Monday, August 24, 2009

Beach comber




The beach was awash with all kinds of shells from the higher than normal tides and the large swells from Hurricane Bill's passing. So today I get an opportunity to go collecting and photographing shells for a beach comber guide that my staff and I are putting together.

I am continually fascinated by what washes up with the tide. There were whelk shells, sharks' teeth, lettered olives, pen shells, scallops, arcs, and a unique "sand collar" which is actually the egg mass of a gastropod mollusc.

Sometimes there is man made flotsam that is fascinating. I've found lights from barges, many different kinds of anchors, and most recently, a Sampson post from an old ship. The Sampson post is a strong vertical post used for attaching lines. I brought it back with me and will clean it up to put in the library at home as a reminder of another age.

So today will be another great day weather wise. And I'll get to do some photography of the many things that wash up: Treasures that many people will pass by.

Enjoy your day. I'm grateful for a lot of things today, not the least of which is having a day outside the office to enjoy some salt air, good breeze, and washed up treasures.

23 comments:

  1. Your job sounds great, Syd. Thanks for sharing the photos. You are a wonderful photographer. Do I hear a second career calling?

    Much love,

    SB

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  2. You put new meaning into loving what you do...and never working a day of your life. Awesome pics

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  3. What a wonderful way to spend a day at work! Makes me miss the OBX.

    Namaste

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  4. You job does sound like fun - rather than work and I am betting that is the best of all worlds!

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  5. Beautiful pics Syd. Wish I was there walking on the beach too. Enjoy!

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  6. I would be in heaven walking among the shells like that at the beach. Sounds like you had a near perfect weekend dear friend. (Hugs)Indigo

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  7. I wish I had known you at an earlier time of my life.

    While scuba diving off Bermuda ~15+ years ago, we came across 1,000's of perfectly spherical balls scattered on the floor of the ocean (varied from 40-90'). Why we didn't ignore the rules and take one, I still don't know. But, they were perfectly spherical, were hard, looked like glass (didn't try to break one but they seemed hard), probably about 1-1/4" diameter.

    I still don't know what they were. They were distributed over several miles around where were diving. The dive master and other divers didn't know what they were either.

    I marvel still at:
    1) we never figured it out
    2) people who dove there every day never had the curiosity to figure it out...

    Thanx for your work.

    Blessings and aloha...

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  8. Maybe someday you will find a gold
    dubloon;)

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  9. Gosh your photos are awesome. U surely take great ones. Enjoy the day, as much as I loved your post and photos. God bless!!

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  10. Oh my goodness!!! I would be in HEAVEN on that beach!! I am a shell fanatic! I am sooo jealous!

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  11. Thanks for the great pics. Always brightens my day seeing the beach! (I have a little frame on my desk that says, Life's a Beach). I may have got it at Orchard Beach in Maine, not sure.

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  12. Bill just passed through my neck of the woods last night... maybe I will go beach combing too :)

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  13. Lovely photos, Syd. I've never seen anything like the "sand collar". We had a VERY heavy rain fall that was part of Bill...but that was it. Lucky !!

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  14. Your photos reveal your passion for your work.

    Thank you for sharing them :)
    Sue

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  15. These are great! You did this at WORK (I think that's the wrong word for it, sounds more like fun to me). I used to love walking on the beaches here (CA) back in the days that cool things could be found.

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  16. What fantastic treasures...gosh I think I am very envious of your job!

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  17. My son would go insane-happy if he walked on that beach. He loves gathering shells.

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  18. treasures from the beach... thanks for sharing them. i don't get there as much as you.

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  19. Oh my I wish I could be on that beach with you, my house is filled with treasures from the oceans that others have passed along underfoot.

    Find treasure for me, take photos to share and enjoy the peace within from our gratitude.
    G

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  20. Could you please tell me what is the item in the last picture, the tan rings? I have them on the beach in S.C. just recently. Thanks

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