There are lots of shells at Blind Pass Captiva! Actually I’ve heard there are shells all along Sanibel too at morning low tide but I’m so happy I went to Blind Pass because I met Katie from Kansas who found all of the gorgeous shells in the photo above. Look at that huge, shiny BANDED TULIP and huge TURKEY WING she is holding! Here she is with her dad Mark…
I saw Dave and Peg from Cincinnati…
who showed me their incredible shells. Okay, normally I would be whooping it up about that perfect ALPHABET CONE (which deserves a big whoop!) but I could not take my eyes off that orange… yes, orange… FLAT SCALLOP! I rarely see them wash up that color so it’s exceptional that it’s so perfect and that dang big too! Congratshellations you guys!
I went to some other beaches late in the afternoon to see if the shells were like this as well…
But the tide was so high that it had covered most of the shell piles. So it looks like if you want to find shells like this right now…
you have to be shelling at low tide in the mornings.
The early bird catches the candy!
PS- No, I never found that ALPHABET CONE I thought I saw in my last video. Darn! But it was fun trying.
Happy Day!! A new post from Pam and sunshine in New Orleans after not seeing the sun in over a week!!
Always love seeing everyones treasures. We usually time our trip to Sanibel to coincide with the lowest tides in Sep/Oct. Happy Shelling :)
What a joy to get up this morning (Indiana) and read this post. I wish I were there, but just looking at these beautiful shells including identifications makes my day! Thank you!
Where in Indiana? We just moved to FL this year. Hope to get to Sanibel soon
Fantastic!!! 36 days and counting, and I’m there….Its OK if you didn’t find the alphie yesterday…it’s ALWAYS a good time, no matter what you find, like you say, it’s all about the fun in the hunt :)
Counting down with you Donna. In 36 days we will be leaving the snow and cold of Canada to stick our toes in the sand on Sanibel.
Hope Sanibel has some shell treasures in store for us to. And maybe… just maybe we get to meet the queen of all shellers on the beach to :)
That would be the icing on the cake if I met Pam!
Sure would be!
Hello Pamela! Wish I was there shelling with you, looks like great pickings! Have a wonderful Birthday weekend! Miss you
Pam, I never get tired of looking at your fab photos!
Just finished making a shell heart on canvas with my 11yr old granddaughter. Shells collected on Sanibel last year. I look forward to seeing your post each day, especially as I listen to the wind howl here in Ohio. All I have to do is close my eyes and I’m there with you!
Pam–save some shells for us, 11 days and counting….coming from the cold Northwest (Oregon). We’re cold here (below normal) and trying to come to the warmer south and sunshine. I did not enjoy the picture of Dave and Peg from Cincinnati–dressed with their warm jackets and hoods and looking for shells. He even had shorts but she had long (wet) pants-LOL! Pam, do whatever little dance you need to do on the beach for us northerners coming to Paradise, for warmer weather!
Some really great treasures there!
That flat scallop is BEAUTIFUL!!! And, the alphie looks perfect. Congratulations Dave & Peg. 32 days and counting. Can’t wait!! :)
Hi Katherine. Just a month away, you are very lucky. I wish I could go with you! You must let us know what you find!
By the way, ID-Day at the AMNH Museum this year is going to be on May 11th, if you want to come in for that; remember we talked about how you can easily take a bus up to AMNH from Penn Station?
Thank you Susan. I am really going to try and make it this year. I won’t know for sure until it gets closer, but I have a couple of mini’s that are stumping me. Besides, I’d love to meet you in person.
I’ll keep you posted. I’m sure Donna R and Katriena will too. Looks like we will all be there around the same time.
I have a shelling charter booked with Captain Brian for Feb 22nd 7am-11am. If anyone wants to join us (up to 3 people) and split the cost, let me know.
Katherine, I wont be on Sanibel until the 25th, but its likely I’ll go visit Susan on ID Day at the AMNH, so maybe I will see you there:)
Donna, I will be on Sanibel until 3/1 so maybe we will meet. If not, then hopefully at the AMNH.
Will be there from Feb 25 till March 2.
Loved the flat scallops, alphabet cones, brown lace murex, purplish semele that everyone is finding. Hope the warmer weather stays, although the storms bring shells. Arriving next Saturday and hope to get to Blind Pass on Sunday. I just wish the low tides weren’t so early in the morning! I’m not an early bird!
Hope to see some “I love shelling” t-shirts on the beach.
Pat
It can be tough getting up at or before dawn, but it’s not so bad if you eat dinner early, don’t watch TV, read a shell book, and then go to bed real early.
I usually set out my shelling gear and what I intend to wear the night before, and I plan a very simple breakfast that’s going to be easy to throw together. I don’t know about other people, but I for one can’t shell well on an empty stomach.
Then after a few days of getting up early, it starts to feel normal.
If you are really keen to shell on those low tides you can start going to bed earlier and getting up earlier even before you leave for Sanibel so you are ready by the time you get there.
I don’t much like night shelling, but I would say that the early morning low tides are worth any sacrifice you have to make in terms of changing your schedule. They are really great… :)
I mysteriously turn into a morning person the second that I am on vacation on Sanibel… :)
Ah, I see, you turn into Supershellwoman!
Me too. Suddenly none of my evening activities hold my interest and I’m looking forward to rising with the sun.
This will be my second trip and I brought hubby and teenager with me this time. Hoping they will find the Sanibel Love and we can look forward to many vacations in the future.
Hoping for lovely weather!
Let’s just say that it’s not a coincidence that I have an appt. with my eye Dr. For a checkup this weekend :)
Donna you are one serious sheller! Good for you!
I was just at LightHouse Beach on Sanibel last friday. It was a perfect day! Found about 30 full size Pen Shells, both sides attached! All in great condition! WooWhoo!!
I wish all you Northerners a safe and speedy trip down here – I almost FROZE MY SHELLS off in Madison Wisconsin during December!!!
Come, enjoy our Paradise! Sarasota is fun as well!!
Julie at
julsofparadise.etsy.com
ps – at the last full moon at low tide I found 85 sand dollars in ankle deep water about a 5 minute stroll north of the Siesta Beach pavillion.
Really, come enjoy Sarasota… we have the most fabulous sand!!! And Sunday evening drum circle at sunset is not to be missed!
Julie at
julsofparadise.etsy.com
We have had our first two days of cold weather this winter here in NJ and I am ready to get to Sanibel. When did I become such a wimp? Arrive Tues. for sixteen days but unfortunately I will alone. My sister may not make it this year so I am looking for ways to get around the island on my own. My options seem to be rent a car on Sanibel or take a cab. Do they have any bus service there that might get me from West Gulf to the lighthouse, Blind Pass or Bailey’s? My knees said biking is not an option.
I am bringing my white olive so that I can get someone to figure out what it is. Taking shells to Sanibel, isn’t that silly.
Unfortunately there is no public transport of ANY kind of Sanibel, which is a pity. I wish they had an electric trolley that did circuits of the whole island at regular intervals.
If you can’t get on a bike, then renting a car or ordering a taxi are pretty much your only choices. Unless you can cadge a lift from someone, which I think is a possibility. Most people who stay on Sanibel are very nice indeed, and helpful too.
If you are staying in a hotel on West Gulf Drive, you may be able to ask around and find someone else who is going to Baileys who would be nice enough to let you ride with them, as Baileys is not very far away and a lot of people need to make a trip there every so often. Sometimes the hotel front desk people are very helpful in suggesting who you could ask.
As for Blind Pass or Lighthouse, which are both 6 miles away from West Gulf Drive, you could try to cadge a lift from someone who is going there anyway and then try to cadge a lift back, at least to Rabbit Road, maybe you could walk back to the hotel from there?
I never tried it yet, but I have thought about simply walking up to the Sanibel Captiva Road and then sticking my thumb out…
Susan H., you are an adventuresome soul! When I get back down there and see a woman with her thumb out I will surely stop. Seriously,
I’ve been considering going to Sanibel by myself, but wasn’t sure about transportation if I didn’t rent a car. i believe you have answered my question. Thanks.
One suggestion, if you can’t ride a bike(knees), how about a motor bike/scooter? Every time we come to Sanibel, my husband (late 50’s)
rents a motorbike/scooter from Billy’s Bikes to get around. It runs on gas, so you do have to fill up at the gas station. He enjoys riding around the island with his “scooter”, and pardon the pun, is as happy as a clam!
(I drive the rental car-LOL). Much less expensive than renting a car or cab.
Sounds like a good idea!
I think it’s a good idea to take the white olive. Perhaps it is just a rare albino of the regular olive? Maybe you could see if you can make an appointment to show it to Jose, the director of the shell museum?
Marilyn, I don’t know if you are up to it or not, but you can always rent a scooter from Billy’s. It is cheaper than renting a car and they are small and light weight. I’ve done it many times.
Minus 30 Celsius in Winnipeg, no shells to be found only snow banks. 12 days to go, can’t wait to stop shivering and feel that beautiful Florida sun shine on my pasty white face.
Pam,
It is minus 40 here in my part of Canada and seeing your website has me dreaming of nice warm places. We leave for a Caribbean cruise in a few weeks and it will be welcomed. I have to tell you that my daughter is in Fiji and found some gorgeous shells for me. I am so excited.
Muriel
Yesterday morning I thought I died and went to heaven. The shelling by Mitchell’s Sandcastles was fantastic. I left at 7AM with a mug of coffee and a long sleeved jacket. I went home for breakfast at 3PM!!!!!. The shells were just rolling in around everyone. There were plenty for all. I too found a lovely cabrit’s murex like my son earlier in the month. I also found a “freak” Florida fighting conch with two tails, nutmegs, cones and lots of olives and much more. Too bad we have to leave on Tuesday. Sue from PA.
Fantastic! You are so fortunate. Sounds wonderful! I wish I could have been with you! Those Cabrit’s murexes are a rare find and a real pretty shell! They are a deepwater thing, like the Junonia.
I’m smililng as I read these comments. I’ve finally learned to take food with me when I go out early, because I have an awful time talking myself into going back to eat, no matter how hungry I get! What an addiction. :-)
Hey Pam! Thanks for posting the pic of me and my dad! Today I went shelling again at blind pass and found a Junonia!! It’s broke, but I’m still REALLY EXCITED!
We (my niece and I) take small backpacks with our breakfast goodies in it so we don’t have to stop shelling. What a NICE addiction to have, shelling!!!!!! Back in the 70’s when I camped out in Periwinkle Park and went shelling at 3 or 4 am with big flashlights, we used to wade out to sand bars and find beautiful golden olives, huge whelks, etc….of course that was “back when” you didn’t know any better, and took live shells. But even then I loved the “minis” best of all. Still do.
I’m “counting down” too, and after 10 straight days of cold rain in TN, we do have sunshine, but it is still burrrrr cold which only intensifies my desire to get sand between my toes again – but I’ve got to wait until last of Feb. I think I can make it….barely!!!
Ha ha! You can make it Johnnie! ONly a bit more than a month to go. Read your shell books so you have one foot there already! And let us know what you find when you get there! :)
Thanks Susan H. and everyone else with your help re: transportation of Sanibel. I bit the bullet and rented a car on island. Expensive but since I am afraid to drive from the airport it was the best I could do. I am not looking forward to 16 days alone but then as my sister says, “I have never seen you that your weren’t talking to someone” People who visit Sanibel are so nice and friendly. As are locals such as Pam and Clark. If you see an old, round, short lady wearing a fanny pack with a shell bag and trash bag hanging from it and a metal net in the back say hi.
I agree, people who visit Sanibel seems to be a really nice bunch of people. And shellers always have a lot in common and a lot to talk about!
Marilyn, if you are staying in a hotel, ask the front desk person who staying there is a keen sheller, and they will tell you who, and I would think that person or those people would be very happy to meet you, show you their shells, and even go shelling with you.
Just saw the post from Susan H about the white olive. I will try to get an appointment with Jose as you suggested. Seeing people wearing hoodies made me remember about 4 years back I came to Sanibel to find very cold weather. I wasn’t prepared so I stopped at the second hand store and bought a warm black sweatshirt with a bright orange and yellow design on it. I rushed out to the beach to shell. My sister commented that everyone was bringing their shells to me to ask what they were. I thought I must look like an experienced sheller so they figured I would know. On the last day of the trip someone ran down the beach yelling “ask her she knows”. I asked her why she thought that. She said “your shirt”! I looked closely at the back of the shirt and realized that it was from a California Shell Club! That sure deflated my ego.
Well… a person could be an expert on California shells and still not know what was what on Sanibel. I bet you do look like an experienced sheller!
I got some shells this weekend! See my Instagram, markd60