Sunbathing and swimming are not the only reasons to go to the beach. The oceans are full of treasures, sometimes washed to shore; many are natural gifts from this great unknown, and some are treasured items left behind by people. You never know what you might find at the beach. There’s an unwritten rule that says if you find something interesting on the beach, you have to share it online, and we’ve collected some of the most random and fascinating things people have found at their local beaches.
#1: Squidward, Is that You?
Three brothers in New Zealand were walking the beach one morning searching for a place for a good dive when they stumbled upon a huge surprise. Literally, this surprise was massive. A giant squid had washed ashore and was fully intact. So, naturally, they posed for selfies with this wonderous find. Can you blame them? That’s not something you see every day!
The brothers were in shock at the size of this giant creature. According to one of the brothers’ descriptions, all three are large men; however, they looked tiny when posing next to the oversized squid. That’s a heck of a lot of calamari! How would you react if you stumbled upon this titan on a morning beach walk?
#2: A Relic from the Past (Sort of)
One man found himself a rare treasure while he was out for a walk to celebrate his 40th birthday. He discovered a tiny glass Coca-Cola bottle filled with wet sand and mud. Of course, finding a glass bottle along the shore isn’t unheard of, especially if somebody was sending a message in that bottle. But we doubt a message would fit inside one this tiny.
A bottle of that size wouldn’t hold much liquid, either, so it seems like it can’t possibly be a bottle that once held a beverage. The more likely explanation for such a small bottle is that it was once a charm on a key chain, and it broke off and got lost. Unless some tiny sea horses had a party?
#3: A Giant Spinal Column
This one beachcomber found perhaps one of the most shocking sand discoveries ever – part of a whale’s spine! It had washed up onto the shore, thoroughly cleaned of any meat, and just rested there awaiting discovery. We imagine the photographer was entirely amazed to stumble upon this mysterious sight.
It makes us think, though. We never see whale skeletons floating around the ocean. Why is that? Whales are tremendously enormous; therefore, they must leave behind some pretty large remains. Once the whale decomposes, what happens to its skeleton? We suppose it sinks to the seafloor, but we’re surprised we don’t hear more about them.
#4: Mrs. Puff, Is That You?
We apologize for the many SpongeBob SquarePants references; we couldn’t help it. Fish are bound to wash up on the beach from time to time. After all, there are literally millions of them in the sea. So, it shouldn’t be a momentous occasion when you find one on the beach, unless you find an unusual fish in the sand.
These lucky sea combers found a puffed-up pufferfish that had washed up to shore. These certainly aren’t the types of fish you’d expect to see hanging around the shore, and yet this isn’t unheard of. Some beaches have reported having hundreds of pufferfish wash up all at once. We feel bad for this little guy (or girl?), but we’re relieved there aren’t more.
#5: A Doggie Gift
Losing a beloved pet is one of the most challenging experiences in life. They bring so much joy and love to our lives that parting with them is incredibly painful. But, unfortunately, this is an experience that most people can relate to, even if you’ve never raised a dog but some other animal.
This one dog owner decided to celebrate their departed pup’s life in possibly the sweetest fashion. What a gift they bestowed upon all the dog owners who visited this beach. Not only were the tennis balls a wonderful gift for the dogs to play with, but so was a reminder to the owners of how fleeting time is. We’re not crying; you’re crying!
#6: Mr. Krabs, Is That You?
Alright, that’s the last SpongeBob SquarePants reference, we promise. After Squidward and Mrs. Puff, we just couldn’t resist! Not only is this a crab, but he’s carrying a dollar bill! If you’ve ever watched an episode of the beloved cartoon, you should know there’s nothing Mr. Krabs loves more than money.
Seeing crabs on the beach isn’t much of a discovery (although it’s always pretty cool and exciting), but how often do you see a crab carrying a dollar bill? Of course, it’s possible that someone has slid this dollar bill under the crab just for the sake of the photo, but we’d like to believe he just happened to find it. Stranger things have happened, right?
#7: You Can’t Find Me
If you have a dog, you probably know how much dogs like the beach. They don’t necessarily enjoy getting inside the water, but they love the sand. It’s no surprise, though, since dogs love anything that can make a mess in the house. So, the owners of this dog decided to take him to the beach one day, and it looks like things escalated.
We’re not sure whether this dog somehow managed to dig himself into the sand (they can be pretty tenacious and talented when they set their minds to it), or whether his owners did this. Whatever happened there, it looks like this dog is enjoying himself. We’re not sure he’d be willing to go home
