17 Pounds of Sea Glass, Oh My!



17 pounds of beach gems, Summer 2013

I'm still amazed at the amount of sea glass we found last summer in less than two hours.  There were still mounds of treasures waiting to be discovered when we left the beach.  That was also the first time we saw more than a dozen beachcombers in one locale as well. Maybe it was the attraction of the Super Moon that teased the tides to produce the thick ribbons of sea glass upon the shore, I don't know.  All I know is that the smiles of everyone on the beach revealed their good fortune of being in the right place at the perfect time! 

 

Discovering the joy of "beachgemming," our term for sea glass hunting, more than six years ago, was a family affair.  School, martial arts, and youth group activities have prevented us from taking early morning or late afternoon strolls along the beach to enjoy the scenery and search for gifts left on the seashore by the generous Monterey Bay waves.  It is usually my husband and I who wake up before the sunrises and drive down to our favorite "secret" location.  We'd find ourselves talking about the days when we ALL hunted for sea glass.   I find myself missing those days more and more as I grow older.

What I enjoyed the most that summer day last year, however, was taking our youngest son along for the hunt. He ran to each pile of sea glass, searched for colorful frosted beauties, and filled his pockets full of treasures.  The smile on his 16-year-old face was priceless!  I could tell that he missed the hunt, the beach, and the thrill of discovering a rare piece of sea glass.  I could kick myself for not having a camera with me (and I say I'm a photographer!), but am thankful for the memory of that day.

 

First bottle stopper and other unique finds discovered that day.