By Helen Hollyer

What do a glass fishing float, a dead common murre seabird, a man's size 11 Reebok athletic shoe, a minke whale carcass, the charred wood and rusted metal remnants of a once proud Oregon-based fishing boat and skate's egg case have in common?

Eugene writer Bonnie Henderson used each of these items she found along a single mile of Oregon coastline during more than a decade as a CoastWatch volunteer as the basis of thought-provoking journeys of discovery in Strand: An Odyssey of Pacific Ocean Debris, her most recent book.

Attendees at the Creswell Public Library Foundation's Seventh Annual Sweet Night Out event will learn that, during the mid 1990s, Henderson agreed to visit mile 157, about halfway between Winchester Bay and Florence, at least four times a year to briefly report on seasonal changes and watch for potential problems that could threaten the public's access to the state's publicly owned beaches.

During her periodic beach inspections, Henderson observed few signs of civilization other than human-made items borne by wind and waves and eventually stranded in the high tide line on the beach among the remains of deceased native plants, birds, mammals and fish.

Speculating on the origins of what she had found, she investigated their stories, noting that "even when you can't get the whole story, the quest becomes a story in itself. And in the end, those are the best stories anyhow."

But her stories are more than stories. Full of fascinating information, they also lead the reader gently into explorations of the nature of natural relationships, and of humans' often destructive role in those relationships.

Henderson's book explores current issues, events and phenomena such as oil spills, survival prospects of whales, proliferation of ocean debris, shark evolution and international trade.

She introduces fascinating characters including fishermen whose boat runs aground on her mile of Oregon beach, necessitating their rescue by a Coast Guard helicopter crew; minke whale researchers from all over the world; ornithologists seeking to learn what constitutes a significant die off of common murres in different parts of their range and many others.

Selected as a Seattle Times Best Book of 2008, and was a finalist for the 2009 Oregon Book Awards, Strand is Henderson's third book about the Oregon Coast.

During the Sweet Night Out event, which starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6 at Heidi Tunnell Catering event center with a scrumptious selection of desserts, including sugar-free treats, fruit and cheese, Henderson will talk about her life and her writing, answer questions and sign copies of the book for purchasers.

Individual adult tickets cost $10 for individuals and family tickets are $20. They are available at The Creswell Chronicle, the Creswell Library, from Creswell Public Library Foundation members and at the door.

Event proceeds go toward funding a permanent home for the Creswell Library.