Beachcombing Tips

If you are a beachcomber in search of some treasures that may wash ashore on or near your particular location, following a few tips might help your efforts.

First, beachcombing should be considered the art of finding lots of different types of great stuff, none of which is alive. Please do not disturb any of the marine life you find on the beach or tide pools that you visit. At the same time, always feel free to pick up, open and read any message in a bottle that you find.

The optimal beachcombing period begins after the high tide begins to recede. It ends when the tide is at its lowest. The logic for the timing is simple. Storms and high wave activity churn up, lift and move stuff from the ocean floor and deposit it on the beach during high tide.

Seashells, one of the most popular items that people look for as they walk the shoreline, serve as home for a group of animals called mollusks, and they come in two general forms, univalve or bivalve.

The univalve shell, a single shell, often takes an oval or cone shape. Univalves are the shell of choice for snails as well as hermit crabs. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, with conch shells being the largest.

Two symmetrical sides characterize the bivalve seashell, with clams and oysters representing two of the most common examples.

Since mollusk species (and their shells) are often regionally specific, a local shell guide will help improve your identification skills.

Sandy and rocky beaches are contrasting environments found along the coast. They offer different types of beachcomber activities. For example, rock hounds love a good walk around many of the west coast's rocky beaches where they search for semi-precious stones eroded from the nearby cliffs such as agate, carnelian, jade, jasper and moonstone.

Metal detectors are a popular tool for many beachcombers. seeking jewelry, coins and artifacts. Check with local officials to determine which beach areas are metal detector accessible.

© 2006-2009. Patricia A. Michaels.