Saturday, January 2, 2010

Another find

Look at what my guy "who can see things that others cannot" found in the bushes near the beach - a lovely glass float left from a glass float hunt held sometime this past year. We know it wasn't lost and that we haven't stolen it; it is a keepable beach-combing-find. Beach communities on the coast deliberately plant these pretty works of art for beachcombers to discover. It is labeled with a date and location and the artists name is etched on the side. This one was never found during the intended event. I love this stuff. Many many thanks for sharp eyes, big and small.
Finding this float reminded me of a recent KUOW interview with UW oceanographer Dr. Kurt Ebbersmeyer. He has co-authored a book about how his hobby of beachcombing has been incorporated into his studies of ocean currents. During the interview people called in with stories about their finds and Dr. E shared stories from his book. I was also reminded of my failed attempt to mark the ocean currents. While at sea, I started to collect Frappacino bottles discarded by fellow shipmates. Then I planted notes inside with the intent to seal them and launch them off the fantail at various spots along our course across the ocean in hopes they would one day be recovered by a beachcomber and reported back to me. I never completed the mission though. Never sealed or launched the bottles. I think when I was ready to start we were floating in the Persian Gulf where, honestly, the bottles wouldn't go far and I felt a little silly for pursuing this kind of hobby while we were supposed to be on a mission. Now I know I am not the only one who would have enjoyed this type of thing. I missed my book opportunity.



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