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Carancahua Bay is a northern extension of Matagorda Bay located in Jackson and Matagorda counties in Texas, United States. It is oriented from the southeast to the northwest but meanders as it reaches the north to the confluence with Carancahua Creek. Generally slender, it is only about in width north of its circular mouth. The bay serves as a nursery for shrimp and as an ecosystem for diverse species of birds and fish. Shrimp farms have been established inland to circumvent restrictions on the bay. The area close to shore is prone to flooding, and can sometimes accumulate large populations of mosquitos. As a consequence, no major settlements have been founded on the bay. However, the small communities of Port Alto and Carancahua have been established on the western and eastern shores, respectively. ==History== The name ''Carancahua'' derives from the term that formerly referred to the Karankawa Indians, who resided on its shores. Texas' Spanish Royal Governor, Martín de Alarcón was the first documented European to tour the bay while on a voyage with a Tejas guide and several others in the early 18th century. During the expedition, two Karankawa Indians were spotted near the bay going about their daily lives, but were frightened by the sight of Alarcón, and quickly swam across despite the guide's reassurance to them that Alarcón meant no harm. The next day, the Indians came ashore from a sixteen-passenger canoe (which could hold 4 men, 4 women and 8 children), and notified the Tejas guide that they wished for Alarcón and his men to leave. As a peace offering, Alarcón presented the Indians with tobacco and clothing on behalf of the Spanish crown, which they accepted. In exchange, the Indians offered Alarcón dried fish, and warned him of the nearby French fort of St. Louis, believing he wanted to establish a colony on the bay. Alarcón declared the bay for Spain, but did not establish a permanent settlement. Only a handful of settlements have been established on the bay. The town of Carancahua first formed as a small collection of cabins that were used in the 1880s as a stop for mail between Texana and Matagorda. However, the bay's propensity for flooding and malaria prevented growth.〔 In fact, the bay was notorious for its swarms of mosquitos that would fly from the Colorado River delta, and documented by a late 19th-century rancher:〔
Approximately 50 people lived at Carancahua in 1915, but the population dwindled to 25 in the next decade. The town remains a community, but the current population is unknown. Across the bay, a settlement of about ten permanent residents, initially known as Persimmon Point, was renamed Port Alto in 1939. The town grew, attracting retirees and vacationers who contributed to a peak summer population of 205 in 1961. Hurricane Carla destroyed the town in September 1961, but it was rebuilt five years later. In 1970, a beachfront was constructed along the shoreline as the listed population reached 170 people. The 2000 census reported that 45 people lived in the town. Schicke Point, located near the mouth of Carancahua Bay at Carancahua Pass, is a small fishing village with approximately 70 residents, including legendary anglers Tyler Kurtz & James Malek and big trout specialist Russell Shelton. Cape Carancahua is an affluent gated residential community, located on the bay's northern shore.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Cape Carancahua - About Us ) 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Carancahua Bay」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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