A 150-year-old shipwreck along Boca Chica Beach is now exposed, and under threat from people and Mother Nature.

Keith Reynolds says the area is packed with history. He’s looked after old slabs of wood that belonged to ships that have washed up over the years from the Gulf of Mexico.

He said he works with the Texas Historical Commission to watch over the old historic sites, and warning tourists about the law.

The Boca Chica Shipwreck #1 pokes through the sand and is visible during low tides.

Texas Historical Commission Marine Archeologist Amy Borgens is concerned with protecting it.

“There's evidence that it's been cut down, that people have cut timbers off of it,” Borgens said. “Typically we help protect these sites by not disclosing their locations, but with these sites on the beach, that's problematic because they're in a public area."

They say recovering an 80-foot ship, storing it and curating it would take millions of dollars The Texas Historical Commission doesn't have. So they're protecting what's left.

Watch the video above for the full story.