When spending your vacation in South County, you’ll find all sorts of activities within a short distance of your vacation rental. The region is loaded with beaches, restaurants, and hiking trails, ensuring you never have to look far for something to do.
However, you might find yourself seeking new adventures at some point on your vacation. At this time, you might consider catching the Block Island Ferry from Galilee Salt Pond Harbor in Narragansett to the Old Harbor in New Shoreham.
These boats leave multiple times throughout the day, with the first vessel departing South County at about 8:00 AM and the last ship returning at 7:45 PM. These frequent sailings provide you with plenty of time to explore Block Island in the summer.
Perhaps the main reason to sail to Block Island in the summer is The Glass Float Project, a massive treasure hunt extending over the island’s beaches and Greenway Trails.
Here’s a look at everything you should know about The Glass Float Project on Block Island.
What Is It?
Of course, you’ll want to know what exactly this treasure hunt entails before heading to Block Island, and, fortunately, it’s pretty simple.
The idea was developed by Eben Horton, a Newport-based artist who started blowing glass at the age of 16. When he’d make a mistake or crack the glass during the learning process, he could not sell the goods.
Yet, he thought the glass was too beautiful to throw away, so he started hiding these unfinished works of art on Newport’s beaches for visitors to find. Searching for glass artwork on the beach became a common pastime in Newport because of Horton.
In 2011, Horton received a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts to expand his small treasure hunt and move it to Block Island. That summer, he created 150 glass orbs modeled after Japanese fishing nets and hid them throughout the island.
The project has expanded over the last decade, and 2022’s treasure hunt will feature 550 orbs created at Horton’s Glass Station Studio and Gallery in Wakefield, Rhode Island.
Each orb is numbered, and if you’re lucky enough to find one while exploring Block Island, it’s yours to take home with you. There’s also a raffle draw you can enter for other hand-blown glass art.
What You’ll Find
Once the orbs are constructed, volunteers hide them all over Block Island. Most of them are made from clear glass and are numbered and stamped by the artist.
There will be 22 special colored orbs on Block Island’s beaches in 2022, though, which come with beautiful designs and patterns for you to enjoy.
Since the colored orbs are rare, many seekers look for them exclusively.
Where to Look
As you search, you should know that Block Island features nearly 10 square miles of land, so there’s a lot of ground to cover. However, all 550 floats are hidden on beaches or hiking trails.
When searching on the island’s beaches, look above the high tide mark but away from the dunes. Organizers will never put these orbs where they’ll get wet, on the dunes, or up the side of any bluffs.
The Greenway Trails are predominantly on the north end of the island near Sachem Pond and the central section of the island by Rodman’s Hollow and Black Rock Beach.
You can reach Fred Benson Town Beach, which is near the ferry terminal, without a vehicle, but you’ll need a car to explore the island’s hiking trails. The Block Island Ferry will transport your vehicle to the island, but you’ll need to reserve in advance to ensure a spot.
How to Get Involved
You don’t have to register to begin looking for orbs on Block Island. All you need to do is show up and start your search.
The season starts on June 2, 2022, and will continue until May 31, 2023, unless all the floats are found before then.
When you find an orb, organizers ask that you register your treasure through the Block Island Tourism Council so they know it’s gone. They also ask that each seeker only takes one orb per year.
Other than that, you can spend as much time as you wish exploring Block Island’s beaches this summer in search of your very own piece of unique artwork from a renowned local glassblower.
You can also donate to Eben Horton if you appreciate the project, too, since that’s how this local tradition is sustained.
Making the Most of Your Time in South County
Booking a vacation rental in South County is a great way to make the most of your summer. The beaches and activities in this corner of Rhode Island are epic, and you’ll never run out of great things to do or beautiful things to see when spending time there.
Depending on the ferry you take, you can also get to Block Island in as little as 30 minutes, making it easy to participate in The Glass Float Project in 2022.