WATCHING THE TIDE ROLE AWAY

What could be better than sittin' on the dock of the bay, listening to "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay"? There was a day and time when this was my good fortune. I've lived inland long enough and the bay is callin' my name.

Mobile Bay is a Southern beauty that hooked me years ago.

On a recent road trip, my husband and I revisited Mobile. We stayed at the historic Battle House and discovered the arched whispering wall (step away, if you want your secrets to remain secret.)












We ventured on foot up Government Boulevard to check out the original Wintzell's Oyster House; Wintzell's was my dad's go-to for oysters. 

Along the way, I spied purple and green beaded necklaces dangling in the old Live Oak trees, braided with Spanish Moss. Ah, yes, Mardis Gras! The locals tout that it started in Mobile. You will hear no argument from New Orleans where everyone agrees, "Mobile started Mardis Gras, but New Orleans perfected it!"

After walking several blocks toward Wintzell's, it hit me, "I haven't seen a scrap of litter, other than the Mardis Gras beads." Mucking through downtown Atlanta on an average day makes the image of a pristine city a distant memory, albeit, Atlanta has many other charms. We can take a cue from Mobile; a clean and pristine environment is possible.

Another venture included Fairhope, on the east side of Mobile Bay. We enjoyed an evening walk on the pier where a plaque reminds visitors of the impact of litter. Did you know filament takes 600 years to break down? Glass even longer--it lasts forever. Many things uncovered at low tide are treasures--others, not so much.

Like taking lemons and making lemonade, nature can turn some trash into treasure. (I'm not endorsing littering in any way, shape, or form.) The sharp edges of broken glass will become smooth to touch under the tumbling action of surf and sand. The resulting smooth, frosty glass is known as "sea glass" or "beach glass".Sea glass is formed in salt water; beach glass, which looks less frosted, is formed in fresh water. The process usually takes 20-30 years, sometimes up to 50 years. If you become a collector, the best time to look for sea glass is the first low tide after a storm.

It comes as no surprise that beaches near heavily populated (and polluted) areas of the Northeast have an abundance of sea glass.  Environmental awareness and protection have improved over the years. Had we known then what we know now, I suspect there would be far less sea glass. Maya Angelou wisely knew to, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."

The reward of doing better? Watching the tide roll away.

[Carolyn Fjeran, LowTide explorer/reflective writer; horticulturist & gardener; former writer for Cooperative Extension Service, Master Gardeners and The Newnan Times Herald]