Beaches up and down the West Coast are a repository for trash from around the world.

With each incoming tide, debris washes up onto shores, from old tires and appliances that make their way through rivers and waterways to water bottles and umbrella handles that trek thousands of miles across oceans from China and Japan before planting themselves on rocky shorelines.

Aside from being unsightly, ocean litter can be harmful to all forms of marine life. According to the California Coastal Commission, some animals mistake small pieces of debris for food.

Birds and other sea creatures can become entangled in common items such as fishing lines, rope and packaging material. For humans, broken glass and jagged metal pose risks to barefooted beachgoers.

An 11-foot leopard shark sculpted from thousands of small pieces of plastic, aluminum and miscellaneous beach debris was on display May 9 outside Fish restaurant in Sausalito during a World Ocean Day event hosted by local organizations the Shark Stewards and Turtle Island Restoration Network.

The shark is one of 18 large-scale nautical sculptures created by the nonprofit Washed Ashore project. The organization, based in Bandon, Ore., promotes ocean awareness and environmental responsibility through art. The traveling exhibit has been shown at the Marine Mammal Center and the Earth Day Marin festival.

Everything you see on here came from beaches, said Executive Director Angela Pozzi Washed Ashores lead artist.

A former exhibiting sculptor and art instructor, Pozzi believes in the power of the arts to reach the masses and promote social change. We can reach people in a way talking heads, statistics and charts cannot, she said. Anyone can see that all this stuff is from the beaches, and we can all agree that its wrong.

Sculpted from broken buoys, aluminum cans, stranded beach sandals and numerous plastic fragments, the shark took seven months to create, and more than 100 volunteers lent a hand in some way.

Since January 2010, more than 1,000 Washed Ashore volunteers have cleaned more than 20 miles of beach, collecting more than 3 tons of debris.

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Environmental art heading to Sausalito

There's more to a beach vacation than sand and surf.

Distilled to those basic elements, every Florida beach getaway might seem the same. Yet there are also infinite variables that imprint distinct personalities to stretches of the state's 1,250 miles of coastline, a distance second only to Alaska:

Breathtaking sunsets on the Gulf Coast. Atlantic Ocean waves that have launched the careers of world-class surfers. Remote dunes dotted by sea oats that offer the perfect spot for a book and a blanket. Fishing piers that are magnets for afternoon anglers. Bustling beaches within walking distance of shops, galleries and nightspots.

So if the view of the blue horizon seems to be the same, look over your shoulder: There's probably something cool right behind you.

Blue water and Blue Angels

From Central or South Florida, the road trip to Pensacola Beach is a daunting drive, especially the final leg across the seemingly endless Panhandle west from Tallahassee on Interstate 10.

All that windshield time is worth it, however, to catch the first glimpse of sunshine reflecting off the waters of Pensacola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico from the Bob Sikes Bridge. It's the gateway to one of the state's old-fashioned beach towns, with a rustic flip-flop vibe that persists despite the occasional high-rise condo or beachside resort.

The most recognizable landmark is still the giant beach-ball tower, which casts its shadow on the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier (41 Fort Pickens Road). The 1,500-foot pier offers fishing, entertaining people-watching and a gorgeous sunset view. The more-secluded Opal Beach, with its quiet dunes, is about seven miles west.

There are plenty of shops and restaurants within shouting distance of the pier and adjoining Casino Beach, the busiest piece of Pensacola Beach. For breakfast, sample the breakfast burrito at Native Cafe (45 Via de Luna Drive) and make sure to top it with the homemade salsa.

At lunch, try a dozen oysters, a grouper sandwich and a beer at Peg Leg Pete's (1010 Fort Pickens Road), where it's possible to avert the inevitable wait for a table by snagging a spot at one of the two character-laden bars.

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It's the local touches that define Florida beaches

South Beaches Neighbors: Oyster reef in the making

Lorraine Thompson

South Beaches News

Biologists, volunteers, local restaurants and high school students are working together to create a man-made oyster reef using shucked oyster shells from local participating restaurants. The project coordinator, Lauren Flynn, will provide oyster visual demonstrations and describe how she and volunteers are building a reef that will restore a lost shoreline and lure oysters to rebuild oyster beds where they once thrived in local waters.

Flynn will present a program from 10 to 11 a.m. June 19 at the GTM Research Reserve field station in Marineland.

One of the many values oysters have to humans and the marine environment is to filter pollutants from the water and thus help maintain water quality. Together, the GTM Research Reserve, in partnership with the Friends of the GTM NERR and St. Johns Technical High School plan to boost oyster habitat. The GTM Research Reserve site is located just off A1A at 9741 Ocean Shore Blvd. at the south end of the Town of Marineland. For reservations call 823-4500.

Learn about invasive cactus moth control and the conservation of our native cacti at the June meeting of the Florida Native Plant Society. The local Sea Oats chapter meets at 7 p.m. June 19 at the St. Augustine Beach City Hall, 2200 A1A South.

Emily Montgomery, coastal training coordinator for Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, will discuss the invasive cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) and the conservation implications to our native prickly pear cactus (Opuntia stricta). This cactus is listed as a threatened plant species in Florida and plays an important role in coastal plant communities.

The program is free and open to the public.For information, visit http://www.fnps.org or call 347-2704.

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South Beaches: Oyster reef in the making

Santos Kreimann, director of beaches and harbors, would succeed the assessor, who is on a leave of absence while under investigation by county prosecutors. A longtime Los Angeles County employee who now is the director of beaches and harbors was nominated Tuesday to temporarily run the beleaguered assessor's office.

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L.A. County official nominated to fill John Noguez's post

Mounties have set up a perimeter around the carcass of a humpback whale found beach south of Vancouver on White Rock Beach to prevent dozens of onlookers from getting too close.

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Whale beaches and dies south of Vancouver

BIG SURF: Dangerous conditions at Currumbin Alley on the Gold Coast. Picture: Jono Searle Source: The Courier-Mail

LIFESAVERS have warned people to keep out of the water as huge swells pound southeast Queensland and northern NSW beaches.

All beaches except two were closed on the Gold and Sunshine coasts yesterday.

Appealing to people to follow directions, Gold Coast City Council chief lifeguard Warren Young said lifeguards had been placed in danger trying to rescue stubborn swimmers.

"It's not right that people put others' lives at risk," he said.

Beaches would remain closed this morning and the situation reassessed in the afternoon.

Sunshine Coast chief lifeguard Scott Braby said all beaches were closed except for Noosa and Mooloolaba.

"We'll reassess things (today). It might be dropping a little," he said.

Weather Bureau forecaster Michelle Berry said a low about 400km east of Cape Moreton was generating the dangerous swell.

Queensland's cold snap is set to ease, with average temperatures expected for the rest of the week after Brisbane got down to 11C.

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Swell danger closes southeast beaches

Lifeguards will this morning decide whether Gold Coast beaches should remain closed.

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Surf danger persists on Gold Coast beaches

LONDON, June 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Goa really is paradise on Earth. Swaying palm trees, white sandy beaches and sparkling waters are the three key elements that attract nearly 2 million visitors annually to Goa's sunny shores. The influence of Portuguese colonial rule can still be seen everywhere: in the stunning ancient architecture; and in the East-meets-West cuisine, which combines coconut milk, palm vinegar and chillies with the refined flavours of Lisbon.

Holidays to Goa from Cosmos guarantee you vibrant colours, delicious aromas and a more westernised version of traditional India. Goa embraces both its past and the modern present to provide travellers with an unforgettable holiday. Goa has many beautiful beaches, some secluded and isolated, where you can get away from it all and wander where your heart desires. Other beaches host Full Moon Parties, or bars and restaurants that are brimming with excellent seafood. Whichever way you choose to soak up the sun, Goa has the paradise beach for you.

A popular destination for sun worshippers, Goa has a warm climate with temperatures averaging 30C for most of the year. The rainy season lasts from June to September, during which time most of the facilities and beaches are closed. From November to April, there is hardly any rain, and Goa becomes a summer haven for visitors of all ages. Christmas is a great time to be in Goa, as the weather is glorious and the atmosphere is suitably festive. Tinsel is everywhere and fireworks grace the evening sky. Why brave another cold and grey British Christmas again?

But there's a lot more to Goa than just beautiful beaches and perfect weather. Goa is full of culturally and historically significant sites. You can explore two World Heritage sites, the Bom Jesus Basilica and the convents and churches of old Goa. There are also many excursions available, including trips to the waterfalls and forests to feed and swim with monkeys, and ride and bath elephants. There's also the option of an island cruise to see dolphins, and a trip to the 14th century city, Hampi, to see India's archaeological delights.

The unique history and culture of the place makes it a fascinating holiday destination for families and backpackers alike. For more information, check out the Cosmos blog for a quick guide to the cultures and customs of Goa.

Cosmos

Operating for over 50 years,Cosmos Holidaysis one of the oldest and best established brands in UK tour operating, and provides holidays to over 780,000 customers in 65 destinations annually. Visithttp://www.cosmos.co.uknow to book a holiday toGoafrom 520.

For more information contact Robert Foulkes atRobert.Foulkes@Monarch.co.uk, or on+44(0)1582-398122.

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Goa to India this Winter and Avoid the Rainy Season

Nicolas Raymond

Canada's Prince Edward Island has more than 500 miles of beaches, and about half have red sand due to high iron oxide content.

By Heather Eng, Travel + Leisure

Slideshow: See where to find the world's strangest beaches

To say that Americans love beaches is an understatement. Approximately 85 percent of us visit a beach on vacation, according to Stephen P. Leatherman, akaDr. Beach, director of Florida International Universitys Laboratory for Coastal Research. Theres nothing like them, says Leatherman. Youve got sand, water and waves, plus cool, fresh air. Plus theres the nostalgia factor: everyone loved sand as a kid.

Quirky beaches just add another layer to the enjoyment. And the fact that only Mother Nature created these strange beaches is perhaps whats most astounding. No human hands were involved just the perfect geologic storms of air, water, temperature and pressure.

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Double take! World's strangest beaches

A rare peek inside Plum Island facilities

The U.S. government has granted license for a new foot-and-mouth vaccine, developed at the fabled Plum Island Animal Disease Center. Correspondent John Miller went behind the scenes of the typically off-limits facility, which has inspired rumors and conspiracy theories.

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Video: Nature: The beaches of Normandy

2012/06/10 (Last modification: 2012/06/10 22:00)

Ministry of Tourism prevented this season swimming in 188 Beaches in 14 wilayas, due to contamination and danger on citizens, at a time Echorouk sources said, the government rejected a request made by the Minister of Tourism, for conversion of managing and exploiting the beaches from the municipalities to the Ministry of Tourism, although the law is clear and gives the right of exploiting the beaches to the municipalities.

Jijel (east of Algeria) ranks top of the wilayas where the largest map of beaches banned from swimming is identified, and where authorities banned swimming across 29 beaches out of 50 beaches because of the lack of security, while Algiers ranked second in terms of beaches banned from swimming (16 beaches) because of pollution and the non validity of their waters.

These shores banned from swimming out of 552 beaches, extend along 1,600 km, which means that the number of beaches where swimming is allowed reach 364 beaches at the national level, a figure that, although improved, compared to last season, but 188 polluted and dangerous beaches, deprived hundreds of Algerians from enjoying the long coast , 1600 km, so Algerians are forced to swim in ponds and swamps, and even in the banned beaches.

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Authorities Ban Swimming in 188 beaches due to Pollution

With the number of trespassing violations climbing and more than half the season still to come, officials are reminding people to follow the rules so that the beaches at Vandenberg Air Force Base stay open for the remainder of the Western snowy plovers nesting season.

Since March 1, only one-half mile of the publicly accessible Surf Beach has been available for use. Limited stretches of Minuteman and Wall beaches on the base also are open. All other beaches at the base are closed through Sept. 30 under an agreement to protect the Western snowy plover during its nesting season.

At Surf Beach, 50 violations are allowed before the beach is fully closed, and beach-goers already had racked up 26 by mid-week, Vandenberg officials said.

Ten violations each are allowed at Minuteman and Wall beaches, both of which are accessible only to people with regular access to Vandenberg.

Yet, beach users have accumulated six violations at Wall Beach plus one at Minuteman Beach.

To help halt the rising number of violations, Vandenberg officials sent out a basewide alert advising employees and residents of the quickly climbing tally with more than half of the nesting season still to go.

This exceeds 50 percent of the seasonal limit allowed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These beaches will be closed to recreational access until 1 October if this trend continues," the notice said.

Once the limit is reached, the beach must close completely for the remainder of the nesting season, which ends Sept. 30.

Most of the offenses are documented by footprint evidence, which suggests they are occurring after the beaches close for the day, said Samantha Kaisersatt, 30th Civil Engineer Squadron biological scientist.

More than a decade ago, the Air Force and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hammered out an agreement that allows people access to a portion of the beaches while still protecting the plover.

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Trespassing violations climb for VAFB beaches

GULFPORT, Miss. Human remains that washed ashore on multiple beaches in Mississippi are believed to belong to a New Orleans woman who went missing last week, authorities say.

Fox 8 reports though DNAresults have not conclusively determined the dismembered remains are 22-year-old Jaren Lockhart's, investigators say they strongly believe that is the case.

"Although we haven't done any DNA to positively connect these remains to the torso we will continue to do that and confirm that with DNA, but the circumstances are very, very strong that this is her," said Hancock County Sheriff's office lead investigator Glenn Grannan told Fox 8.

On Thursday, a human torso washed ashore in Hancock County, Mississippi. On Saturday, a human head was found in nearby Harrison County, along with pieces of two legs, NOLA.com reports. A third piece of leg was found floating in a harbor.

Authorities were able to identify the head found by the tattoos on the neck, which matched Lockhart's description, NOLA.com reported. Authorities also found clothing that matched the description of what Lockhart was wearing when she disappeared, Fox 8 reports.

Lockhart was last seen late Tuesday night taking a cab from a motel in New Orleans to the Bourbon St. nightclub where she worked. Her boyfriend called police when he was unable to contact her and grew concerned.

Investigators say they are now focusing on finding Lockhart's killer.

"Our primary focus up to this point had been identifying the victim about midway last night into our investigation concerning that we started to switch focus to try and determine who is responsible for this heinous act," Grannan told Fox 8.

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Dismembered remains found on Mississippi beaches belong to missing New Orleans woman

With warm weather coming this weekend, Madison is giving residents a chance to cool off by opening local pools and beaches.

Goodman Pool at 325 W Olin Ave. opens for the season Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. Cypress Spray Park, 902 Magnolia Ave., also opens Friday, with a spray area available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily this summer.

The city's beaches are scheduled to open June 13, but are getting an early start thanks to the warm weather. All of the beaches are open, according to the city, with some having early lifeguard service this weekend.

Madison splits its beaches into two categories: regional and neighborhood. BB Clarke Beach, Olbrich Park Beach, Tenney Park Beach and Vilas Park Beach are all regional beaches; Bernies Beach, Esther Beach, James Madison Park Beach, Olin Park Beach, Spring Harbor Beach and Warner Park Beach are neighborhood beaches.

Regional beaches will have lifeguards on duty Friday from 2-7 p.m.

On Saturday and Sunday, regional beaches will have lifeguards from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., while neighborhood beaches will have them from 12:30-4:30 p.m.

For Monday and Tuesday, regional beaches will have lifeguard service from 2-7 p.m.

Once they open for the season Wednesday, regional beaches will have lifeguards on duty each day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., while neighborhood beaches will have them from 12:30-4:30 p.m.

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Madison beaches open for hot weekend

Beaches Arts and Crafts Show June 9 and 10. Ashley McEvoy, left, tries on a fascinator designed by Elizabeth Victoria-Stevens at her booth during last year's Beaches Arts and Crafts Show and Sale in Kew Gardens. This year's show takes place June 9 and 10, 2012 at Kew Gardens. Photo/MIKE POCHWAT

The event, which will be held Saturday, June 9 and Sunday, June 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, will feature 150 Canadian artists, artisans and designers.

Proceeds from the juried show and sale will benefit Neighbourhood Link Support Services, a non-profit agency serving residents in east Toronto.

Admission is free and the event will take place rain or shine.

Created in 1984 by sisters Gaye Hachie and Maureen Warland, this year's event will be managed by Elyse Drouin.

Kew Gardens is near Queen Street East and Lee Avenue.

For more information, visit http://www.beachesartsandcraftsshow.ca

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Beaches Arts and Crafts Show June 9 and 10

Panaji, June 8 (IANS) Soon, no ducking behind a sand dune or a coconut palm to change in or out of your swimwear. The Goa beach experience is about to undergo a dramatic change with the state government formulating a shack policy, complete with freshwater showers and toilets.

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Goa beaches head for makeover with shack policy

By Omid Ghoreishi Epoch Times Staff Created: June 6, 2012 Last Updated: June 6, 2012

Eight beaches in Toronto are flying blue flags this summer, signifying that they meet high environmental standards.

The Blue Flag program, an international eco-label managed by the Denmark-based Foundation of Environmental Education, recognizes beaches that meet strict standards for water quality, environmental management, environmental education, and safety and services.

Torontos Blue Flag beaches this summer include: Bluffers Park Beach, Centre Island Beach, Cherry Beach, Gibraltar Point Beach, Hanlans Point Beach, Kew-Balmy Beach, Wards Island Beach, and Woodbine Beach.

There are nine other beaches and marinas in Ontario that earned Blue Flags for this summer. And for the first time, beaches and marinas outside of Ontario also became certified for Blue Flags, including the West Grand Beach on Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Plage de lEst, Plage de lOuest and Plage des Cantons on Lake Memphremagog in Quebec, and Halifax Waterfront in Nova Scotia.

There are currently 3,098 Blue Flag beaches and 646 marinas in 46 countries around the world. Toronto was the first city in North America to apply for Blue Flags, and the program has been in Canada since 2005.

Several beaches in Canada are also participating as candidates to qualify for a Blue Flag in future years, including Canatara Park Beach in Sarnia and other beaches in Nova Scotia and B.C.

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Toronto Beaches Earn Blue Flags

Communities of microbial organisms - including nematode worms, single cell animals called protists, and a variety of fungi - that live in the sediment of beaches on Grand Isle, Dauphin Island and elsewhere along the Gulf of Mexico underwent dramatic changes in the months immediately following the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, according to a new study published today in the online scientific journal PLos ONE.

The variety of organisms in beach sand that form one of the lowest links in the Gulf's food chain dropped dramatically several months after the spill, with the remaining species believed to favor those that munch on oily hydrocarbons and are better able to survive the polluted conditions that others species found unlivable, the researchers with the University of New Hampshire's Hubbard Center for Genome Studies and its partners found.

"We went from this very diverse community with an abundance of different organisms to this really (impoverished)community that was really dominated by a couple of fungal species," said Holly Bik, a computational biologist and lead author of the study, who recently moved from the University of New Hampshire to the University of California at Davis.

The results were especially shocking for Dauphin Island, Bik said, because the post-spill samples were taken from what looked like a pristine beach.

"If you dug down in the sand, maybe you could find a discolored layer of oil in the beach, but there were no tarballs," she said. "It was like a ghost town, no tourists, but if you'd been in a media blackout for the previous six months, you wouldn't have even known there had been a spill."

The researchers tested the beach samples for DNA, collecting 1.2 million separate DNA sequences from the different locations. The research was conducted under a grant from the National Science Foundation.

"We go to the beach and take a spoonful of sand and put it in a blender and extract all the DNA from everything that's living in there,"said Bik, who also commented on her research as it was occurring on the web at Deep Sea News.

Using chemical tests, the scientists extracted the equivalent of DNA bar codes from the samples and compared them to known codes from the life forms that live on beaches.

In the pre-spill samples, the bar codes showed a rich variety of species. But the post-spill samples from both Dauphin Island and Grand Isle, which had more clear evidence of oiling, were near-matches for the dramatically reduced number of species, Bik said.

"The fungal communities at Grand Isle were very similar to the communities we found on the Alabama coast," she said, and indicated a disturbed microcommunity.

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BP oil spill disrupted microbes on Gulf Coast beaches, new research shows

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Hawaii can regulate weddings on public beaches without violating people's right to marry, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.

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Federal appeals court: Hawaii can require permits for commercial weddings on public beaches

Hawaii can regulate weddings on public beaches without violating people's right to marry, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.

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Federal court: Hawaii can regulate beach weddings