What: Thirteenth Annual International Sea-Bean Symposium and Beachcombers' Festival.

When: Friday, October 17th and Saturday, October 18th, 2008

Where: Cocoa Beach Public Library, 550 North Brevard Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931

Cost: FREE and open to the public!

What are sea-beans, you ask? According to the experts at www.seabean.com: "Sea-beans (also known as drift seeds) are seeds and fruits that are carried to the ocean, often by freshwater streams and rivers, then drift with the ocean currents and (hopefully) wash ashore."

Seabean.com also explains that sea-beans do not actually originate in the sea, but come from tropical trees and vines that grow near coasts or rivers. A sea-bean might originate from a fruit tree along the Amazon River, then fall into the river and get carried out to sea where it may drift for years before washing up on a beach, where avid collectors (called "drifters") are waiting to find them.

This free sea-bean event features:

• Sea-bean collections and displays
• Sea-bean experts and international guests
• Sea-bean polishing
• Sea-Bean jewelry
• T-shirts
• Slide shows
• Speakers
• Books and authors
• Contests and a raffle
• Sea glass identification (on Saturday only.)

Displays and collections are open to the public at the Cocoa Beach Public Library all day Friday, Oct 17th, 9am to 5pm, and on Saturday 9am to 9pm.

A slide show by Sebastian Inlet State Park Ranger Ed Perry called "Beginners' Beachwalking" is scheduled from 11 to 11:45am on Friday.

A presentation by oceanographer Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer called "What's Floating Our Oceans This Year?" is scheduled from 2 to 2:45pm Friday.

Saturday presentations include:

• 1 to 2pm, Travels with Mr. SeaBean, by Izumi Hanno of the Seed Awareness Network
• 3 to 4pm: Polishing Your Sea-Beans co-presentation by experts Bill Blazek and Alice Lowe, covering automated and hand polishing methods.
• 7:45 to 8:45pm: Keynote speaker Mr. Richard LaMotte, authority on beach/sea glass.

I will definitely be at the Sea-Bean Symposium and am looking forward to learning a lot.  Why don't you stop by!

For more information on sea-beans or the Symposium, visit www.seabean.com.

David McRee
Florida Beaches Expert