Beach Glass
Lori and I love to walk on Orient Point State Park beach. Sometimes we walk as far as we can go towards the Cross Sound Ferry dock. When the beach disappears we wade out to a large rock and enjoy a little time basking on our own private island. Other times, if the tide is with us, we walk all the way to the Long Beach Bar Lighthouse, climbing over the ruins of an old fish factory, walking through the “haunted forest” of dead trees and driftwood where hikers hang shells off the branches.
We started these walks in August of 2003, after we signed the contract for our house. Our walks on the beach are where we share all our hopes, dreams and frustrations.
It was during one of our early walks we learned to spot beach glass, or sea glass as some people call it; as well as the old pottery and china shards that wash up on the shore. We began to collect the glass and save it in large sturdy glass jars. Each shape is unique. I especially love the aqua blue and green glass that have been frosted by the sand and the salt of the sea.
I don’t know what we’ll end up doing with it. Have some pieces made into jewelry; make it part of a new walkway to the house, or just keep it as a memento of our walks together on the beach and all we felt and talked about.
Richard LaMotte, an expert and author of “Pure Sea Glass: Discovering Nature’s Vanishing Gems,” had an interesting take: “People are drawn to beach glass because of its odd healing aura,” he said. “They see this broken object with sharp and jagged edges has been healed through time.”
