As the wood floats in the water, it may be eaten by bacteria, colonized by various aquatic life, or covered in algae. Outer layers of bark are often stripped out, and boring animals may dig a network of tunnels through the wood. When it washes ashore, driftwood is often extremely light after it dries out, and it can make an excellent source of tinder. On beaches which routinely become covered with driftwood, people may also build structures from large logs which have washed ashore. These structures can get quite elaborate, especially when effort is made to build them in a structurally sound fashion.
Driftwood sculpture is not uncommon in areas with large amounts of driftwood. Some artists use the formerly floating wood as is, while others may carve or cut it, using it to make bases for sculptures, picture frames, and other crafts. The wood can also be used to make furniture, canes, and fences. On the beach, driftwood provides shelter to a range of shore-loving organisms, ranging from insects to shellfish.
In some areas, driftwood can become a nuisance. In stormy weather, driftwood can pose a navigational hazard in bays and inlets, and many communities collect as much driftwood as possible when it washes up on the beach to prevent it from washing back out again to threaten boat traffic. It is also difficult to walk on a beach which is covered in driftwood, and some people find the aesthetic of a driftwood covered shoreline displeasing.http://www.buythesea.co.uk/
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment