Posted on 07/18/2010 2:51:40 PM PDT by jay1949
When we were kids, our family moved to Norfolk, Virginia, and beginning in 1956 we frequently visited Virginia Beach, building sandcastles and chasing sand fleas in the surf. From time to time we would find tar balls on the beach -- not many, and usually they turned up following a storm. The tar balls of Virginia Beach were relics of the early years of World War II. In 1942, a largely-hidden marine war took place off the shores of the Carolinas and Virginia as German U-boats lay in wait for unprotected merchant shipping northbound from the Gulf of Mexico.
(Excerpt) Read more at backcountrynotes.com ...
Someone, somewhere brought up the point that in WWII hundreds of ships were sunk and no one had time to clean up the mess and we’re still here without any problems.
3000 Allied ships many where tankers.
Back in the 40s and 50s we used to throw the damned things at each other. After a storm they would come ashore in clumps of Saragasso weed with all kinds of little wiggly critters, shrimp, sea horses, you name it.
I lived in Virginia Beach from 1978 to 1984, with stops until 1987 when my parents moved to the DC area.
The beach at NAS Oceana was good, unless the wind was off the hog farms.
You too? I had no idea when I was kid that was what they were.
We used to chuck them at each other when we went clamming.
Miami Beach also.
I remember as a kid stepping on them. Often they were coated with sand and ground up shells. Wouldn’t see them until it squashed under your foot.
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