Beachcombing Art II

It is difficult to put an exact date on the beginning of beachcombing, but the suspicion is that it started when the first boats hit the waters.

People soon discovered that parts of sunken boats, its cargo and/or its equipment would eventually wash up on the shores. It even occurred that some of the cargo was deliberately thrown overboard to lighten the load and prevent the ship from going under during a storm and ended up on the beach.

The finds on the beaches were either applied for personal use or trading and the word 'beachcomber' referred to those who made their living with it.

The word has another meaning as well and would also refer to a criminal, drifter, or bum. Most 'beachcombers' however were sailors without a job, or who decided to stay on land for a while, after returning from a voyage.

Nowadays, beachcombing pertains solely to the pleasurable activity of finding stuff on the beach, although there are still people who have made a profession out of this leisure time.

I can totally understand why; you never know what surprises may come rolling in!