Sea Glass, Sailboats and Scrimshaw ... All Things Nautical

Sea Glass Sailboat

So as I'm sure you have already figured out, I am a lover of all things "sea". As any lover of the ocean, comes a love of anything reminiscent of the ocean.... sea glass, sailboats, art forms like scrimshaw, whales, any sea creatures and all things ocean blue. Above is a sea glass sailboat under the full moon. I found this cobalt blue peice of sea glass on one of my early morning walks in solitude at my favorite place in Half Moon Bay, CA. It was one of the inspirations for my name of SomethingSeaBlue.

                                     

Grandpa at the San Francisco Harbor in 1987

As long as I can remember, I have loved walking along the harbor and seeing all the different sailboats...some for weekend pleasures and some as people's homes. Since I was just a toddler my Grandpa used to take me for long walks along the harbor in San Francisco, to, as we called it "to see the boats". That is a series of memories I will never forget and probably served as a foundation for my love of all things sea. Above is a picture I took of my Grandpa in 1987. To me it is a perfect portrait to describe him at heart

Sailing in Tiburon, CA

There is just something so wonderful and mysterious about a life at sea. My Grandpa has told me stories of living at sea in the South Pacific during the war in the 1940's. He lived on the USS Colorado and visited many of the South Sea Islands. Even the other day during one of our conversations he told me about how they had to search for the missing Amelia Earhart when she came up missing. So much history...so many stories.

Brown Sea Glass Sailboat Necklace

So here's some of my latest creations combining two loves...sea glass that I have found on some of my beachcombing days in Kauai and California. Above is a brown sea glass sailboat wrapped with gold wire with a pearl, picturing sailing under a full moon.

A collection of Scrimshaw I inherited from my Grandma

One of the fascinating forms of old historical art work that I love is Scrimshaw. What is Scrimshaw you may ask? Scrimshaw is the name given to handiwork created by whalers, It takes the form of elaborate engravings in the form of pictures and lettering on the surface of the bone or tooth, with the engraving highlighted using a pigment. Here is a sample of some of my collection above.

I love the texture and shape of this peice

The making of scrimshaw began on whaling ships between 1745 to 1759 on the Pacific Ocean, and survived until the ban on commercial whaling.

Sailing in Half Moon Bay, CA

Scrimshaw essentially was a leisure activity for whalers. Because the work of whaling was very dangerous at the best of times, whalers were unable to work at night. This gave them a great deal more free time than other sailors. A lot of scrimshaw was never signed and a great many of the pieces are anonymous. Early scrimshaw was done with crude sailing needles, and the movement of the ship, as well as the skill of the artist, produced drawings of varying levels of detail and artistry. Originally, candle black, soot or tobacco juice would have been used to bring the etched design into view.

This is one of my favorites since it combines with lighthouses which I love!

So Scrimshaw, Sea Glass and Sailing...what do you think? Ready for a trip to the beach? If you are a coast lover and anything like me, that means you also are intriqued with Lighthouses. So why not take a drive to the coast, wander around your favorite beach, find the nearest lighthouse and imagine....

Sailing in Redondo Beach, CA

The lonely sailor lost at sea...but imagine his comfort when he sees the faint light of the lighthouse in the distance, beckoning him home to safety....

Sunset at Redondo Beach

Thanks for joining me in my daydream of all things sea.....and how my love of the sea had its beginning....

                                                Renee of SomethingSeaBlue