Where in the world are Pam and Clark collecting shells now?
We are on a little vacation on a little island to do a LOT of beach combing…
…where the weather is warm, the water is aqua and the beaches are picture perfect.
We are on a shelltastic shelling adventure!
So get your shellaphones tuned up because you won’t want to miss my next few posts about our vacation location and the shellicious types of shells you can find…
…in the Islands of The Bahamas!
We are on Cat Island in the Bahamas! Check out the details on my next post…
Beautiful Shells!
Can’t wait to see!! This was a beautiful appetizer!!
Omg…beautiful shells!
Can’t wait! The Bahamas is on my shelling bucket list!
Ooh! I’ve got my eyes set on Eleuthra this year. This just makes me salivate more @-)
Envy
Some nice beach glass finds too!!!
Yes!!! You are having fun “for shore”!
In NYC right now it is below freezing and blustery, so the Bahamas sounds like just the ticket! I see some real pretty tropical shells! Can’t wait to see what else you found… :)
I am home bored in MN recovering from surgery. Have fun! Can’t wait to see all the shells! I have always wanted to go to Eleuthra!! Sherri from MN
Can you bring those shells home or is it illegal? Btw, they’re really nice!
Pam, as always, very nice shells and pictures. Looking forward to seeing what else you & Clark found. As for bringing shells into the United States from the Bahamas, dead seashells (without a live mollusk inside) are permitted, but live ones are not. Queen (or Pink) Conchs (2nd & 3rd pictures from the top) are on the CITES list, which is an international treaty that prohibits the handling/sale of prohibited animal species and products made from them. Although these shells/mollusks are “technically” protected, they are eaten by the tens/hundreds of thousands in the Bahamas. In most small towns in the Bahamas there are piles of Queen Conch shells that have been collected for their conch meat. The conch fishermen knock a hole in the shell, remove the meat and then discard the shells, often into a large pile. It is technically illegal to bring even dead Queen conch shells into the U.S., but it happens all the time, correctly or incorrectly. The widespread harvesting of Queen Conchs as a food source in the Bahamas is the major problem, not a few tourists bringing home a few dead Queen conchs, but that is a political issue that is far more complex than this most pleasant shell collecting blog. Here is a video that may be of interest, http://www.conchsaladtv.com/aint-got-no-more-lip/
The practice of indiscriminately harvesting Queen Conchs for the meat (and punching the hole through the back of the shell) is a common practice at many of the poorer countries throughout the Caribbean and Asia.
It was explained to me that live conchs will leave an area with discarded empty shells, bones of their ancestors. So they are piled into a mountain to keep the sea floor welcoming.
I brought three home and the only problem security gave me was they could not be in carry-on baggage. They must be checked, because… they could be used as a weapon. As in, Conched on the head!
Conched on the head…..cute!
Lots of small islands to explore down where you are! Have a great vacation (hope you find some great shells too) – glad you will be sharing your beautiful pictures with us :-). Always fun exploring new places!
I just got back from beachcombing on Sanibel – had fun meeting up with a girlfriend there – we stayed in one of the cottages at Island Inn – loved it . Shelling, sunrises, sunsets, beachcombing, food, water and wildlife were all great! Sorry we didn’t see you & Clark at one of the beaches.
Looks fantastic!! Enjoy!
Have so much fun!!
Mary Ann
East Granby CT
What is the beach material in the photos? It looks like broken coral. I brought home from the BVI 2 queen conchs that I got out of a pile that described above.
Can’t wait to see which island you are visiting! I hope the seas are calmer than ours..rough seas give no shells. Have fun!
Pam and Clark, Hope you are having a grand time. The sea glass is cool, and the shells are beautiful. Enjoy
I have not been to the Bahamas in over 25 years and back then I was not into Shelling, the SEA GLASS is beautiful, did you find that too! When you get back tell us the island I want to go
Awesome for you Clark and all your adoring fans. Look forward to hearing about it and seeing your wonderful gifts of the sea.
I think that you’re in Eleuthera. Been there it’s fabulous. AS they say, it’s not for everyone but I sure do love it.
Wow! Look at all that sea glass!
I can’t wait to see and read ALL about it!!
Have a wonderful trip! Sunrise tellins from the Bahamas are my favorite! Can’t wait to see all of your treasures.
Pam, I just want to thank you for all the time and effort that you put into the “I love shelling blog”.
My husband and I just returned from one day of shelling at Sanibel last week Wednesday, at Gulfside and Blind Pass, and your blog was so helpful. This was our very first time collecting seashells (on an informed basis) and we really enjoyed it! Some friends told us about Sanibel last year after they visited. We found the Sanibel Six, although our tupil is broken, as well as lots of others.
I am going to hold a homeschooling seashell ID class in the spring, so I was happy that we had found about 20 of the shells listed on your seashell ID guide, of which I purchased two for the class. Our sand dollars are now bleached and glued. I am in the process of cleaning the rest of them. I want to leave barnacles on some of them to show the class as well. Your hints for finding shells and cleaning shells have been most appreciated. I just wish I could take them outside in the sunshine to work on like you often reference. Here in Saskatchewan, Canada, we have been about -25 C to -30 C most days since we returned, so even if the sun is shining, I still don’t want to work out there!!
After I spent all the time watching some of the videos on your blog, reading up where to search, and checking out the tides, etc. Super Sheller Paul, found all the sand dollars, all the wormies, etc. I can lay claim to the one and only olive that we found as well as the only broken tulip.
Oh Holly, thank you thank you for such a sweet, kind note. I love that you are using your found shells (with barnacles on them) and the ID guide to homeschool. That is exactly what keeps me blogging- comments like yours!!! Oh but Holly, -30 C??? Y’all need to get down here more often. LOL And when you do, I hope you find your perfect true tulip. xo
Beautiful shells! I’ve vacationed in Eleuthera quite a few times and have always had great luck shelling there (as I have for the rest of the Bahamas), but the photos don’t quite look like any spot(s) I’ve been to there. Are you on Cat?
Oh that beautiful sea glass. I am so jealous! And thanks for mentioning my friend Stephanie last week. She was so thrilled!
Marvelous time on Captiva! Harry, Coral and I saw the Green Flash for the first time ever day before yesterday. Cool front brought wind and super shelling today.
So jealous, Pam! We have gone to Eleuthera for Spring Break for the last 5 years and we LOVE it there! SO many shells to see and collect. I have loved comparing my finds with the ones you post each day here on I Love Shelling. We have also found quite a bit of sea glass there. Your first pic really whets my appetite for our trip this coming March. Can’t wait to be there and your post about the warm air and gorgeous beaches makes me so envious. It’s going to be REALLY cold and damp in Atlanta this week!!
Hi Pam,
You sure have my attention. Sounds like your trip was fantastic. I’m mostly a USA traveler, but might be convinced to go shelling in the Bahamas. Sea glass too. I will anxiously await your next post. Take care, Happy Thanksgiving to you and Clark.
I came upon your site one day and ever since then I go to your site to see if you have been shelling were I am headed. Last year we were in the turks & caicos,and green turtle. This year I am heading to BVI for a week of sailing on a 46 ft cat with Moorings and would love to know if you have any shelling spots there? I am also heading to Elbow Cay in August and hoped you could tell be some shelling spots there as well. I lived in Ft. Myers back in the early 80’s.My best friend and I use to be recreation directors. I was at Seawatch on the Beach and she was at South Seas. That is when I fell in love with shelling, spending my days off on Sanibel. My kids even enjoy shelling. In fact I am coming to Ft.Myers April 24-29 and I am sure I will be on Sanibel shelling my daughter lives there now. I hope this email finds you and you can give me some tips on were to shell on my upcoming trips. Thanks Marianne
Hi Marianne, sounds like we have the same taste in shelling spots! I have written on my blog about most of my shelling vacations and u can find them on the left hand side all the way down under “categories”- then go to “world shelling”. We looooved Anegada in bvis. Haven’t been to elbow cay. Have a great time and thanks for ur comment.
Look forward to hearing from you.