Sea Bean: A Beachcomber's Search for a Magical Charm—A Memoir

By Sally Huband A powerful journey of sea and self, trial and hope on the islands of Shetland, where climate change is making marked impacts on the natural world. When a seed falls from a vine in the tropics and is carried by ocean currents across the Atlantic to the shores of Western Europe, it is known as a sea bean. It’s long been lucky to find a sea bean upon the shore; these seeds have been collected and used as magical charms for more than a thousand years. Sally Huband's search for the elusive sea bean begins shortly after she moves to the windswept archipelago of Shetland, the northernmost region of Great Britain, situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. When pregnancy triggers a chronic illness and forces her to slow down, Sally turns to the beaches for solace and wellbeing. There, she discovers treasure freighted with story and curiosities that connect her to the world. The wild shores of Shetland offer glimpses of orcas swimming through the ocean at dusk, the c