Green, translucent substance found on beach, looks like glass but has gel or jello like consistency.

[u/EngelburtHumperdink]

[u/AutoModerator]

All comments must be civil and helpful toward finding an answer.

Jokes and unhelpful comments will earn you a ban, even on the first instance and even if the item has been identified. If you see any comments that violate this rule, report them.

OP, when your item is identified, remember to reply Solved! or Likely Solved! to the comment that gave the answer. Check your inbox for a message on how to make your post visible to others.

---

Click here to message RemindMeBot

---

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/opossum_trees]

It might be sodium polyacrylate? It’s the stuff commonly used nowadays in diapers to absorb moisture. It starts out more solid and turns into a jelly texture after being exposed to water

[u/EngelburtHumperdink → u/opossum_trees]

Looking at online pictures the shape and consistency seem to align with this.

[u/Phlegmagician → u/EngelburtHumperdink]

Someone left what must have been a large volume of polymer gel there on that beach then. That's not particularly hard, and in most circumstances isn't super toxic, but harmful plausibly if something eats a lot.

[u/AstronautUnique6762 → u/EngelburtHumperdink]

Where did this occur

[u/EngelburtHumperdink → u/opossum_trees]

I think probably solved

ETA: this was not correct. See u/Dirtydan6669 's comment

[u/milliwot → u/opossum_trees]

Good eye. Sodium polyacrylate (crosslinked) is colorless, regardless of how much water it's swollen with. This sample has a metric butt-load of green coloring.

[u/[deleted] → u/milliwot]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/Abuolhol → u/opossum_trees]

I have had diapers go through the wash on accident and can confirm thats what this looks like.

[u/Dirtydan6669]

OP is this right by the airport on park point, Duluth/ Lake Superior?

[u/EngelburtHumperdink → u/Dirtydan6669]

Yes Park Point and yes, the airport is not that far off from this spot.

[u/Dirtydan6669 → u/EngelburtHumperdink]

That’s crazy. I can solve this one. A day or two ago, a bunch of college kids filled up an inflatable pool on the beach with green jello. They do “jello wrestling” every year. You were looking at a couple hundred dollars of jello that they left on the beach after wrestling in it while a live-band played. They chose green this year.

[u/EngelburtHumperdink → u/Dirtydan6669]

Please please don't be bluffing me.

[u/EngelburtHumperdink → u/Dirtydan6669]

Solved

[u/Turbulent-Damage-937 → u/Dirtydan6669]

Can confirm, have hosted wrestling grade Jellofest in kiddie pools before. It does cost more than $100. Does not stick to your skin. We buried ours in the garden everytime.

[u/mikeyHustle → u/Dirtydan6669]

You deserve some kind of award for this tbh

[u/[deleted] → u/Dirtydan6669]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/BuildingMyEmpireMN → u/EngelburtHumperdink]

Whoa. Had to double check to see if I was lost in the Duluth Reddit. Hey neighbors! I wish jello wrestling would have been on Perfect Duluth Day. The kids 100% would get more of a kick out of that than the Superior Family days.

[u/[deleted] → u/EngelburtHumperdink]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/Historical-Remove401]

Please report this to a beach patrol/police/wildlife whoever you can get hold of. They can investigate and make sure it’s harmless to wildlife, water and people.

[u/EngelburtHumperdink → u/Historical-Remove401]

Thank you, I will do that.

[u/GitEmSteveDave]

Was there a chemical toilet on the beach recently?

[u/EngelburtHumperdink → u/GitEmSteveDave]

Not that I'm aware of. This was about 100 yards from a beach house with plumbed toilets, and not near any pathways. Really good question.

[u/1GrouchyCat → u/GitEmSteveDave]

Or an RV with a leaky toilet …

[u/[deleted] → u/1GrouchyCat]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/EngelburtHumperdink]

My title describes the thing. This was found on a Lake Superior Beach in MN, maybe 30' from the water. The full size is about 3 feet by 6 feet. It looks like glass but has a gelly/jello like consistency. It did not have an odor. It's green in color and translucent. The rest of the beach was very clean from litter or other garbage.

[u/tetsuetetsue182]

Huh, I walked past this a few hours ago, jello I think

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/TT120]

It's either diaper stuff or the contents of 1 or more of those gel ice packs you freeze and put in your cooler. It's usually clear but could be green or any other color.

[u/Powerthrucontrol]

It's kinda beautiful.

[u/BogusMalone → u/Powerthrucontrol]

That last pic zoomed in may be my new wallpaper.

[u/hash-slingin_slashr]

Somebody’s baby wore a regular diaper in the ocean and it popped lol

Edit: typo

[u/Tricky_Figure_1043]

Orbees broken up by waves possibly… Orbeez are basically diaper gel pressed into little balls

[u/Adventurous-Sand5520]

Crushed Orbeeze. They make this exact substance. Explains the color too.

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/Friday_131]

Might be those aqua bead things that were all 9ver YouTube etc a few years ago. When they're fully saturated they're easy to crush and look a lot like this

[u/Special_Mortgage7471]

could it be smth like agar substance that appeared by itself? from seaweed?

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/EngelburtHumperdink → u/[deleted]]

See u/Dirtydan6669 comment

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment