Page 16 - Binder1
P. 16

Friday 6 January 2023 locAl
                                      A10

            Another Treasure of Aruba’s Beaches: Sea Glass!

































            NOORD - It is hard to imag-  pieces of sea glass. The sea
            ine  this  happening  today,  glass  that  was  created  is
            but  years  ago  people  the product of a very long
            dumped all kinds of refuse  and  interesting  process.  It
            straight into the ocean, in-  can  take  anywhere  from
            cluding old cars, and their  10 to 30 years to make sea
            household garbage, which  glass.  The  name  for  any
            of  course  included  lots  of  piece of glass that finds its
            glass.  Over  the  next  30  way to the ocean and tum-
            years the pounding waves  bles  around  in  the  water
            cleaned  the  beach,  by  long enough is “Sea glass.
            breaking  down  everything
            but  glass  and  pottery.  The  The colorful pieces of glass
            pounding  waves  washed  are being used for decora-
            the  trash  up  and  down,  tion,  handcrafts  and  jew-
            back and forth. Tons of pol-  elry!
            ished, broken glass pieces  Once  glass  makes  its  way
            were created by the pound-   into the ocean, the glass is
            ing surf. These smoothened,  broken up into shards and is
            colored glass particles then  tumbled around in the wa-
            settled along the sea shore  ter,  where  sand  and  other
            in millions, and that is why  rocks act like sandpaper to
            you can find these beauti-   smooth out its rough edges.
            ful  and  colorful  pieces  on  Sometimes as the sea glass  Glass,   household   appli-    It’s  hard  to  believe  the  in awe of the power of na-
            the north shore beaches of  is passed through fire, it be-  ances  and  even  motor  short-sighted  mistakes  we  ture,  rent a car or jeep and
            Aruba.                       comes fire glass, the rarest  parts  were  discarded  on  were  making  that  could  go  explore  our  deserted
                                         of  sea  glass  with  certain  the beach. The waves and  have    potentially   ruined  beaches on the north  side
            Especially  on  the  strip  on  inclusions, just like precious  weather  conditions  wore  these  beautiful  beaches.  of the island. Make it a fun
            white sand between the fa-   gems.                        down      the  overwhelming  But  thanks  to  natural  pro-  family day!
            mous  Natural  Bridge”  and                               amount of garbage in the  cesses,  the  ocean  trans-     Even  if  we  didn’t  mean  to
            the huge red anchor close  For  years,  the  water  beat  water,  creating  millions  of  formed  the  trash  into  the  pollute  the  Beaches  how
            to “Grapefield” beach you  against  the  different  kinds  beautiful smooth rocks.     sea glass.                   we did, it is inspiring to see
            will be able to find your own  of  trash  being  dumped.                               Each  colored  gem  on  the  just how the earth can cor-
                                                                                                   beach has its own story.     rect our mistakes.

                                                                                                   The  ruby  red  glass  stones  Funny,  how  trash  can
                                                                                                   are  typically  from  old  car  change into treasures!
                                                                                                   tail-lights.
                                                                                                                                Everybody  knows  that  you
                                                                                                   Then,  the  sapphire  rocks  are  not  allowed  to  take
                                                                                                   are  the  remnants  of  bro-  local  shells  home,  but  the
                                                                                                   ken  apothecary  bottles.  people  working  at  the  air-
                                                                                                   The  most  common  and  port have no problem you
                                                                                                   the  easiest  to  find  are  the  taking  sea  glass  home.  A
                                                                                                   brown  (Amstel  &  Polar  few  of  those  pieces  make
                                                                                                   beer),  green  (Heineken  great  souvenirs.    You  can
                                                                                                   &  Balashi  beer)  and  clear  place them in a wine glass
                                                                                                   glass  which  are  the  soft  or large bottle for decora-
                                                                                                   much  loved  “soft  drink”  tion  and  every  time  you
                                                                                                   bottles.                     look at it a smile will light up
                                                                                                                                your face thinking back of
                                                                                                   If  you  like  to  see  the  sea  your  unforgettable  Aruba
                                                                                                   glass  for  yourself,  and  be  vacation! q
   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21