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    Tattered Jeans

    My journey with Sea Beans: The hitchhikers of the world bring you the wonder

    Katie Oxford
    Jun 2, 2010 | 11:51 pm
    • Beachcombers never know what they'll find — and hope for Sea Beans.
    • Sea Beans can travel the world.
      Courtesy www.seabeans.org
    • Do you have a collection of Sea Beans?
    • Who doesn't dream of a cottage by the sea — wherever in the world it is?

    Not even cats purring could keep me on the back stoop that Sunday morning in September of 2000, so full of blue sky and autumn air. I loaded my camera, packed a lunch and drove east from Houston to 61 South where fresh-cut pasture smelled as fragrant as Ivory soap.

    Veered left at the “Y” onto Farm Road 1985, where after a good rain turtles traveled too. Over the arched bridge at the intercoastal canal and marsh that spread like green velvet to the Gulf. Up the hill to the salt dome known as High Island, where birds came to rest. Past leaning oaks that once gave shade at the Sea View Hotel (another story).

    Until I reached Bolivar Peninsula and a little beach called Caplen where, two days before, a storm had blown through. Trash, snared in finely ground seaweed, strewn the shoreline like dead fish in a net. But I knew wherever there was seaweed there laid treasure. I’d come to look for it and like the treasure itself, let my mind drift for miles.

    Beachcombers call them Sea Beans and believe you me, to beachcombers — they’re as thrilling to find as shark’s teeth!

    Here’s how one article “Hitchhiking on Currents” describes them:

    “Seeds and fruits are among the world’s most intriguing trans-oceanic voyagers. Their itineraries begin in the tropics, where plants drop them into rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters. Propelled by wind and currents and staying afloat for as long as 30 years, they can drift for thousands of miles. They have always had an exotic allure. The sea hearts that Columbus collected on an Azores beach allegedly inspired him to sail west in search of their origin. The coco-de-mer was prized by peoples around the Indian Ocean for its reputed medicinal and aphrodisiac qualities.”

    I’ve been collecting Sea Beans since I was a kid. Of the nine different varieties, I have about four or five best I can figure. There’s a bowl full of Sea Beans sitting on our dining room table, that regardless of the season, serves as a constant centerpiece.

    My friend, Robert Smith (Au Vieux Paris Antiques), treasures them too. Some years ago, I gave him one of the Sea Heart variety and Robert tells me even when he travels abroad he puts it in his pocket and carries it with him. I understand this. There’s just something soothing about this smooth to the touch bean.

    No matter how often my “little people” friends (children) come over — they’re still drawn to the Sea Beans like they’re discovering them for the first time. They’ll dig their fingers deep down into the bowl as eagerly as if it were a cookie jar and pull up a handful. Speaking of which, remember those Nabisco cookies called Devil’s Food? Some sea beans look identical.

    In 1995 and by surprise circumstances, a dream came true! P and I purchased a little cottage on Caplen that sat atop the bluff like a perfect little purse. The closing was held on Cinco de Mayo and immediately after signing the papers we made a beeline to Bolivar like newlyweds leaving a church.

    Most all of the cottages on Caplen had a name, often displayed somewhere on the house …“The Nautilus” “The Seawillow” “The Breakers” “Driftwood.” “We’ll have to think of a good name,” I mused while driving down.

    After unloading the car, I wanted to walk the beach. I’d no sooner hit the sand when I looked down and saw, seemingly waiting there for me, a Coral Bean, which is another variety of Sea Bean. I was so thrilled I ran up to the house gripping it in my hand and yelling out to P — “I got the name! I got the name!”

    P would refer to our cottage as our little “bait camp on Bolivar” but to me … it was and forever will be our beloved “Sea Bean.”

    Sadly, we sold the “Sea Bean” in the spring of 2000. But I agree with something that Dr. Seuss once said, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” And indeed I do.

    The “Sea Bean,” along with all the other cottages, were wiped from the earth like plates from a tabletop by Hurricane Ike. But on occasion I still travel there like I did that autumn day in 2000 and comb the beach for Sea Beans and other treasure. Now more than ever — the beach alone is a treasure.

    Amazingly, the land where the “Sea Bean” once sat still appears to have, however small, a hill. I think how remarkable that is. Just like when I discover a Sea Bean and wonder about its voyage.

    9 Species of Sea Beans:

    Screw Pine (Pandanus tectorius)
    Origin: Polynesia
    Size: 6 cm

    Anchovy Pear (Grias cauliflora)
    Origin: New World tropics
    Size: 4-9 cm

    Tropical Almond (Terminalia catappa)
    Origin: Asian tropics
    Size: 8 cm

    Box Fruit (Barringtonia asiatica)
    Origin: Polynesia
    Size: 8-15 cm

    Puzzle Fruit (Heritiera littoralis)
    Origin: Southeast Asia
    Size: 6-9 cm

    Crabwood (Carapa guianensis)
    Origin: New World tropics
    Size: 1-6 cm

    Coral Bean (Erythrina spp.)
    Origin: tropics
    Size: 1-2 cm

    Sea Heart (Entada gigas)
    Origin: New World tropics
    Size: 6 cm

    Coco-de-mer (Lodoicea maldivica)
    Origin: Seychelles
    Size: 46 cm

    unspecified
    news/city-life

    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Houston billionaire ranks among top U.S. landowners and more popular stories

    CultureMap Staff
    Jun 14, 2025 | 11:01 am
    HMNS Great Outdoors Gala 2022 Russell and Glenda Gordy and Red FJ Cruiser
    Photo by Jenny Antill
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    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, including a look at one of America's top landowners. Plus, the sad closure of a pioneering steakhouse and a popular pizzeria makes plans for Houston. Get the details on our most popular stories below, then head here to plan your weekend.

    1. Houston oil-and-gas billionaire ranks among America's top 100 landowners. About one-fourth of the country’s mega-owners of private land have ties to Texas, either living here, owning land here, or both. The highest-ranked Houston-based landowner is oil-and-gas billionaire Russell Gordy.

    2. Houston's pioneering South American steakhouse will soon shutter in River Oaks. Sad news for inner loopers who are fans of plantain chips, wood-grilled steaks, and Houston’s best tres leches. The River Oaks location of South American steakhouse Churrascos will close Monday, June 16.

    3. Texas Monthly's BBQ Snob dishes on the magazine's new top 50 list. On this episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn joins CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the magazine’s new list of the 50 best barbecue joints in Texas.

    4. 'Famous' Bronx-based pizza chain fires up 3 Houston locations. A New York-based pizza chain has big plans for Houston. Called Singas Famous Pizza, the restaurant will soon open three locations in the area.

    Singas PizzaSingas Pizza is coming to Houston.Photo courtesy of Singas

    5. Texas slides down the list of best U.S. state economies for 2025. Texas' robust economy may be showing some cracks. Texas now ranks as the state with the eighth best economy, four spots lower than one year ago, according to a new report.

    most popular storiesbillionairesrankingsreportsclosingstexas monthlybbqpizzaopeningsreal estatehot-headlines
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