Page 9 - AHATA

a8 local
Wednesday 18 december 2024

Another Treasure of Aruba’s Beaches: Sea Glass!

into the ocean, the glass is
broken up into shards and is
tumbled around in the wa-
ter, where sand and other
rocks act like sandpaper to
smooth out its rough edges.
Sometimes as the sea glass
is passed through fire, it be-
comes fire glass, the rarest of
sea glass with certain inclu- apothecary bottles. The most our mistakes.
sions, just like precious gems. common and the easiest to
find are the brown (Amstel & Funny, how trash can
Polar beer), green (Heineken change into treasures!
For years, the water beat
against the different kinds of & Balashi beer) and clear
trash being dumped. Glass, glass which are the soft much Everybody knows that you
household appliances and loved “soft drink” bottles. are not allowed to take local
even motor parts were dis- shells home, but the people
carded on the beach. The If you like to see the sea glass working at the airport have
waves and weather condi- for yourself, and be in awe of no problem you taking sea
NOORD - It is hard to imag- shore beaches of Aruba. tions wore down the over- the power of nature, rent a glass home. A few of those
ine this happening today, but whelming amount of gar- car or jeep and go explore pieces make great souve-
years ago people dumped Especially on the strip on bage in the water, creating our deserted beaches on nirs. You can place them in
all kinds of refuse straight white sand between the millions of beautiful smooth the north side of the island. a wine glass or large bottle
into the ocean, including famous Natural Bridge” and rocks. Make it a fun family day! for decoration and every
old cars, and their household the huge red anchor close Even if we didn’t mean to time you look at it a smile
garbage, which of course in- to “Grapefield” beach you It’s hard to believe the short- pollute the Beaches how we will light up your face thinking
cluded lots of glass. Over the will be able to find your own sighted mistakes we were did, it is inspiring to see just back of your unforgettable
next 30 years the pounding pieces of sea glass. The sea making that could have po- how the earth can correct Aruba vacation! q
waves cleaned the beach, glass that was created is the tentially ruined these beau-
by breaking down every- product of a very long and tiful beaches. But thanks to
thing but glass and pottery. interesting process. It can natural processes, the ocean
The pounding waves washed take anywhere from 10 to transformed the trash into
the trash up and down, back 30 years to make sea glass. the sea glass.
and forth. Tons of polished, The name for any piece of Each colored gem on the
broken glass pieces were glass that finds its way to the beach has its own story.
created by the pounding ocean and tumbles around
surf. These smoothened, in the water long enough is The ruby red glass stones
colored glass particles then “Sea glass. are typically from old car
settled along the sea shore in The colorful pieces of glass tail-lights.
millions, and that is why you are being used for decora-
can find these beautiful and tion, handcrafts and jewelry! Then, the sapphire rocks
colorful pieces on the north Once glass makes its way are the remnants of broken

Aruba to me

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