The Glass Floats in Lincoln City, Oregon

The use of the first glass fishing floats can be traced as far back as the 1840's. The Norwegians used a small egg-sized float (kind of like a modern day bobber)on which they tied a fishing line and a hook. As the use of nets increased, Norway went on to produce other sizes of floats, in sizes from two inches (5 cm) to as large as two feet (.6 m) since glass was an economical method of supporting the nets and offered plenty of buoyancy.

Many European countries soon began using glass floats. Trademarks or embossing began appearing on the floats to identify the users and manufacturers of the floats.

Most floats are shades of green because the glass used was primarily recycled sake (wine) bottles, but clear, amber, aquamarine, amethyst, blue and other colors were also produced.

The most prized and rare color being a red, or cranberry hue. These were expensive to make because gold was used to produce the color. Other brilliant jewel tones such as emerald green, cobalt blue, purple, yellow and orange were primarily made in the 1920´s-30´s.

Cork and aluminum floats appeared around 1920. These soon began to replace glass floats since they were more durable and could provide holes or eye features that made net attachment easier and more reliable. As manufacturing techniques improved, plastic floats soon followed.

Unfortunately for net fisherman, glass floats would often escape their nets. Today, millions of glass floats are probably still floating in the world's oceans.

When tide and weather conditions are just right, you can find glass floats that wash up on the beaches of Washington, Oregon and Alaska.






Buy at AllPosters.com



An exhibit of historic glass fishing floats can be viewed at the
North Lincoln County Historical Museum.

(Glass float: small one with no markings, found at southern tip of Taiwan. V)
Photo credit: Jjhake, wikipedia commons

It all started in 1997, when a local Lincoln City artist first thought of glass floats as an intriguing way to launch the new millennium.

Lincoln City sponsored the project, hosting the inaugural season in 1999-2000. Tourists came from around the country to search for their own brilliantly-colored, signed and numbered glass float.

For Lincoln City, the Millennium Float project was a perfect combination of art and the outdoors. Those who came in search of a float often visit the galleries, where unnumbered floats were available for sale along with a wide variety of fine art glass from around the world.

Lincoln City residents and artists combine their efforts to place enough floats out each year to equal the number of the year.

So in 2008, this year, they will place two thousand and eight glass floats along 7 1/2 miles of beach.


Photo credit: Jgrimmer, wikipedia public domain
"Small glass ball I found on the beach in northern Japan"

Your odds are pretty good to find them, but as I can attest, it is not as easy as it would seem. I spents hours looking on our last two trips, no floats found yet.

I spoke to one of the shopkeepers who says he walks on the beach almost every day and hasn't ever seen one. But he also says that he talks to people that find them all the time. Many right after they arrive in Lincoln City.

Where to look for the floats?

On the beach above the high tide line and well before the beach embankment. Floats will not be found in or on the cliffs. They want to keep their tourists safe there.

Speaking of safety, Be sure to never turn your back on the ocean! Sneaker waves and the force of the ocean often move logs and can be unsafe.

Floats are not hidden on the beaches during storms.

If you are one of the lucky beachcombers and find a glass float, well as they say Finders, Keepers!

You get to keep your float, but you can also call the Visitor Center, 1-800-452-2151 or 541-996-1274, and register your float. They will send a Certificate of Authenticity and information about the artists who crafted your float.

FINDERS KEEPERS

"Colors of the Reef"



Fernhill Glass
Claude Kurtz
92884 Fernhill Road %u2022 Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-3448

Gathering Glass
Scott Carlson & Keith Gabor
322 N Pioneer Street %u2022 Ashland, OR 97520
(541) 488-4738

Glass Quest Fine Art Studio
Mark Ellinger
31808 W Lake Ketchum Rd %u2022 Stanwood, WA 98292
(360) 629-7005

Pyromania Glass Studio & Gallery
Dennis, Patricia and Andrea Schmitz and Jason Maxom
2925 Ferry Slip Rd., #101 %u2022 Newport, OR 97365
(888) 743-4116

The Glass Forge Gallery & Studio
Lee Wassink, Nathan Sheafor, Maurice Kreuzer,
Steve Pechon & Dennis Hoerauf
501 SW "G" Street %u2022 Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 955-081

The Glass Hive
Mike and Debbie Crowley
238 SE 116th Street %u2022 South Beach, OR 97366
(541) 867-6782

The Original Mt. St. Helens Ash Glassworks
Lloyd Gladson & Michael Anderson
610 W Main Street %u2022 Centralia, WA 98531
(360) 330-1900

If you didn't find one, but still have a craving for a Glass Float, there are several options available for you.

You can visit almost any of the gift shops in town and buy one. They range anywhere from a small, plain one, less than $5.00 to huge, beautifully colored works of art that are a bit more expensive, but definately would look good in your home!

You can also visit the local gallery in town, they not only leave their doors open and invite visitors to come and watch them creating their masterpieces. But they will also for a fee, allow you to blow your own float. How fun would that be?
They will even mail them home to you safely, so that you don't have to worry about them.

Your third option?

Well you will just have to come back another day and do some more searching. There is not another place so beautiful as the beaches there, with the ocean creating it's rythymic music as the waves roll in. The sights, the smell, the sounds, the feel of the sand beneath your feet. It is a good place to be!

Special drawings are held monthly at the Visitor Center for glass floats. Bring a bag of beach trash to the Visitor Center, 801 SW Hwy 101, #1 (next door to Price N Pride Food Center) and fill out an entry form. Handicapped persons with a handicap sticker number are also eligible to enter and win a monthly float drawing.

Glass Float Events

October 20, 2007 through Memorial Day 2008

Glass Float Gala - October 18, 2008
Enjoy an evening of dinner, silent auction, dancing and a glass float of your very own to take home! Located at the Chinook Winds Casino Resort.
Fall Glass Galore Art Fair - October 18 & 19, 2008
More than 30 Pacific NW artists gather to exhibit, demonstrate and market their original works of art in blown, fused, slumped, stained and torched glass. Located at the Lincoln City Cultural Center.

Last you could buy one off ebay, not quite the same as a trip to the coast, but you will have your float. (See Below)