Frosty gems from the sea

Telegraph Journal - 

A couple of weekends ago my husband and I took the kids to the beach. No, we weren't in Florida or Mexico. We were in balmy Saint John, in minus-something temperatures.

We were bundled up head-to-toe, and we certainly didn't go near the water. As a family we collect sea glass. And even in the winter months, the shores of the Bay of Fundy can provide a successful treasure hunt.

So what is sea glass? Also called beach glass, it is old bits of broken glass bottles or dishes that have been in the ocean for a number of years, decades probably, and have gradually been smoothed by the action of tides. A piece of sea glass no longer has sharp edges, but more rounded ones, and the whole thing has a slightly frosted appearance.

The glass that gradually turns into sea glass is usually from bottles left after beach parties or thrown into the water from boats, as well as glass from old shoreline dump sites that has been pulled into the ocean by beating tides. Sea glass eventually washes up to the shore, just like shells or other debris does, and can be found at low tide.

Sea glass that originated from bottles is the most common. Clear or white, green and brown sea glass is often found, as it usually comes from old pop or beer bottles.

A pale aqua colour of sea glass also originated from old bottles or jars. Harder to find sea glass in cobalt blue may come from vintage medicinal bottles such as milk of magnesia or Vicks jars. Another possibility is old Noxzema jars.

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