When I was a kid we loved to break those bladders on the seaweed. The same stuff washes up on California beaches.

Marja-Leena, I have been looking at this series of vacation photographs with all sorts of feelings running through me. Some of the shots remind me of a place in southern Japan near the town of Shimabara. Others seem familiar though I've never been up to Western Canada. All I know is that I would enjoy myself immensely in such a spot. Your beach rubble shots are wonderful. Do you know Sappho's fragment 145 as translated by Mary Barnard? "if you are squeamish don't prod the beach rubble." (I know that a more faithful translation of the fragment would be "do not move stones," but I've always liked Barnard's poetic version. Now your photos give it colour!

Hattie, you are a California coast kid?! I'm a freshwater one myself, but do love the ocean immensely. Looking down underfoot at all that gets washed ashore is so fascinating to me.

rouchswalwe, I hope most of those feelings you are having are good ones, such as I always have there! I don't know that quote, interesting... I think the stone one would apply to me! Will have to look it up.

That first picture looks very like a precious pearl in a setting fit for a mermaid to wear. It glows in a way that stirs my imagination.

Susan, I saw this as a pearl too, a golden pearl, but I could not find the mermaid who dropped it :-)

yes, a glowing pearl is what i saw too - beautiful. amazing light in these shots...

Fire Bird, glad you like!

Yes, I loved roaming beaches and beachcombing when I was a girl in California. It was more fun in the pre-plastic days.

All of these are so beautiful! It's a world I never see and know so little about.

Hattie, 'pre-plastic days'... indeed!

Beth, thanks. Maybe a holiday on the west coast would interest you?

Ooo, I can almost smell them! I must get to the seacoast soon, and sink my toes in that salty sand.

Leslee, this seacoast wasn't warm enough for bare feet yet, though some of the hardier surfers and some kids had no problem.