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Beach
Combers Find Treasures
All the beach breaks have been pumping
out great waves this season. But well-shaped peaks are
bringing more than just good times to the surfers lucky
enough to be apart of this El Nino year. Petrified sand
dollars, whalebones, shark jaws, fossils and ancient
Indian rock bowls as well as other priceless artifacts
have been washing up on local beaches. Treasures and
artifacts that have been uncovered are being discovered
by beachcomber locals and tourists.
Sadly, many of these ancient artifacts are being removed
from our beaches. This may be the best year ever for
local shell collecting and beach combing. The theory
is that the sand restoration project brought in more
than just sand. Many of the ocean treasures that were
uncovered had been buried underneath hundreds of cubic
feet of sand for perhaps thousands or even hundreds
of thousands of years. Large waves combined with extreme
high and low tides have washed much of the sand back
out to sea leaving behind a myriad of beach rocks, driftwood
and seashells, each with its own story to tell. Shells
of all varieties, sizes, shapes and colors are appearing.
Cowry shells, conch shells, muscle shells, wavy tops,
abalone shells and keyhole limpets are just a few of
the local treasures washing up.
Shells were used long ago as a form of currency. Traded
for food, labor and more, past cultures valued shells
for their natural beauty and unique characteristics.
Seashells are still prized today and used for jewelry,
art and educational purposes. From buttons to earrings
to spear tips, past and current civilizations have revered
mollusks for food, tools and ornaments. Museum-quality
pieces preserved underneath the sand for years are being
discovered on the shoreline. They offer proof that our
state beaches really are one of our greatest natural
resources. Besides recreation, beaches offer a wealth
of information about past and present geology, oceanography
and civilizations. What can seem dry in a classroom
setting becomes wet and wild at the beach. Just a piece
of a shell or a fragment of real whalebone fascinates
children and grown-ups alike. Even the geological layers
of the coastal bluffs become animated when viewed in
person. Fortunately, this valuable resource is still
available to everyone.
Most beaches do not post signs prohibiting taking souvenirs
from the shoreline. If there are laws making it illegal
to take certain items off the beach, they are obscure
and not well posted. Unknowingly, many are pillaging
and depleting our greatest natural resource and diminishing
the experience of shell hunting for present and future
generations to come. Honor and respect the value of
the beach. Shoreline shells and other treasures are
finite and limited in number.
Would people like it if they had to pay to go to the
beach? Are more rules and regulations necessary to preserve
the natural state of the beach?
It's just a matter of time before the no parking signs
go up and access to the beaches becomes completely controlled
by a bureaucratic few. To a degree, it already is. Something
that we use for free can become tightly regulated.
The responsibility to protect and preserve the natural
state of our beaches has sadly been neglected. Individually,
we can make a difference in the preservation of this
great natural resource before more regulation is needed.
Taking the time to become educated and showing respect
for the beach is everyone's responsibility. Practicing
responsibility in everyday life raises the quality of
life for everyone and can have a profound effect on
future beach policies. Protect your right to use beaches
by being responsible. Become educated on beach issues.
Share the information.
Alive and ever changing, the ocean exemplifies freedom
and the unpredictable excitement of the Wild West. Protecting
our beaches and sharing the ocean with dolphins, pelicans,
seals and all of God's creatures is all of our responsibility.
Imagine finding an ancient Indian grinding bowl made
out of rock. Whose hands have touched it? What tales
could a whalebone washed ashore tell us? By discovering
and leaving behind shells, rocks, artifacts and other
shoreline treasures others will be able to enjoy nature's
splendor for years to come. By working together, we
can meet challenges and changes helping to preserve
and protect a priceless and limited natural resource,
the nation's shoreline. Now that's real homeland security.
Sea you in the surf.
The Willis Bros. are surfing experts recognized for
surfing the worlds largest waves and teaching thousands
in Hawaii and California to surf.
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