Located on the northern coast of California, Glass Beach seemed a bit elusive, almost mythical when I first heard about it. A beach covered with thousands of pieces of multi-colored glass.
Our first quest led us to the wrong location. However, asking around we quickly found the beach in Fort Bragg and ventured there early one morning after the sun had just risen. Glass, freshly coated with salt water, was glittering in the sun.
Glass Beach didn’t start out this beautiful. It started as a city dump where trash was thrown directly into the ocean. Out of sight, out of mind.
Nearly fifty years went by before they stopped this practice, but by that time the sea was filled with glass and metal which the ocean and rocky coast line thrashed around in the surf. I’m not sure when the glass first started appearing on the shores, but the beaches are now filled with smooth glass polished by years of rubbing against rough waves, rocks and sand.
I spent hours walking around and talking photographs, convinced that the most beautiful combination of glass pieces was just around the next corner. I was particularly drawn to the emerald greens and the rare blues – two of my favorite colors.
taking the long way 