Learn All About the Beautiful Sand Dollar
There's something special about finding a beautiful sand dollar on the beaches of Topsail Island. They're fun and easy to look for and super-interesting to look at once you discover one! Dive in with us as we learn several neat facts about these beach beauties and we'll also give you a few tips on how to find one during your next Topsail Island beach vacation.
WHAT EXACTLY IS A SAND DOLLAR?
Sand dollars are classified as echinoderms, which means they are an ocean invertebrate. Actually, sand dollars are a form of flattened sea urchins and can vary in size from about one to four inches across. Some people even call them "sea cakes" or "sea cookies" because of their cute little cookie-like appearance.
INTERESTING FACTS
SAND DOLLARS AREN'T ALWAYS WHITE
Live, thriving sand dollars usually have a tan, taupe, or purple tint to them and are quite neat to look at. Sand dollars only turn bright white after they have died and are bleached by the sun, so if you see one on the beach, make sure it is not still alive. If it is alive, kindly return it to its home in the ocean.
THEY CAN MOVE ON THEIR OWN
Sand dollars have tiny little hairs called cilia that allow them to scoot across the ocean floor in search of algae and plankton for food. They also use the cilia to help move food into their mouth.
SAND DOLLARS HAVE TEETH
Crazy, right?! These little creatures have jaws, teeth, and are able to grind up their food! They chew their food very slowly and the digestion process can take up to several days.
THEY HAVE FEW PREDATORS
Sand dollars are cute and "cookie-like," but the general consensus in the ocean is they don't taste all that great apparently. Their only predators are certain species of large starfish and a couple types of fish.
THEY TELL THEIR AGE LIKE A TREE
We're sure you've seen the neat rings on a tree stump telling the trees age and sand dollars are no different! Rings form around their exoskeleton, one for each year. Sand dollars usually live less than ten years in the wild.
SAND DOLLARS LOVE TO PARTY
They like to hang out with their fellow sand dollar friends, often in groups of a few hundred!
THEY HAVE NO INTERNAL ORGANS
Yep, its true. Sand dollars do not have a brain, eyes, heart, or any other organs. They simply have a nerve ring that allows them to function and do all of the sand dollar things!
WHAT'S THEIR PURPOSE?
Sand dollars help keep the ocean clean and in tip-top shape by functioning as a cleaner. As mentioned above, they eat algae and plankton, which helps cleanse the water.
TIPS FOR FINDIND SAND DOLLARS ON TOPSAIL ISLAND
The best time to hunt for sand dollars is at low tide, preferably after a storm or when the sea is particularly rough. They can sometime be found washed up in small tide pools, however one of the best places to look for them is under fishing piers. The pillars that support the piers make a unique wave pattern that helps wash the sand dollars up to shore.
Once you've found your beautiful sand dollar, preserving it is super easy. Since they are very brittle and break easily, you'll want to carefully rinse it in fresh water, soak in a mixture of water and bleach, dry it out, and seal (paint) the sand dollar with a half water/half white glue solution. Doing so will help prevent breakage and damage.
Now that you're a certified sand dollar expert, it's time to put what you've learned to the test and come look for sand dollars on Topsail Island! We have a fantastic selection of oceanfront Topsail Beach vacation rentals waiting for you. Give us a call today or visit our website to start planning your dream beach getaway!
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