THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SEA GLASS

BY ANDY DARNLEY

If you have ever walked along the sandy shores of a beach and looked down, you may have found more than just seashells. Sea glass is most prominent on saltwater beaches, but can also be found on freshwater shores and be referred to as “Beach Glass”. The term Sea Glass refers to any pieces or shards of glass that have been picked up and weathered by waves to produce a completely smooth surface. To be considered sea glass the piece must not have any sharp edges, be able to have light shine through it, and be a significantly darker color when submerged in water.

SEARCH BY THE SEA

As mentioned before, the glass can be found on either freshwater or saltwater beaches. But the question is, where do you find it? The best place to search is right at the shoreline. The higher amount of wave action, the best chance you have of beachcombing through the other pebbles and shells to find your treasure glass. Waters with a higher PH forms the sea glass the quickest and rocky beaches is where the glass will age the best. If you are visiting a new beach, be sure to ask the locals which section of the shore is most popular to find sea glass and what time of days they have found it best.

COLOR RARITY

Sea glass can be found in a variety of colors. However, some colors are known to be easier to find than others. Easy colors that are found quite often are green, brown, and white (clear). These colors are most popular since they stem from what was once a glass drinking bottle, jar, or container. Some rare colors that are harder to find are light blue, light green, and a pale brown. These are more difficult to find because the pieces have been weathered in the waves for a longer period before hitting the shore. The hardest colors of sea glass that have been considered extremely rare are purple, orange, yellow, pink, and red. These colors are the most difficult to find because most glass objects that people bring to the beach are very seldom made up of these colors before being broken and being picked up by the waves.

OTHER SEA GLASS FACTS