Spotlight: Beachcombing Booty

BEACHCOMBERS�� ALERT! Oceanographer Curtis C. Ebbesmeyer chronicles what the brine coughs up, from sea glass and old shoes to the prized message in a bottle. Although parts of the site are practically sprouting barnacles, the content is intriguing nonetheless. The Flotsam Checklist categorizes a bizarre range of beached booty, including space shuttle tiles, torpedoes, and false teeth. [beachcombers.org]

SEASHELLS.ORG Can��t tell a sea fan from a sponge? This site can help you identify your finds, as well as teach you how to clean and preserve them. Dead starfish, for instance, should be soaked in alcohol overnight, while sand dollars need to be bleached. [seashells.org]

THE GOLDEN OLDE Looking to scan the sands for ancient coins, lost jewelry, and other plunder using a metal detector? Learn some trade secrets here, such as increasing your odds of striking gold by covering more area. [pulltab.net/oldego3.htm]|

METAL DETECTOR WEB-RING The planet is turning into one big trash heap��which is good news for treasure hunters. Use this hub as a jumping-off point to access folksy sites from roughly 100 amateur hobbyists, from beer drinkers to dirt fishers and everything in between, including local clubs from the Louisiana bayou to Peoria, Illinois. Among the best: Bob Bailey��s Metal Detecting Site, which offers in-depth advice on equipment. [v.webring.com/hub?ring=metaldetector]

Copyright © 2002 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Yahoo! Internet Life.