Beachcomber on Saipan: 2015 - The Beach and the Blues

This is the first hike of the year 2015: go down to San Juan Beach and then go to Hidden Beach. At least that was the plan. The path to Hidden Beach was overgrown, so Laurina and I ended up going to Old Man by the Sea instead. It was an enjoyable walk even though the body ached and the lungs were screaming. I gotta get back in shape. There seems to be a lot more tourist traffic here. The beach has grown probably due to a few small storm events last 2014. The sand has reached where the coconuts and fish-kill trees (Barringtonia asiatica) once dominated.

I found this gem at Old Man. I told myself that for 2015, I will study Blues guitar. It seemed like the universe was with me when I found this broken bottle top. With a few modifications it can be used as a guitar slide.

I brought the thing home all excited, but maybe a little too excited. I took the aluminum lip and some plastic off the top and brought out my grinder. I was too in a hurry, and I cracked what the universe has given me so serendipitously. I was so bummed.

All I needed to do was to grind the rough edge but the grinder was too rough, and I didn't cool the glass off with water often enough.

Bye bye bottleneck slide! A few days later, I researched some DIY online so I can practice on a wine bottle I already had. It wasn't the best choice since it seemed a bit short and had a pronounced line where the halves of the glass were bonded. I wanted to get some practice though before finding a better candidate.