Walk on Glass at Glass Beach

Everyone loves going to the beach. The sun shining down above the sea while you relax on the soft, warm sand – what isn’t there to like? Now that summer is underway and my annual summer holiday is postponed due to the pandemic, I want to talk about a specific beach in California that may sound dangerous at first but breathtaking once seen. I welcome you to Glass Beach.

Glass Beach in California has a lot to offer visitors, with a rich history dating back over 100 years, loads of aquatic animals, and one of the most unusual shorelines on the globe. It is free for anyone to visit, and it has quickly become a tourist favourite. So it comes as no surprise that such a dream-like place has a myth in its history; the Myth of Fort Bragg’s Sea Glass Beach.

The Myth of Fort Bragg’s Sea Glass Beach

According to mythology, a mermaid watches a sailor from afar. She quickly falls head over heels for him. This adoration compels her to follow him wherever he goes, even if it means taming the turbulent waters to keep him safe. Neptune eventually learns about her forbidden affection. He's enraged to the point of rage. As a result, he casts her into the sea's depths.

Her sailor boyfriend gets murdered by a violent storm since she isn't there to tame the sea. The mermaid, heartbroken, sobs uncontrollably on the seabed. Her tears wash up on Glass Beach as sea glass, giving the beach its distinctive look. Unfortunately, this isn't the actual reason, as much as we'd all like it to be. The accurate story is a lot more ordinary but still fascinating in its own right

The Reason

Glass Beach resulted from significant pollution, as the beaches outside of Fort Bragg were used as dump grounds from 1906 until 1967. Residents dumped their trash, including glass bottles and even cars, on the sandy shores of MacKerricher State Park. Finally, in 1967, dumping on the beaches was made illegal. The inhabitants were horrified by the trash that had been left there.

They began an extensive clean-up project to address the pollutants. Large, non-biodegradable things were gradually eliminated over the years until only shattered glass and biodegradable items remained. During the decades since, the ocean water has beaten that glass into smooth, multicoloured stones. Glass Beach is no longer a dump; instead, it has evolved into one of the state's most unusual and picturesque beaches.

What kind of Glass is it?

Weathered glass discovered around the shores of vast bodies of water is referred to as beach glass. Oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water are all included in this category. The colour of the glass varies, although white, green, and brown colours are the most common. Different varieties of manufactured glass dumped along the shore or in the ocean result in these colours. Water moulds the glass into stunning designs over time, highlighting the material's natural patterns. They're little masterpieces. The more you search the beach, the more compelling examples of sea glass you'll find. Sea Glass comes in a variety of colours, which can help you figure out where it came from. This is fascinating because learning about the history of a colour can provide insight into the past.

The amount of sea glass on Glass Beach used to be much higher. This is because people have taken portions of it with them throughout the years, resulting in a significantly less colourful beach. Take a photograph and leave the sea glass to help preserve this unique beach. There are only a handful of places on earth that hold such a fascinating history and natural comeback from the effects of human waste, so please take care of it if you visit. Help it become a part of the natural world for as long as possible.

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