Chesapeake Bay Sea Glass

by Sue
(Carroll County, MD)

~ by Sue - Carroll County, MD

In my local newspaper today (1/17/12) there was an article about a young girl who collects sea glass and makes things with it. 

She collects her sea glass mainly at Deal Island on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the Chesapeake Bay (south of the bay bridge).  

It even stated that this "secret" treasure of a place was announced on the Martha Stewart show so many people go there to collect sea glass, shards of pottery, pipe stems and other interesting finds. 

It may be worth the trip.



Comment from David at Odyssey:

Thanks for the heads up, Sue!

We hesitate to post any reports without photos of the actual sea glass found, and generally do not add a report like this one which is based on an article by a person who likely knows very little about sea glass. However, many people have read the above-mentioned article or one similar to it and have believed what it said, so we would like to add a caveat or caution to reading such writeups.

It is true that some of the sea glass that Lin has collected over the years comes from the shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, home of Lin's mother Win; in fact, the orange piece shown on our Home Page and other pages was found there.

On the other hand, our explorations of a number of beaches on the West Shore has turned up very little other sea glass worth keeping. This is a bay, so has very little wave action except where near the open ocean. You cannot expect to find well-tumbled beach glass on any of the beaches in a protected bay.

Yes, there definitely are occasional treasures found on the Chesapeake. But these are the rare exceptions.

Important - don't trust isolated reports that don't include photos of the sea glass found. What one person considers great sea glass may, in fact, be nothing but barely-beached and non-tumbled glass shards that have little or no value except as personal mementos of the beach trip.



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Comments for Chesapeake Bay Sea Glass

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Dec 05, 2019
 Chesapeake Bay Sea Glass
by: Mary Alice

Hello.

Maybe this is an aberration due to tides/waves/etc., but I used to own a house in Southern Maryland on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay, and found LOTS of beach glass on the beach. Found pieces just about every time I walked on the beach - it was fabulous!!
Mar 27, 2018
 Searching Near Gibson Island
by: Boni

I tried searching near Gibson Island on the Western Shore of the https://www.amazon.com/Chesapeake-Bay-Assorted-Nautical-69344/dp/B079Q66S3Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1522348062&sr=1-7&keywords=Chesapeake+Bay&linkCode=ll1&tag=odyseagla-20&linkId=e16197c59980e7eda6531b9fe988a693, but quickly learned Gibson Island is private.

However, if you try a little park north of it called Downs Park, you can find some glass. Mostly craft grade and the usual colors, white, green and brown.

The park does not like anyone to take anything from their shores so be careful about park rangers.

There have been over 1800 shipwrecks in the bay since the early 11700's and they like to save anything historic that washes up for their exhibit in the nature center.

There is a lot of driftwood too! I found this nice piece and a few others. My plan is to try Kent Island and other islands in the Bay this Summer by boat.

Happy Hunting.

Boni
Sep 08, 2016
 Deal Island
by: Boni

I traveled to Deal Island searching for sea glass but I picked the wrong weekend. Never go on Labor Day Weekend, they have hundreds of people there for the Skip Jack Festival.

There is one public beach which might have yielded something, but I would have had to pay $5.00 to park because of the festival and I decided not to.

I drove all around asking people and they are a bit peeved about the Martha Stewart article that recommended it because, "people like me" keep coming there looking.

I will go back in October when the crowds die down and check after a storm.

I also tried The Nature Preserve near Calvert Cliffs on the Western Shore. Nothing.

However, The Chesapeake Bay had 1800 shipwrecks over the years and with the right timing and luck you will find some.

Happy Hunting.
Sep 06, 2016
 Chesapeake bay sea glass
by: Anonymous

I love in Rock Hall a town right on or bay. I have a lot of sea glass / bay glass found at different spots in Rock Hall and other areas in Kent County.
Sep 04, 2016
 Where did you read that misleading report?
by: Paula R.

North Beach / Deale by: Anonymous said, "I was so excited to go to North Beach for sea glass. Read there was so much there."

I searched on this site odysseyseaglass.com the only mentions of North Beach in Maryland was that there was nothing worthwhile there. Also that they charge in the summertime.

Where did you read that there was a lot of sea glass there?
Sep 04, 2016
 North Beach / Deale
by: Anonymous

I was so excited to go to North Beach for sea glass. Read there was so much there.

Appeared we needed a wristband to go on the beach. First thing I was asked is where I was from......Not sure what that had to do with anything..... I wish now that I had asked.

It was $17 per person to get on the beach.

There were two of us.

What I had read about North Beach and what I saw once I got there was very disappointing. The bright spot was we found a nice restaurant in Deale that sold Smith Island Cake.
Sep 28, 2015
 Roaring Point Campground, Nanticoke, MD
by: Richard Plaskon

Dear David, My wife and I can confirm the location.

The campground not the county run beach yields seaglass/bayglass of various types.

There was also porcelain plate pieces confirmed by find also.

No pictures but the facts listed are confirmed.
Sep 28, 2015
 Roaring Point Campground, Nanticoke, MD
by: Sarah

I always find sea glass on the shore of the bay, and if you go in the water a few feet and dig your hands in the sand, you will almost always come up with some sea glass.

Most is not too exciting, but I do tend to find lots of porcelain pieces and I've found a few rare colors, like violet and pale pink.

~ Report thanks to Sarah
Sep 08, 2013
 No seaglass on Deal Island.
by: Redbird

This is a joke. Went to Deal Island today and there is no seaglass.

Only one beach that is accessible to the public.

Don't bother.
Jan 17, 2012
 Thanks Sue
by: Feiser

Thanks for sharing, Sue. We are planning a week on the Chesapeake this summer and hope to make some sea glass "finds".

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