How to Pick Beaches to Collect Sea Glass

A beach is just a beach--until it becomes a resource for a hobbyist's collection. When it comes to starting a sea glass collection, it is important to identify which are the best beaches to find authentic glass with smooth edges and a frosted surface, perfected by the waves of the sea.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Do Your Research

1. Locate the nearest public beaches to your home, since it can be against the law to trespass or collect sea glass from private beaches.

2. Call the city hall of the city or town where you plan to look for sea glass to ask when the local public beaches are open, ensuring that you are able to gain access to the beach when you arrive. It's also smart to inquire about parking at the beaches. Ask if parking is free or if you should expect to pay a fee.

3. Ask locals for their recommendations for the best beaches to find shells and sea glass, especially if you are in an area that is unfamiliar to you. You may want to inquire in the local craft store as well.

Pick a Dirty Beach

4. Pick a popular beach in a crowded area. Despite what you might think, a beach that has a lot of traffic on and around it is the most likely place to find the best sea glass, because it is generated mostly from litter.

5. Arrive at that crowded beach before the crowds do! Heading out early to collect sea glass ensures you have first access to the beach's goods. Plus, the lack of crowds makes it easier to comb the shores without interruption from other beach goers.

6. Look beyond the sea. Keep in mind, a beach doesn't have to mean the ocean. Sea glass can also be collected on the shore of a lake, especially if that lake is large and near a highly populated area.

Take a Closer Look

7. Find a beach that is very sandy if you are looking for sea glass pieces that are almost identical in shape.

8. Choose a beach with more grainy sand or even one with small pebbles if you are looking to collect sea glass that is extra smooth around the edges.

9. Inspect larger pieces of sea glass to see if you can distinguish the origins of the specimen--for example, a bottle neck.

Tips & Warnings

• Pick a time during the day when the tide is low for optimum access to the glass left behind for collectors.
• Take a buddy to the beach with you if there is any question of the area being unsafe, especially during the hours of early morning when you are most likely to go glass hunting.

[odysseyseaglass]

on 6/11/2009 A good source of sea glass is old dumps, which often included dumping over a cliff into the ocean or dumping into a ravine which empties onto the shore. You might visit the local museum or library to find info on these places.