Sea Glass

[tnts2k]

My friend is coming to visit in June and she collects sea glass. Any suggestions on the best beaches on Oahu to find some?

Thanks.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Sea Glass

Dad found most of his on the Kahuku coast line. Gotta get out early and often to beat the other beachcombers to whatever may wash up on shore. Hard to find nowdays.

[tutusue]

Re: Sea Glass

I think I got most of the beach glass around Oahu!!!

My mom collected sea glass for years and about 45 years ago made this beautiful lamp shade that will be the anchor around which I'll turn my tiny Makaha condo into a little grass shack. Unfortunately the bulb wasn't on but you can still get the idea. Mom placed and hand glued every piece of glass then leaded around each one. I'm still waiting for my daughter to ship it to me...then I'll hold my breath the entire time it's in transit!

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Sea Glass

Oh, dat kine sea glass?

Wow! You know, I haven't seen sand smoothed glass in ages. Used to be able to find a bunch real easy at most beaches in all different colors. Gee, kinda wish I collected whatever I had found back then. They are really hard to find nowdays. Kinda went by way of the puka shell.

[tutusue]

Re: Sea Glass

Oh, dat kine sea glass?
[...]

Oooooh...maybe my kine sea glass is wrong. Hmmm...now that I think of it, in Calif. it was called beach glass. What's your definition of sea glass, tnts2k?

[sinjin]

Re: Sea Glass

Can't say for Oahu but the shoreline around South Point on Hawaii is littered with it among other debris. By all means take it away.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Sea Glass

Oooooh...maybe my kine sea glass is wrong. Hmmm...now that I think of it, in Calif. it was called beach glass. What's your definition of sea glass, tnts2k?

Idunno tutu. First thing came to my mind were the glass floats.
Btw, that's a beautiful lamp.

Ever wonder? We used to find all these nice glass shards, all rounded, frosted and smoothed out by the sand that we've been walking in. Anyone ever get cut from a fresh shard? I have never stepped onto a sharp piece of glass in all the time we used to go to these beaches.

[tnts2k]

Re: Sea Glass

That lamp is absolutely beautiful. I can only imagine how much time and patience went into putting it together. What a treasure!

My understanding of sea glass is that it is pieces of broken bottles, pottery, etc. rubbed smooth by the sand and sea. Because we are increasingly dependent on plastic and no longer dump as much trash in the ocean (that's a good thing!) sea glass is becoming rarer and harder to find.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[blueyecicle]

Re: Sea Glass

I never knew sea glass was collectible. We frequently pick it up and collect in our family but I did not understand it was collectible. Thanks for sharing your lamp Tsue (: It's beautiful!!
Reminds me to go dig out all of our sea glass and agates from the fron tyard before we move. I don't know if the Atlantic has stuff like that.

[EastCoastTropics]

Re: Sea Glass

Ever wonder? We used to find all these nice glass shards, all rounded, frosted and smoothed out by the sand that we've been walking in. Anyone ever get cut from a fresh shard? I have never stepped onto a sharp piece of glass in all the time we used to go to these beaches.

Oh this brings back memories.....and I can say that I never ever got cut!

Gorgeous lamp! I do a craft fair at the local CC and the couple next to us makes jewelry using sea glass....very pretty. I know that you can collect sea glass from the beach but its also available at wholesale.

[Surfingfarmboy]

Re: Sea Glass

Reminds me to go dig out all of our sea glass and agates from the fron tyard before we move. I don't know if the Atlantic has stuff like that.

I can't vouch for Virginia and its beaches, but the Constitution St. Beach, here in Bristol, RI, usually has a least a half-pound of decent, collectible sea glass for the picking..the good sanded-smooth-by-the-surf variety..after every high tide. Picking is even better after (what is known as) an astronomical high tide has occured. I've seen sea glass is all colors here, but the most prevelant color I find is deep cobalt, along with plenty of sanded remnants of the old 6.5 oz. Coca-Cola bottles, from back in the day when Coke was sold in those diminutive returnables.

[scrivener]

Re: Sea Glass

I've always seen a lot of it on the beach at Kahala.
I've also seen it for sale in bags at the Kam Swap Meet.

[blueyecicle]

Re: Sea Glass

I can't vouch for Virginia and its beaches, but the Constitution St. Beach, here in Bristol, RI, usually has a least a half-pound of decent, collectible sea glass for the picking..the good sanded-smooth-by-the-surf variety..after every high tide. Picking is even better after (what is known as) an astronomical high tide has occured. I've seen sea glass is all colors here, but the most prevelant color I find is deep cobalt, along with plenty of sanded remnants of the old 6.5 oz. Coca-Cola bottles, from back in the day when Coke was sold in those diminutive returnables.

That's awesome! we have quite a bit here. I hopethey have agates too. BIG agate collectors in our home...we have MANY jars I finally had to put them all in a formation in the front yard! We have contests to see who can find the biggest ones.
Also petrified wood.

[tutusue]

Re: Sea Glass

[...]but the most prevelant color I find is deep cobalt,[...]

Ooooh...blue and red are the rarest colors in Calif. and Hawaii. Maybe that's changed in Calif...don't know for sure. But I remember how thrilled my mom was when she returned from a morning of beachcombing with a few treasured reds and blues. Green, brown and white/clear seem to be the most common. Even the light aquamarine from the old Coke bottles was a cause for celebration!

I've found a fair amount of glass along the coves in front of my Makaha condo. I'd love to learn to make jewelry from it. There's something special, afaic, about shells and sea glass. I'm always looking for ways to use them. My mom certainly found a way! She also made 2 "stained glass" windows out of sea glass. The windows were incorporated into an addition to my parents home many years ago. I'd LOVE to have those! The house, too!!

I, too, have never been cut by "young" glass. I usually pick the sharp ones up and return them to the ocean in an area that's not frequented by beach-goers. That's just one cove away! Gives the glass more time to get tumbled and worn smooth.

[greentara]

Re: Sea Glass

Ooooh...blue and red are the rarest colors in Calif. and Hawaii. Maybe that's changed in Calif...don't know for sure. But I remember how thrilled my mom was when she returned from a morning of beachcombing with a few treasured reds and blues. Green, brown and white/clear seem to be the most common. Even the light aquamarine from the old Coke bottles was a cause for celebration!

I've found a fair amount of glass along the coves in front of my Makaha condo. I'd love to learn to make jewelry from it. There's something special, afaic, about shells and sea glass. I'm always looking for ways to use them. My mom certainly found a way! She also made 2 "stained glass" windows out of sea glass. The windows were incorporated into an addition to my parents home many years ago. I'd LOVE to have those! The house, too!!

I, too, have never been cut by "young" glass. I usually pick the sharp ones up and return them to the ocean in an area that's not frequented by beach-goers. That's just one cove away! Gives the glass more time to get tumbled and worn smooth.

That lamp is so beautiful ~ we have collected lot's of green/blue at the Hidden Beach in Humboldt county ~ but I have never see red. The JJill catalog had some really nice jewlery made out of sea glass last summer. I love anything from the ocean.