Beach Treasures: Water-worn glass, pottery, stones and shells

As my printer continues to be temperamental (especially when I need to print something for my upcoming workshop!), I decided to publish my workshop notes on my blog.

Introduction

What is sea or beach glass? It’s glass which has been worn by wave action against sand and rocks until it becomes smooth and has a frosted, semi-opaque finish. It’s usually called sea glass when it’s found on beaches open to the sea and having been worn smooth in salt water, and beach glass when washed up on estuary or lakeside beaches, with fresh water. Beach glass may be less opaque, but there is no real difference.

Although these notes are about sea or beach glass, they apply to other beachcombed bits too. Broken pottery becomes worn in the same way and can also be wire wrapped, as can seashells, stones, driftwood and other weathered items such as pieces of clay pipe stem or glass bottle tops.

‘Artificial’ sea glass can be created by tumbling broken glass until smooth and is sometimes passed off as the more expensive ‘genuine’ sea glass. However, it may be less random and a better grade than what’s available on your local beach. It can also be created by using a glass etching paste on beads or glass cabochons, which contains a mild acid which is still strong enough to etch glass (and burn skin).

Some pieces of natural sea and beach glass have been 200 years in the making, and very occasionally, may be older than 1800. Some pieces may have features (e.g. the shape of the tops and bottoms, writing or makers’ marks) which help to date them and identify what type of bottle it comes from.

Collecting sea glass, pottery and shells

Health, safety and ecological considerations

Beachcombing can be absorbing, so stay aware and take care!

o       Check the tide times and be careful not to get cut-off.

o       Be careful of streams and storm outlets, there may be patches of quicksand.

o       Glass may still have sharp edges. Be careful of your hands and fingers. Anything recently broken which could cut feet should be buried under pebbles, or tossed back out to sea.

o       Be careful where you tread; weed-covered rocks can be slippery, and barnacles can leave a nasty graze. Try to avoid treading on living creatures.

o       Glass with organisms attached (eg anemones, shells); leave it where it is, or if sharp, place under a ledge in a tidal rock pool, or gently toss back into the water.

o       Don’t touch jellyfish; even stranded, their tentacles could still sting.

o       Apparently empty shells may still have a resident, such as a hermit crab. You can check by placing them on damp sand or in a pool, and being still and quiet for a minute or two, they will often come out to see if the coast is clear.

Occasionally, the sea may erode an old rubbish or glass factory dump and copious amounts of glass end up being washed out (as at Seaham in Northumberland). Supplies around the Pembrokeshire coast largely come from household and bottle glass which has been discarded on beaches and into the sea or rivers.

The weight and shape of sea glass allows it to move differently to some stones. It seems to be washed up in patches and tends to collect in drifts of shingle and shells, or get trapped between and around rocks. Very dark green bottle glass can be mistaken for stones; if in doubt, hold it up to the light. Glass will let the light through.

Collecting sea/beach glass has become a popular hobby, and it is now harder to find as a result. There is a trade in sea/beach glass, with lots available on eBay and through craft sites such as Etsy. The value depends on the grade, colour, shape and size.

Cleaning glass, pottery and shells

Sea glass, and especially glass on estuary beaches, picks up sand and mud, as well as salt from the water. This should be cleaned off and the pieces left to dry before sorting and grading. This can be done in a sink or bowl with warm water, washing-up liquid and an old toothbrush. It’s a good idea to rinse off the soap in case it leaves a residue.

Take care:

o       Glass may have unnoticed sharp edges. It may also break against other glass and stones, or if you drop it.

o       It is translucent in water, make sure the sink or bowl is empty before draining the water – you don’t want your bounty disappearing down the drain!