Your heart is thumping and your adrenaline is high, ready to pounce the next time it reveals itself before tumbling back out to the deep water.
Just off the shore you’ve spotted a vibrant red shard of sea glass being tossed back and forth, bouncing and hiding between the rocks and sand of the ocean floor. You see it again, and then plunge your arm in the deep chilly water and go for the grab. As you open up your hand, you see rocks, sand, shell fragments and as you carefully let those slip through your fingers one by one, you see a corner of red sea glass. Victory!! You got it! What an absolute thrill! You see, red sea glass is not only elusive it is extremely rare, a 1 in 5000 chance of finding it to be exact.
So, just what is sea glass and where does it come from? Well, to be completely honest, most of it is trash! For decades and centuries, trash was either burned, buried or tossed overboard. Ships simply threw what couldn’t be incinerated right into oceans and lakes. This included dishes, pottery, jars and bottles of all sorts. Now, imagine the thousands of shipwrecks, packed with full kitchens, dining rooms, and staterooms, all of the contents, spilling and sinking into the ocean. Medicine bottles, wine bottles, drinking glasses, tea cups, cosmetic jars, ironstone and pottery littering the depths of the ocean or lake floor. Most often breaking into small shards, and over time the salt water, sand, rocks and current begin to weather and soften the edges of the glass. This process is known as “cooking” it.
Eventually, many of these smooth and frosted shards make their way to the shoreline and that is what sea glass hunters are looking for. Many times we see sharp, shiny pieces of glass, which are newer and need more time in the water, so those get tossed right back in. Once you start finding sea glass, naturally you will begin to wonder about its age and what the piece once was. Interestingly enough, did you know that sea glass is actually identifiable? Here are some things to consider to help you ID your sea glass.
- Location
- Shape
- Material
- Weight
- Color
Take note of these traits and then you will be more likely to determine what was in its original state. My favorite go-to guide to help identify sea glass is Pure Sea Glass, Identification Deck. It’s extremely helpful and educational. A must have for sea glass hunters!
So before you hit the beach, don’t forget to grab a tide chart! When you're looking for sea glass, you have to be strategic and timing is EVERYTHING!
Wow, hunting for sea glass sounds kind of similar to hunting for Antiques and Vintage treasures... am I sensing a pattern here?! I think so!
If you know me...I'm an avid sea and beach glass collector. I've acquired quite a collection from all over the USA and abroad and all of the glass I use in my Sea Glass designs are authentic. Click here to see the Sea Glass Collection.
Authentic sea glass is becoming more difficult to find and more scarce. With the mass production of plastic bottles, natural sea glass is becoming a treasure of the past.
So next time you're at the beach and want to find sea glass, you’ll need to wake up very early, to be one of the first to walk the beach. I promise it’s worth it… the thrill of the hunt and satisfaction of the find is pure delight!
