Beach Glass Hunting with Sonia

Frosty smooth-edged beach glass is created when glass enters the sea and is ‘polished’ by wave action over a period of years.

Many beachcombers now collect beach glass (also known as sea glass or ‘mermaid’s tears’) to display in a bowl or jar where it catches the light, or make jewellery or art works from their finds. Seeing the shards, which can be found in every colour of the rainbow, will remind you of enjoyable collecting along the coastline. Beach glass hunting is a popular hobby in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, but is less known in New Zealand … even though areas of significant shipping activity or coastal settlement, where glass has found its way into the sea for several centuries, are great spots to find beautifully polished beach glass. Spending a few hours walking along the beach, collecting shards that may be decades or even centuries old, is relaxing, interesting, and a great way to collect your thoughts. Worries fall away and you can live in the moment, wondering what you might find next!

Let’s get you ready so you can find some of your own sea glass and become a beachcomber. The first thing you’ll need are comfortable shoes, because the best glass is found on rocky beaches!