EarthSurf eco-jewelry
Townline Road
Grand Isle, VT 05458
United States
blueskie
About Sea Glass
its mysteries. We wonder, from where, when, why . . ."
Laurel Kornhiser
What is "sea glass"?
Also known as beach glass, sea glass is fragments of glass that have been smoothed by the oceans waves and surf. Bottles and jars casually tossed into the ocean break into pieces. The shards fall to the sea floor and begin a journey to shore that can take years or decades. Some pieces wash up on the beach rough and ragged. Other pieces are smooth and luminous -- like gems of the ocean.
The reason sea glass has a frosty patina is because the soda and lime in the glass leaches out when exposed to water. The longer the glass has been exposed to the elements, the more patina on its surface.
Some sea glass stays on the bottom of the ocean for centuries until a severe storm brings it to the surface. The cycles of the moon also play a role in when and how sea glass washes onto the beach.
At one time, a piece of sea glass might have been a:
Beer bottle
Wine bottle
Decanter
Medicine bottle
Pill bottle
Snuff jar
Mineral water bottle
Soda water bottle
Ink bottle
Liquor bottle
Flask
Pitcher
Fruit preserve jar
Food container
Bitters bottle
Perfume bottle
Cosmetic bottle
Barber bottle
Milk bottle
Old-fashioned baby bottle
Glass float used by fishermen
Target bottle for trapshooting
Ship light or window
Fire grenade bottle
Decorative glass
Drinking glass
Vase
Lamp
Ashtray
Plate or platter
Insulator
The sea transforms these common objects into a gems of the ocean. Under the ceaseless force of the sea, something ordinary like a broken beer bottle or an old jar becomes treasure.
Sea glass is not as easy to find as it once was because plastics have replaced glass in most of our consumer goods. We are tossing less trash into the oceans. With the rise of ecological awareness, more glass is being recycled instead of being thrown away.
And yet, because we did not take care of our oceans as well as we should, we will probably be finding sea glass on our beaches for many years to come. The remarkable thing is that nature can turn our trash into such beautiful treasure.
EarthSurf eco-jewelry
Townline Road
Grand Isle, VT 05458
United States
blueskie
