12/01/2025
Today was a Sea Bean kind of day!
We wandered over to a beach we donât normally visitâalways chasing sea glass, always curious what new shores might gift us. The sea glass wasnât showing off today⌠but the sea beans sure were!
These little Sea Hamburgers (yes, thatâs their actual nickname!) come from the Mucuna vine, native to tropical places like the Caribbean and South America. When heavy rains knock them loose, they drift into rivers, slip into the sea, and then float for monthsâsometimes yearsâon their grand ocean adventure. With their tough, buoyant shells, they can travel thousands of miles via powerful currents like the Gulf Stream, eventually washing up on beaches from Florida to the British Isles⌠and even Texas! Beachcombers treasure them for the magic of their journey and the symbolism theyâre believed to carry: good luck, endurance, and new beginnings.
And today? We found 47 of them! A personal record. (Yes, an art project is brewing!)
đŻ Why I Hunt One Thing at a Time
Some of you have noticed Iâm a âone-targetâ beachcomber. Itâs intentional. I like to train my eyeâalmost like tuning a camera lensâto spot the shapes, colors, and textures of one specific treasure. If something cool appears along the way, of course I grab it, but focusing helps me âlock inâ to what Iâm after.
Beaches all have personalities:
⢠Some offer tiny gemlike glass shards.
⢠Some toss up marbles.
⢠Some serve chunky grays or bottle bottoms.
⢠Some hide whole bottles right in plain sight.
When I focus, I see more.
đŚ The Shark Tooth Lesson
A few years ago in North Carolina, I knew we were on a good shark tooth beachâbut we found nothing for ages. Then I met a woman who had a handful. When I asked how she did it, she simply said, âLook for black triangles.â She let me hold one so my brain could memorize the shape.
Minutes later? I found one.
By the end of the day? We had nearly 500 tiny shark tooth fossils. Focus really is magic.
â The Sea Biscuit Story
Same thing happened when I went hunting for Sea Biscuit fossils. We searched forever⌠then I found one. After that, it was like they appeared everywhereâbecause now my eyes knew what to look for.
đą And Today⌠Sea Beans!
Once I realized sea glass was sparse, I shifted my search and dug into the high tide line flotsam. Suddenly, beans everywhere. Forty-seven of them! Meanwhile, Jakeâwhose eyes are apparently set to âBottle Modeââfound two whole sea glass bottles and an almost-buried tiara in the wet sand. I walked right past all three. Thatâs the power of selective attention!
đ Get Out There and Explore!
I always want to encourage you to get out and see this beautiful world. Traveling has given us some of our favorite memories and friendships. Weâve been to Puerto Rico three times now, and leaving gets harder every visit. The food, the beaches, the stories, the peopleâeverywhere we go someone smiles and says, âWelcome! Are you enjoying the island?â And we always do.
Iâve visited 47 states and seven Caribbean islands so far. Next up: Iceland in March (send warm socks⌠and sea glass tips!). If youâve been or know any magical beaches there, Iâd love recommendations.
Hereâs to exploration, curiosity, and tuning your eyes to the treasures you seek. â¨đ
