Pavilion Beach

by Airon
(Concord, MA)

Entire Find

Entire Find

~ submitted by Airon, Concord, MA

Pavilion Beach in Gloucester, MA

This was only my second try at sea glass hunting, but I think it was a successful day! 

I found all of the attached sea glass at Pavilion Beach in Gloucester, MA, or at least close to it, at low tide, in late May 2013. 

I parked at Stage Fort Park, tried Half Moon Beach and Cressy's Beach (there by the park) and wasn't real successful, so I walked on the walking trail between the park and town.

As I did so, to my right, I saw 2 small rocky beaches by the Fishermen's Wives Monument (which I believe constitute Pavilion Beach).

A couple of things about my hunt.

  • First, I soon realized that there are A LOT of rocks down on this beach. 
  • Just walking along, I found a couple of pieces of sea glass but not that many. 
  • So . . . at that point, I decided to try moving the rocks and digging a little bit around the wrack line -- I was most successful then. 
  • I discovered it's best to avoid digging near any sea weed -- lots of sand flies or some type of bugs that fly out at you (major yuck).
For the most part, the sea glass here is well-conditioned and
pretty well rounded on all edges. 

As you can see, I found mostly white glass, with some green and brown, and a few pieces of sea foam/light blue. 

I also found a few pieces of terra cotta/pottery. 

My big finds of the day though included a good-sized lavender piece of glass (jewelry grade) and a small (and very worn) bottle stopper.  I searched for about 2 hours.

I found approximately 75+ pieces, and I would rate the beach as Excellent (10+ jewelry grade pieces/hour). 

However, to ensure realistic expectations, I would note that I searched in the Spring (prior to tourist season), at low tide, on a week day, and after a storm. 

Therefore, my experience may not be typical for an average summer weekend day when there are lots of other people around.  

This is a public beach, and I don't believe that dogs are allowed on Gloucester beaches between Memorial Day and Labor Day. 

In addition, I believe it's $7/day parking at Stage Fort Park during the summer season (I went during the off-season, so parking was free).


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Comments for Pavilion Beach

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Sep 23, 2021
 Buried treasure now
by: Anonymous

UNFORTUNATELY the hotel that borders the beach has graded and sanded over the entire area. In two hours of rummaging about in historically the worst area for glass, the south end near the parking lot far down from the front of the hotel, my wife and I came up with next to nothing. Several years ago while staying in nearby Rockport, we combed the rocky beach in front of the hotel before the sand buried everything, and and left with a treasure trove of glass
No more
Mar 10, 2020
 Plentiful
by: Anonymous

I live in Gloucester and off season is best time to get sea glass on Pavilion. I often leave there with quart size bag filled.
The beach isn't going anywhere as someone periously wrote, in fact beach has been cleaned up with the addition of the new hotel.
I love my city, can't imagine living any place else. My obsession with seaglass had got a bit crazy lately.
Jul 19, 2015
 Pavillion Beach not disappearing!
by: Anonymous

The City is not tearing down the Birdseye plant to put in a hotel; that is being done by a private corporation.

The beach is public and will remain so. The beach is not being destroyed, removed, or taken away in any form.

Good luck with future hunts!
Sep 21, 2014
 Picked Clean
by: Anonymous

I live on this beach and have picked for 20+ years.

At this point, I no longer bother because all the good stuff is gone. It's been picked clean.

Please note: The city is tearing down the old Birds Eye plant on the beach and putting in a hotel and boardwalk.

This beach will soon no longer exist.
Jun 23, 2014
 Not Too Bad
by: marie

My husband and I went to this beach over the weekend so you parked for free.

There were was a lot of white glass but the more we looked the better we found.

Lots of people were looking but there was plenty to go around - mostly jewelry-grade but a little of everything.
Jun 03, 2013
 Thanks!
by: Airon

Thanks, Katie - that's a great tip.

I was actually just cleaning a few other pieces that I found over the weekend, and happened to put them on a white towel to dry and noticed the same thing.

Very cool. :-)
Jun 03, 2013
 Pavillion Beach: Not Necessarily White!
by: Katie O

Sorry that I didn't get back to you sooner! Hope that you did get a chance to read my first response post.

As for 'mostly whites' comment:
  1. Take a sifter and put all of what you think are white pieces in it.
  2. Pour water gently through it, making sure that all pieces get wet.
  3. Turn those pieces, one by one, onto a piece of white cloth, or even a white paper plate, and carefully observe.
Those pieces you thought were just 'White' are hues and shades of white! Amethyst, Seafoam, Ivory, Cyan and more!

Do the same with your greens and browns.

Check out Odyssey's pages to see all the colors of sea glass!

*Sea Glass Color Chart
*About Colors
*Color Rarity Guide

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