Sometimes strange sea life pours on the beaches. Sometimes Lego pieces do. A piece of rocket? This can happen. And if you’re in Texas, you may be lucky (bad?) To come across a sand-crust doll inlaid with shells, a sinister-looking doll. Researchers from the Mission Aransas National Estuary Research Reserve along the Gulf Coast have made a habit of collecting disturbing beach dolls.
One of the newest is a doll, from her eye grow shells from goose necks. Mission Aransas NERR released a video this week of the doll’s discovery. “Oh, boy. The sinister doll. I know a bunch of you weirdos like this,” reserve director Jace Tunnel said in the video. “These are some things that come up all the time.”
The reserve is managed by the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of Texas with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The reserve staff monitors wildlife and marine litter on the beaches. Beach scratching videos usually contain less sinister things, such as stingrays, purple fish, shrimp, bottles and plastic pellets.
“We’re actually doing scientific work, but dolls are an advantage,” Tunnel told McClatchy News in an article Wednesday. He called out one of the first found: the bald head of a sex doll.
A video from the end of October 2021 presents some of the scariest dolls, including one in rags with algae in the hair and one with a painted skull on the chest.
Even sinister dolls need love. Sometimes the reserve sells its discoveries as a fundraiser, so you might consider finding a place in your home (and nightmares) for your own washed beach doll. The next auction of garbage to treasure will probably take place in early 2023. If you buy one, just don’t call it Chuckie.