A Short Documentary Celebrates the Fruits of Nearly Five Decades of ‘Extreme Beachcombing’

For nearly five decades, Forks, Washington, resident John Anderson has pursued an enthusiasm—one might even call it an obsession—with things that wash up along the Pacific Northwest coastline.

Describing his occupation as “extreme beachcombing,” the pastime transformed into a full-time passion when he retired from his plumbing job and transformed his shop in Forks, Washington, into John’s Beachcombing Museum.

An enchanting mini documentary by Ryan Pinkard and Christian Klintholm follows the intrepid forager on beach treks and through his archive of treasures. “Extreme Beachcombing” is narrated entirely by Anderson, who takes us on a tour of his floor-to-ceiling hoard of curiosities.

If you’re passing through Forks, John’s Beachcombing Museum is open most days from June through August. You can explore a plethora of human-made objects that float in from all over the world, from quotidian plastic toys and dock boots to nuclear submarine locator beacons and a WWII life raft radio.