Inukshuk
The Inukshuk is a man-made landmark found in the Arctic region of North America, Canada and Alaska. It has been used as a marker for hunting gounds and safe passage. The term Inukshuk means “something which acts or performs the function of a person”. It is typically “stacked rocks”, in human form, which acts as a guidepost providing direction across vast horizons.
In recent times, the Inukshuk has become a symbol of hope and friendship and an expression of hospitality. In 2010, the Vacouver Winter Olympics will adopt the Inukshuk as its emblem/logo/symbol for the Winter Games.
The Inukshuk is assembled by balancing stones on top of each other with 2 stones forming the legs, 1 for the trunk, a long stone for the arms and a smaller stone for the head.
The next time you visit the beach, search for stones of various sizes & shapes and create your own Inukshuk and leave your mark.
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Hermit crabs can be found in saltwater shorelines in colonies of 100 or more. These crabs have a soft belly which is protected by carrying around a salvaged seashell. As the hermit crab grows it must find a larger shell and leave behind the smaller one. This passage from one shell to another gave the hermit crab its name. Hermit crabs have become very popular house pets due to their low maintenance and entertainment value. In order to maintain a healthy hermit crab, a good supply of seashells is necessary. Many pet shops carry fancy shells or logo shells of your favorite sports teams.
Did you know that sea glass actually originates from bottles and jars that enter the water as litter?
Sea glass can be found on beaches and along shorelines in shades of green, amber, clear and brown. This glass is tumbled and smoothed by water & sand which creates a frosted glass appearance.
Collecting Sea glass has become a hobby of beachcombers who create decorative crafts or jewelry from their finds.
Expert’s Advice (from Coastal Living magazine)
Search-for seaglass after a strong storm or during a spring tide, which reveals vast expanses of sand.
Focus-on rare colors such as orange, black, red, turquoise and yellow. Green, amber, clear and brown are more common.
Collect-at will. Sea glass is not classified a natural material, so removing it from beaches is permitted.
Examine- common features to date fragments. Remnants of bottle tops and bases tell collectors whether the pieces are man made or machine produced.
Look-for “crizzling”, the pattern of subtle cracks that appear in especially old Sea glass shards.
Sea glass is one of the few objects made valuable by the actions of the environment on man-made litter.
For more information contact: www.seaglassassociation.org |
