A THOUSAND PLEASURES, A MILLION TREASURES

Have you walked along a beach one day, picked up a shell/ seaweed/ crab/ strange thing . .. and said “I wonder what this is?” Did you then carry it for a while, maybe even take it home, then forget it?

That’s what this book is for.

A thousand pleasures, a million treasures is the response evoked by exploring our local coastline. The book is intended as an accessible family text for people who wander the beach, and pick up those bits and pieces. It concentrates on the commonly found, rather than the strange and rare, so most of the things you find will be identified.

The first section of the book is about the shore zones and what is likely to be found where, with a focus on the Montagu area. Observations and finds have been explained and documented. Its also a bit of a “why I live where I live” story. I’ve also recognised the original custodians of our coast, the Tasmanian aboriginal people, with mention of their food items using recorded words.

Then I include a fairly basic scientific section which explains classification and details about many of the beach creatures.

The second half of the book is an identification guide to shells and crabs. There are only about 20 species of crab around coastal Tasmania, and 14 of these are found at Montagu – an extraordinary situation. Crabs are always fun to find and watch.

Finally there is an identification guide to about 100 commonly found shells. These are all photographed in beach condition, rather than polished till they are difficult to identify as the same specimen you hold in your hand.

I’d like to think A thousand pleasures, a million treasures would be a very useful addition to a household or school. I can see tourists using it, certainly suitable for children of all ages, and of course, local beach walkers.

There are only a handful of copies left. Contact me directly on reescampbell1@gmail.com to purchase a copy.