Pirate Glass – The Best of Beachcomber Booty

If you are a sailor, or simply a land‑based lover of the sea, you no doubt have a predilection for beachcombing. Those of us whose hearts belong to the ocean find idling along the shoreline, scouring the pebbles and sand, time well spent. Along with shells, feathers, and driftwood, sea glass is one of those tideline treasures we love to collect.

What Is Sea Glass?

For those not in the know, sea glass is created when bottles, tableware, or other glass artefacts find their way into the sea and are churned smooth and naturally frosted by saltwater. This process takes anywhere from 20 to 100 years or more. Part of the appeal of these so‑called mermaid’s tears is imagining where their journey began.

Colours and Rarity

The colour of sea glass depends on what was added during manufacture. Most commonly found are green, brown, white, or clear glass. Orange, amber, blue, and yellow may also appear, perhaps once for every hundred pieces found, and the rarer the colour, the more exciting the discovery.

What Is Pirate Glass?

One of the rarest varieties is black sea glass, often known as pirate glass. This romantic nickname harks back to the seafaring nomads of days gone by, swigging their rum and singing drunken sea shanties before smashing bottles or jettisoning them overboard. Much of this black glass dates from the 17th and 18th centuries, the Golden Age of Piracy.

Despite the name, the word black is somewhat misleading. When held up to the light, these rare, and often sizeable, chunks of dark glass usually reveal deep olive green or brown, and on rare occasions blue or amber. The glass was made with additives to increase strength and opacity, helping to protect its contents, often alcohol or medicines, from sun damage.

How to Spot Pirate Glass

Pirate glass can easily be overlooked while beachcombing because, in both texture and colour, it closely resembles black rock. Clues to watch for include stones that remain slick after the tide has gone out, have a subtle glittery appearance, or glow softly when held up to the light. You may also notice gas bubbles trapped inside, impurities and irregularities were common in old bottles.

Where to Find Pirate Glass

Good places to find pirate glass include areas such as the Caribbean, where many nations traded and pirates plundered. Bermuda and North Carolina may also yield the occasional piece of pirate‑glass booty. However, some of the best places in the world to search are Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California, Glass Beach in Kauai, Hawaii and in the UK, Seaham in County Durham.

A Moment of Imagination

If you are lucky enough to find one of these treasures, hold it up to the light. As its true colour is revealed, spend a few moments wondering which black‑hearted buccaneer may have launched it into the depths of the high seas centuries ago.

Happy searching, me hearties!

Photo courtesy of Dr Beachcomb and Kristin Hissong

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