Seaglass and Beans

Seaglass Hunting


Generally,  people take a walk along the beach (Atlantic side - preferred) and pick through the rocks, coral and assorted garbage for the ever illusive sea glass-  topaz blue, pale yellow or amber, polished to a ruddy shine are the most sought after. But, 'hunting' seaglass with John and Kathy (s.v. Makani) it is a different story, extreme to the MAX -  make sure you wear sturdy shoes and are not afraid of the surf.

Nancy and Branko - on the hunt

Illusive seaglass

It was an experience.  Makani's version is;  you walk over a challenging iron shore,  drop yourself (low tide, or near low tide) down into the coral and rock crevices, watch out for the surf and scan  and grab the glass as it filters up in the waves - quickly,  before it turns tail and makes tracks to Portugal.   Sometimes you get very wet and pushed around - but all fun.

Seaglass pendant - by Kathy (s.v. Makani)

Seaglass,  is well, glass (bottles, like wine glasses, drinking glasses, medicine bottles and well any kind of glass) that is thrown out as garbage into the sea,  broken apart, by either the impact of the throwing and/or the waves grinding it against sand.   Then it must stay in the surf for a long time,  being polished to a smooth, grainy shine before it is worth your effort - many a glass piece is thrown back,  hoping that it will come back as that illusive blue topaz.

Believe it or not  the sea glass business is,  a big business - perhaps this is a way to add to our cruising kitty?

http://www.seaglassassociation.org/index.html    -  check out the Seaglass Association website - I think Wonder Woman is attending the next conference  ;-)


Hamburger Beans:

The beans also, must be harvested on the Atlantic shore (or a shore that opens to the Atlantic) - they are basically beans from some kind of tree in  Africa,  that some how fall into the ocean and make their way to the Bahamas and believe it or not, are also popular (potential) money makers http://www.seabean.com/. for jewelery.

Hamburger bean necklace

You scour the beaches for beans, harvest them (pick up and put in pocket), sand, polish and then string them into beautiful necklaces and bracelets.  I have not made one,  but Gerri and Alan do.  I have totally simplified the process and made it sound easy, it is not.  Truthfully the hardest thing I have done is try to find a bean and so far I'm batting zero :-)

Necklace made by Gerri and polished by Alan (s.v. Civil Twilight.)

 Maggie