a nuisance rather than a tiny piece of coastal history. 

 Fresh ones can feel slimy under bare feet, and some even hide sharp little shells that make you jump. But once you know what they are - and where they come from - they become one of the most fascinating finds on the shoreline. 

 The clay pieces come in all sizes, from something as small as a bird egg to as large as a football. What fascinates me most is their age - many are believed to date from the Paleocene to the lower Eocene, roughly 55 to 56 million years old. 

 No wonder some of the chunks I find are fossilized, with tiny shell fragments locked inside like time capsules. 

 These clay balls reach our beaches through offshore dredging, which pulls ancient material up from the Gulf floor. Most of what I find is newly formed - soft, moldable clay that turns to thick mud when wet. 

 But every now and then, two pieces lying side by side can be separated by millions of years in age, a reminder of just how deep the Gulf’s history runs. 

 

 The clay itself is made up of several minerals - mainly smectite, illite, chlorite, and kaolinite. I could easily fall down a rabbit hole researching each one, but I’ll keep it simple here (though it really is fascinating if you ever decide to dig deeper). 

 These minerals show up in all kinds of everyday products. Smectite is used in drilling fluids, cat litter, cosmetics, paints, and even pharmaceuticals. Illite is a non-swelling, mineral rich clay prized in skincare for its ability to absorb oils and toxins, and it’s also widely used in ceramics and stoneware tiles. 

 Chlorite appears in pottery and construction materials, while kaolinite - a soft white mineral - is found in paper coatings, porcelain, paints, rubber, plastics, and plenty of cosmetic products thanks to its gentle, oil-absorbing properties. 

 My first thought whenever I pick up one of these clay chunks is, Could this be anything like the clay Gulf Coast Indigenous people once used for their pottery? 

 Earlier this year, after gathering a good amount of it on Galveston beaches, I trimmed away as much debris as I could and brought about ten pounds to Clay Cup Studios on Postoffice Street. If anyone could help me understand what I was working with, it was them. 

 We made a small test piece, about 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick, and let it dry for a week. I had hoped we could fire it, but the risk was too high - even a tiny shell fragment hidden inside could cause the piece to explode in the kiln. 

 So instead, I’ll be doing a simple campfire test at home. I’m not sure how safe it is, so please don’t try this on a beach fire, but it’s the only way for me to learn more about whether this clay can actually be used. It may be months before I know the answer. 

 Since many of the minerals in the clay are used in skincare, I also decided to try a small patch test as a facial mask. After checking my arm and neck for any reactions - and finding none - I went ahead and applied it to my face.

 

 It felt just like a spa mud mask: cool going on, tight as it dried, and refreshing once I washed it off. I doubt it’s destined to become a marketable product, but it was, without question, a true Galveston mud facial - and one I wouldn’t mind trying again. 

 While I was still in the “spa” mindset, I couldn’t help thinking about another common beach find everyone should have at home: pumice stones, sometimes called floating rocks. 

 I keep one by the bathtub because they make great foot scrubbers - the same kind you’ll see in high-end spas. These wash up year-round on Galveston beaches. 

 Pumice forms during volcanic eruptions when frothy lava traps air as it cools, creating a porous stone light enough to float. Most pieces are tan or gray and can blend right into the sand, but they’re worth looking for. 

 Spas use pumice for exfoliating pedicures, and you can buy them in bath shops - or, better yet, find your own in the wrack line near the dunes. Stones about the size of a bar of soap work best, and plenty wash up every year. 

 Beachcombing always surprises me. One day it’s a million-year-old clay ball, the next it’s a perfect pumice stone ready for a home spa night. 

 That’s what keeps me coming back - the mix of mystery, history, and simple usefulness hidden in the sand. You never know what the Gulf will offer up, but if you keep your eyes open, you’ll always find something worth taking home.