A Mermaids purse holds dreams of the future and those trinkets that maybe should not be in our oceans. This project is to make a Mermaids Purse for yourself while you are visiting Avila Beach. Collect broken sand toys while you are here. A toy that is left on the sand when the tide comes in and washes out into the ocean will break apart. It may be eaten by a fish, or sea lion or whale. After all, those little pieces of plastic, called microplastics, are less than 5mm ( O ) and look like fish eggs, a tasty food source. The community is invited to participate in the creating of Mermaid purses (a.k.a. swell shark egg sack) and collect plastics left on the beach, specifically broken children’s toys. Each Friday at Avila Farmers Market (4-8pm) I will be at the display answering questions or you can reach me at patwovem@gmail.com.