Before the days of plastic fishing floats, glass balls were sometimes used to suspend large fishing nets. Most glass floats found in Alaska are apparently from Japanese fishing vessels. This one is pictured exactly where it was found on the outer coast with the Fairweather Range in the background. The surface looks almost sand-blasted and the bottom is covered with the remnants of barnacles. It seems something of a miracle it survived years, perhaps decades adrift in the North Pacific before weaving a gauntlet of rocks and breakers to end up on this isolated sandy beach. Photographer: Bill Eichenlaub