Flotsam, Jetsam, and Wrack

"Flotsam," "jetsam," and "wrack" are words with romance about them, each meaning more or less the same thing--items washed onto the beach from the open sea. A combination of tides, storm waves, and winds brings this bounty to the beach walker. What you might see changes from day to day, season to season, and year to year. From beach balls (sometimes sold in coastal gift shops as "whale burp") to false brain coral to Velella velella (a jellyfish also known as "by-the-wind sailor"), this booklet is intended to help you better understand your visits to the shore. It does not cover driftwood or most kinds of rocks, but you'll learn where to find piddocks (an edible clam) in a chunk of brittle rock, and you'll find out what a "mermaid's purse" really is. Vicki Osis. 2001 rev. 4 x 9 inches, 24 pages. Paper. ORESU-G-01-002