45under45: Sea Glassing and Sip Sip

Finding sea glass is one of my favorite things in the whole world to do. I love the hunt and the discovery! In a way, that is the best part...walking the berms and the cusps, tip toeing around the rocky outcroppings, scanning the swash lines, looking for glistening jewels and gems...

I've never done the "Sanibel Stoop" on Sanibel Island but I am masterful, and possibly near pro-level, at the "sea glass stoop". The moon was a day away from being full and the spring tide* was perfect for revealing a hefty bounty.

*A spring tide has nothing to do with the season. It refers to the time within the lunar cycle that the tidal highs are at their highest...and the lows are at their lowest.

While jogging the other day, I found a perfect beach about half way between Abaco Inn and Tilloo Cut.

Handy golf cart access to my secret sea glass beach.

The gateway to my sea glass hunting grounds.

View of the beach from the top step.

No shoes needed.

Rubble above the natural breakwater indicated that this was THEE spot!

No one here but us "chickens".

I stooped over and scanned the sand, using the radius of my arm's length as a stopping point. When I tired of the stoop, I knelt. When kneeling was getting tough, I squatted. When that was all too much, I lounged on my side and continued...methodically and literally, I combed the wrack line from left to right and high to low. My leg and back muscles ached. Rivers of sweat streamed down my body, not forcefully enough to rinse the sand off, but just moistening my skin perfectly to create a scenario that clearly attracted every nearby grain of sand and caused it to be forever glued to my body. But, lucky for me, this is one of the things that makes me TRULY happy!

Eventually, I did get so hot and sandy that I had to make my way down to the water for a little cool rinse (all while still looking for sea glass).

Tidal pool perfection.

And then I spied this dark grayish, purplish blob peeking out of the sand after a wave receded. Based on its size, shape, and color, I thought that it was probably a man-o-war. "Do not touch!" I said to myself. But, curiosity is probably going to do this old cat one day. I tapped it with my fingernail. It was hard, not squishy as I had expected. So, I changed my assumption from being the evil stinging man-o-war to thinking that this must just be some sort of odd colored tar ball that had washed ashore. I touched it with the actual flesh of my fingertip. OMG! This is not tar. Could it be? Yes! Sea glass...perfectly frosted! The size of a mango pit!!!

In the direct sunlight, you can see the frosted patina, the thickness, and the unique shade of gray.

Against the sand, you can see the slight purple undertone.

Gray is the last of the ultra rare sea glass colors, coming in at number seven! Most gray glass is sun colored. The original source of this color glass is cut crystal tableware popular from the 1800s – 1940s. Lead oxide was added to the glass batch to enhance the sparkle but also had the effect of turning the glass a darker color when exposed to ultraviolet rays of the sun. Gray sea glass is ultra rare because of its scarcity. There are several shades of gray sea glass, the darker being the most desired. (https://seaglassjewelrybyjane.com/colors/)

I held on to that whopper for dear life while I rinsed and bobbed around in the tidal pool.

Not wanting to take this sea glass moment for granted or to appear greedy, I respectfully thanked the ocean for her generous gift and called it a day.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the golf cart rearview mirror.
Reppin' the Sea Glass Gang.

After getting home and sharing my treasure with Shawn and the kids, I continued to feel an enormous sense of gratitude toward the sea and decided that this was a good excuse to bask in this moment and reconnect with my old "friend", Dave Gale. Although I've never met Dave personally, I know his life story, his passions, and have been along side him on many an adventure... I have read all but one of his books and magazine articles (at least once). For more information about Dave Gale click here for his website.

Relaxing at Abaco Inn with a rising tide...bliss.

I wish you could hear the crashing surf and feel the strong on shore breeze.
Everything was covered in a fine mist of salty dew.

Meanwhile, the kids and Shawn were fishing on the opposite side of the inn, at their White Sound dock area. Nicholas caught his first shark, a small little guy (the shark, not Nicholas). Apparently the feisty little two foot black tip put up quite a fight! (Summer was the designated photographer for the catch and release.)

He took about 2/3 of the line!

Shawn assisting with the catch.

And the release!

That evening we brought Millie along while wandered through the settlement, stopping at Wine Down and Sip Sip for dinner. We had never been to Sip Sip before and thought that it would be a good night to give it a try.

The food was amazing and unlike anything we had ever seen on this island! Conch flitters (yes, with an "L" because they're flat pancake shaped) and cheesey doo (a type of melted cheese/fondue) as appetizers. Sands and Kalik on draft. And, for mains:

Shawn liked his grouper royale (pan fried grouper with a maple syrup sauce).
I had poached pears and bacon that topped a salad of baby greens. (Millie had my bacon.)
Summer chose BBQ pork sliders with coleslaw.
Nicholas was super excited with his flatbread pizza.