Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Sand Dollar

As I was walking along the beach a few days ago I noticed this beautiful and intact sand dollar that had just washed up.


















Sand dollars are a type of flattened, burrowing sea urchins in the phylum of Echinodermata and order of Clypeasteroida. When alive they are covered in silky hairs called cilia. Sand dollars are fairly closely related to starfish. 

Sand dollars are rather common on our beaches. "The Legend of the Sand Dollar," which pairs various features of this echinoderm with the Easter story, is often sold along with sand dollars in coastal gift shops.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Ocracoke Water Tank Caper. This is the link: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032117.htm.  

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:38 AM

    Sand dollars and the Easter Story, for Real? I don't see a rabbit, I don't see fanciful decorated eggs and I don't see baskets of chocolate. And Peeps where are the peeps?

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  2. Anonymous11:29 AM

    I'm sure the story is about the first Easter, but I'm not familiar with it.
    Love to hear it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can read the legend here: http://www.qualityshells.com/legend-of-the-sand-dollar.html

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    2. Anonymous12:52 PM

      Thanks so much.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous8:24 AM

      Or you can read the essay by David Sedaris titled Jesus Shaves. It is a very good read.

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    4. Anonymous8:37 AM

      Or listen to the recording on You Tube an excerpt from NRP's This American Life. I just did. Mr. Sedaris is an American Treasure.

      Delete