Beachcombing

The part of the beach where the waves meet the sand, where beach walkers stroll with their toes in the water, is called the swash. There's nothing like splashing through it as you gaze out to sea, ponder life's big questions, or just add a little water resistance to your daily walk.

But beyond the swash, between it and the dune line, is where you'll find the wrack, the strip of seaweed, stranded coconuts and other ocean debris washed onto shore. Of course, one person's debris is another's treasure. The wrack is where you'll find sea beans, also known as drift seeds, that have traveled from exotic locales to our shores. They drop from tropical trees, shrubs and vines and are carried by the waves. Some, like many Vero Beach visitors, will even put down roots. They have fun names, too: nickernut, sea heart, sea purse, and the aptly named hamburger bean, which looks exactly like a hamburger nestled between the two halves of a bun.