Dan Szalay is a former construction worker who was put out of work by a back injury several years ago. Now, he is a self-described "professional sea glass picker."

The Brick Township resident patrols New Jersey beaches with a specially modified golf driver scooping up shards of ocean-weathered sea glass which he uses to make jewelry and artwork.

And in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the picking has never been better. The storm tore away at New Jersey beaches revealing melted glass tossed into beach bonfires decades ago, colors of glass that haven't been manufactured in years and even a few unidentified items that could bring Szalay the holy grail of sea glass picking: The "shard of the year" award.

The problem? Sales of his sea glass creations were decimated by the storm.

Check out the video to see how Hurricane Sandy has effected one of the most colorful characters roaming the Jersey Shore.