I remember going to the beach as a kid and searching for "sea glass". And I'm sure I bought (or begged for) jewelry from artisans in beach towns made out of the sea glass. I don't remember when exactly, but sea glass started to get more and more scarce. It was only when it became harder to find that I made the connection that sea glass is trash. It is pieces of glass thrown into the ocean that have been worn smooth and washed up on shore. The fact that it doesn't appear as frequently anymore is evidence of how successful anti dumping campaigns have been at reducing the amount of trash that reaches the ocean.
However, if you are feeling nostalgic for the pretty glass stones, worry not, there is still somewhere to go find some! Fort Bragg, CA is located on the pacific coast of California about halfway between San Francisco and the Oregon border. The beaches were used as trash dumps until the 1960s. Due to the ocean currents in the area, the glass gets washed up on shore and has created delightful, cheerful, rainbow beaches.
If you are contemplating the riches you are about to make on Etsy making sea glass jewelry, bear in mind that the beaches have now been preserved as state parks, and it is illegal to collect the glass from the beach. But if you just want to make sure you see all the colors from different types of historical trash (red from car taillights, blue from apothocery bottles, etc), don't leave without a visit to the Museum!
However, if you are feeling nostalgic for the pretty glass stones, worry not, there is still somewhere to go find some! Fort Bragg, CA is located on the pacific coast of California about halfway between San Francisco and the Oregon border. The beaches were used as trash dumps until the 1960s. Due to the ocean currents in the area, the glass gets washed up on shore and has created delightful, cheerful, rainbow beaches.
If you are contemplating the riches you are about to make on Etsy making sea glass jewelry, bear in mind that the beaches have now been preserved as state parks, and it is illegal to collect the glass from the beach. But if you just want to make sure you see all the colors from different types of historical trash (red from car taillights, blue from apothocery bottles, etc), don't leave without a visit to the Museum!
Photo Credits: ZME Science, BES Tourism, Love These Pics, Sea Velvet Collection
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