Why Beachcombing?
Who could resist the fun free frolic, walking the shores of an ocean beach as the tides change the colour of the sand under your feet. If you are anything like me you won’t refuse beachcombing when the call beckons you to the ocean.
I think beachcombing gives off a child-like magic that perhaps I’ll find treasure lurking the shore and that might be what drives us to the shore. Perhaps its the idea that years ago ship went down off the coast and treasure went with it, pirates, gold, china all sitting on the ocean floor wanting for a storm to bring it to the surface, maybe.
For whatever your reasons beachcombing is becoming a busy activity around here and it totally overtakes your mind body and spirit. The activity of beachcombing is great physical activity with all the walking, bending and climbing that one does to try and get to that venture for treasure. Not to forget how spiritual this experience can be as well, relaxing and rejuvenating.
Where to Beachcomb:
Ideally, everywhere that man has been and water joins the shore you can beachcomb the area and find treasure of the sea. However there are conditions that make beachcombing a better time and that is after a storm; a low or receding tide, in the Winter, and early in the morning are all good times to head out. If you take anything away from this, remember to get there first. It’s like going to a party after all the food is picked over, you don’t want that so get out there early and get the best treasures first.
What you need to go beachcombing with:
I know, this is simple math…go to the beach pick up shiny stuff, fill your pockets and you’re done. Yes, that is all there is to it but before you head out be sure to take the following. Good running shoes or rubber boots, a container plastic bag or cloth to collect your treasures, sunscreen, water to keep hydrated, sunscreen, high protein bar, oh and your camera to take photos of your find with the beach behind so you can scrapbook it later.
There you go! fill your boots:
Often I hear the term, “take pictures and leave foot prints.” I’m sure this term is used for you to follow the rules of the beach as they are posted and please stay off the dunes. The vegetation on the dunes is what protects the sand from eroding away. I don’t think the term means, ” don’t take away.” I’m a Sea Glass lover and I figure it is only trash so I don’t have any grief for taking almost every piece I see. When I have been out I also have grabbed from the beaches of PEI shells, urchins, driftwood, and I’m rethinking what I could do with plastic these days.
Beachcombing Treasures:
Finding treasures on the beach is like playing eye spy only for riches. You can count on finding some nice shells, ridged ones and flat ones all empty I hope. Island red stone is among the shiny smooth stone found on our beaches. Lobster traps, ropes, floats and wood or leather from the frames. Sea life, like ocean trout that are trying to swim up a small stream by the thousands, crabs and starfish. Smoothed sea glass, pieces of bowls window glass, coloured, hobnail dishes and my favourite blue old Noxzema remains. Driftwood of all sizes. Clay brick that fell off a barge. Pottery that was discarded because of a flaw. Doll parts, remains of small dolls be it an arm or leg. Piece of pipe that was once smoked by a pirate. Plastic of all kinds, messages in a bottle and lobster elastics of all colours. Then last I have found these black rods that I think were used along the top of a fish net.
Beautiful beachcombed jewellery:
How to display your beachcombing finds:
- Turn it into wearable jewellery
- Make a picture or decorate a frame.
- Placed in a vase or bowl to be admired.
- Wire wrapped lamp shade.
- Window suncatcher.
- Turn it into garden art.
- Wire wrap into a keychain.
At the end of the day, beachcombing is a relaxing rejouvinating activity that can be shared with someone you love or a piecful experience that clears the cobwebs in your head. Your treasure is the find, the art, the creation to keep as a memory or to share with someone dear. Each time the treasure is looked upon it brings back the happy memories of the beach.
~ Queen Beach Cindy
Hi! If you are new to Scrap’n and Wire Wrap’n, you might want to
When someone mentions the phrase “gone to the beach,” you sort of think of beach towels, crowds and sunny days. On Dec 31 in Prince Edward Island, Canada the phrase gone to the beach paints a picture of cold, windy and ice caps on the water. What would drag you out of bed at 5:15 at a temperature of -5 to make a lunch and head to the beach? You guess it, Sea glass
Baby its cold out there! So why bother? There are a couple of reasons one takes to the crisp cold sea shoreline of PEI in the Winter. First- it won’t be crowded, second- the beach won’t be picked over for seaglass, third- we are busy in the summer months and can’t always get to the beach to replenish our supply, and fourthly- Winter tides are different and although there is no special time for collecting sea glass, it is said that winter is the best time of the season. Winter brings higher tides. The tides will bring about more sea glass onto the shore. 
ts always windy in PEI and so you don’t have a choice but a windy day is preferable with more than thirty knots, because the wind will expose sea glass from under the sand. That said be sure to search for sea glass in and around the high tide mark or line. Then if you add rainy to that windy day you will find only seasoned beachcombers collecting sea glass. Nevertheless, one needs a lot of seaglass to make a matching pair of earrings so I had better get rough and ready.
