“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach – waiting for a gift from the sea.” ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Mermaid Tears
As crazy as 2023 has been, it has also revealed and gifted some pretty amazing treasures. Literally. Mermaid tears are the ocean’s gems. I always joke when I find sea glass that I am “Finding the money.” (Said in a Jerry Maguire voice) They turn something so despicable and disgusting as people polluting the ocean, into something so rare and beautiful, that everyone wants a piece of them. They truly are proof that even the grossest things can become beautiful. They also teach us to be patient. A perfectly cooked piece of sea glass takes years to make or cook as I call it. It isn’t as simple as glass being thrown in the ocean and voila it is smooth, bubbly, and exotic, it takes years of being tossed in the salty waves, and tumbled against the sand and rocks. And then you have to find them.
Best Places to Look
Or perhaps THEY have to find you! You want a sandy, yet slightly rocky beach. But not to rocky, one that is the perfect combination. It truly has to be the perfect type of beach, not completely sandy, or full of huge boulders or rocks, but tiny ones. Yes, you might find sea glass on a beach with pristine sand, but more than likely that will be a rarity. Most sea glass is found amongst the smaller rocks with sand, which is why it makes it a treasure hunt as you sift through the ocean debris to find the sea glass. I’ll either use my foot to move rocks and sand or I will find a flatter stick to sift through all the beach debris. But sometimes it is waiting right out in the open waiting for me to pick it.
Hunting
I am a strong believer that sea glass picks us. I have friends who refuse to share where they go sea glass hunting, but the truth is we can be looking in the same spot and still miss a piece, because it isn’t ours to choose. I know it sounds hookey but it is true. It picks us. And the right piece will come along when you least expect it!
The holy grail isn’t just sea glass, but sea pottery and sea marbles. I had been hunting for a sea marble for years and finally, this past year, found one. It just might be my most prizes find. Sea glass hunting, beach combing, whatever you want to call it, is such a fun activity to do, it is great exercise, and you can do it with the young AND old. I love it, and it can become quite addicting, as I tell myself one more piece just one more piece. It is never just one more piece.
Do you sea glass hunt? What are some of your tricks? What is your most favorite beach hunt?
