Mermaid Treasures

You don't have to go to a crystal shop to find some really amazing rocks. Take yourself to the beach! I happen to live on the coast of the English Channel, in Dorset. The coastline of Dorset is one of the most visited and studied coastlines in the world because it has well-preserved fossils and rocks from the entire Mesozoic era. By noting variances in colour, crystal size and formation, and the hardness of the stone, you can narrow down which rock type it is and the minerals that are likely contained within. Most often sea tumbled rocks look so different on the sand from the same types of rocks and minerals found rough on mountains, mines, quarries or elsewhere. Look closely and you may find beautiful gemstones washed up on the beach. Just because it doesn't look like something from a jewellery shop, doesn't mean it's not special and precious. 

There is an incredible variety of beach gems. Pay attention to what appeals to you, and pick up whichever stones you feel drawn to. You will find that jasper-agates come in an infinite number of colours and patterns. Pick up a stone and dip it in the sea so you can better examine its surface. Is the pebble waxy, glassy or sub-metallic? Chalcedony is an example of a chalky stone, obsidian is a glassy stone and hematite is a sub-metallic stone. Naturally tumbled agate and carnelian is commonly found near sandstone cliffs. The shores of the North Sea and Baltic Sea often produce pieces of amber. Sea amber is naturally polished by the water movement, so it can be found as a clear, shiny stone, which may be warm to the touch and light weight like plastic. To distinguish amber from plastic, touch the surface with a heated needle and it will give off the scent of a coniferous forest.

Quartz is one of the most common minerals found on the face of the earth, and comes in many varieties, such as amethyst, citrine, rose, milky, and smoky quartz. Pure quartz is clear and colourless. Rocks that often contain contrasting bands or patterns of quartz include agate, sard, onyx, carnelian, heliotrope, and jasper. Quartz is very common in sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and shale. Because of its resistance to weathering, quartz is very common on beaches, and in fact, the primary component of beach sand is quartz. The colour of the beach is produced by iron, which stains the sand to that familiar golden colour. I like to fill a glass jar with beach sand and take it home to admire.

The best time to go hunting for mermaid treasure is early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun hangs low in the sky. Face the sun and it will back-light the gems at your feet. If you go to the beach at low tide, more of the sand will be exposed for you to explore.  The moon phase will effect how far the tide goes. The new moon and full moon produce the strongest tide, with the biggest difference between high tide and low tide. The half moon produces a weak tide with a smaller difference between high tide and low tide. Knowing when the tide is going to come in and out will depend on your location as well as the date. You should be able to find a time table for your area online. Where I live, the tide is at its lowest around the time of sunset, which is just after I finish work. I often go straight down the beach in the evening and enjoy a hot drink at the seaside pub while I review my treasure haul.