June 2011 Alki Beach, Seattle - Sea Glass Catch

Great Day for beach combing!


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Added by David at OdysseySeaGlass

Some consistent wave action is needed to tumble glass shards to the point where they become nicely-frosted and rounded beach glass.

The Puget Sound, where this glass is from, does not receive a lot of wave action, so the rounded glass in this photo has got to be old - less waves, longer time needed.

From the official study done by the US Navy:

"Wave motion in the waters of Puget Sound is limited by the complex shape of the geography of the Puget Sound basin. Straight line distances are relatively short, so wave generation is restricted due to lack of fetch. In general, wave heights in most of Puget Sound are limited to approximately six ft with gale force winds (34-47 kt)."

Note that with rare gale force winds, some waves are generated, but this is infrequently.

Nicely-tumbled and frosted sea glass is found much more commonly when prevailing winds consistently blow over a water surface of at least 25 or more miles.

Although Alki Park is exposed to a greater stretch of water than that to the north, the prevailing winds are from the southwest or west, where distance is restricted.

The catch shown, again, would logically be much older glass than is usually found in similar sea glass elsewhere.

The infrequency of waves means that it would take a significantly-longer time for the sea glass at Alki to reach a tumbled state that at a more exposed beach.

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See also from Alki Beach, Seattle, WA:

• Sea Glass - Alki Beach, West  Seattle, Washington


• Discovery Park


• West Coast Sea Glass Beaches - Washington


• Does anyone know what this is?

More about waves and fetch:

• How to Find Sea Glass




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