Nature Wins, Given a Chance

     The above picture is of the "sand" at Glass Beach, near Ft. Bragg in California.  Beginning in 1949, the area around Glass Beach became a public dump. Literally everything from household garbage to old cars was dumped into the ocean. This, of course, included a lot of glass.

     Beginning in the early '60s limits began to be imposed on what could be dumped, starting with toxic items until by 1967 the dumping ground was moved elsewhere. Over the course of the next thirty years the wave action combined with the native rocks and sand, most of which are harder than glass, tumbled and polished the shards of glass as they broke them down from larger pieces.

   

"You'll still see the occasional reminder of it earlier life, such as a rusted spark plug, but for the most part what you'll see is millions of pieces of glass sparkling in the sun. (As part of MacKerricher State Park, collecting is no longer allowed).

Glass Beach also has a very interesting array of tide pools to explore. Crabs, mollusks, and many aquatic plants make their homes in these ever changing environments. It is very easy to spend your whole day poking aound the tide pools and watching the busy little worlds that go on inside each one."

Location: 

Glass Beach

End of West Elm Streeet at Old Haul Road; Park at end of Elm and walk to beach

Fort Bragg, CA 95437

Photo art from Twenty-two Words.

Be seeing you.