What a weekend! The shelling was pretty spectacsheller on Friday, but honestly, it was just as fun meeting so many shellers that have commented on my posts before here on iLoveShelling and on iLS Facebook. Like Heather Gray from who found the sweetest JUNONIA as it washed up at her feet. Shellzam!
Look at these other amazing shells she found too…
I was so thrilled for her especially since I felt like I already knew her…
It was so much fun to finally meet Jodi from Indiana (with hubby Ted) at Blind Pass Captiva as well.
She was finding all sorts of fun shells and beach bling but the most exciting shells she found were from the Sanibel side of Blind Pass before and after I saw her. She found two CABRITS MUREXES!
This is so cool… Annie from Jordan Minnesota found this DOLPHIN VERTEBRAE …
She was in the scooping water to find it mixed in with a bunch of shells.
Anya from Lehigh Acres, Florida snatched up an ALPHABET CONE…
Did you notice Rae Ann (West VA) in the background of Anya’s photo? Well, that’s where she snagged this awesome JUNONIA cob – in the water without a net. You go girl!
Judy from VA was thrilled to find all sorts of shells by sifting through the shells that were tossed on the beach…
Paul and Sveta from Lithuania filled up a leftover plastic bag from Publix with all of their souviners.
Lots of treasures to remember for a lifetime…
But…. Just as fast as Mother Nature can wash all of these gems up on the beach, she can take it away as well. The first photo at the top of this post was taken on Friday late afternoon. I took this picture on Saturday around noon and you can see that the waves started to bring in sand to cover up some of the shells they had brought in the day before. It’s crazy to see the changes!
But even though the waves were bringing new sand up on the beach, there was still a huge shell pile with plenty of shells to sift and sort through. I love when I see my shelling friends just hanging out, digging through the shells and sharing each exciting new find. My shell crafter friend Audrey ODonnell was in heaven finding all sorts of great shells for her artwork but this FLAT SCALLOP was one of her favorites of the day.
Jean Holycross was there too gettin her Sit N Sift perfected.
She found a shell she hadn’t seen before so she called me over…it was a BEAUTIFUL CRASSATELLA! Oh and of course she was thrilled about her bright orange HORSE CONCH. Candy!
Now I gotta tell ya… this was a once in a lifetime photo-op. LOL It’s very rare to see Super Sheller Clark doing the Sit N Sift (Jean called the “Jean method”) . As you can see, he was prepared for raking the waves for shells with his big, bad watershoe boots, shelling backhoe and even his knee brace just in case he “had” to be fighting waves all day. But, since he didn’t find much to scoop up in the water, he decided to sit down with everybody else and dig through the pile- thats where the action was. Oh lawd, I do love this picture.
I also want to show you a few photos I received over the weekend. Cindy and Roger from Shellabaloo 2 are here this weekend and Roger found an incredibly large HORSE CONCH at Blind Pass Captiva in the evening at low tide. This rivals Cindy’s monster HORSE CONCH she found during Shellabaloo!
Just after Roger found his trophy, Cindy snapped a photo of sheller Celia from Texas who found a JUNONIA in the same area at about the same time! Wow!
I haven’t even had time to go through our loot but we found some really interesting pieces that I will show in another post. Until then, since I haven’t been roaming the beaches today, I have no idea if the shell pile at Blind Pass Captiva is still there or not. I have heard the the lighthouse beach still has the minis and the middle beaches of Sanibel have had some great shell piles come and go throughout this weekend as well. Good luck and have fun!
Wow!
Junonias!!!!…and that dolphin vertebrae is gorgeous! Love all your photos and stories!
Celia really found a whopping Junonia! How fabulous is that!
Love reading about all the GREAT TREASURES found!
And seeing them, too!
Hi Pam,
Wow, what beauties, esp. the Junonia’s just a bit jealous, but I am sure to find one on my next trip. “Wishful thinking” Great photos and wow, wishing I were there shelling along with you all.
Have a great day
Malgorzata
I love your picture of Clark doing the ‘sit n sift’….. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! :D
We are at our condo in Navarre, getting NOTHING! and there you are with the Mother Load. So jealous but so happy for all you shellers.
Wow – os many great shells, but the dolphin vertebrae is the coolest!
maybe a dumb question, but is the dolphin vertebrae that Annie found really from a dolphin?!
your posts are just so entertating I felt like I was there thank you
What great finds for everyone! Hubbie and I are going to Lovers’ Key tomorrow – hope the shelling is as good there!!!!
Celia’s junonia – shellzam, as you would say. Gorgeous and big!
Such a great post! Definitely a day I’ll remember. It looks like a lot of folks finally had some shelling luck. I hope we’ll meet again, Pam… Perhaps at a Shellabaloo next time! ;)
I would have to say that the Gittin’ was better than good – it was SUPER! Nice junonias, really liked seeing the dolphin vertebrae, Clark in a non-sifting position, and our friend Roger from SB2 finding that huge horsie!!
Really looking forward to heading that way next month and hoping the ocean is Gittin’ good at that time :)
Some lovely finds and colors there. I have never seen an alphabet cone before. Very unusual.
Congrats to all! What fun!
Love this post. Love all the shells everyone found. It was great seeing Clark enjoying the sit n sift. One of these days maybe I’ll find a junonia. Hope the shelling continues. Pat
Oh Pam, thank you so much again & again for sharing! Congrats to every Junonia Winner! The v last pic are beautiful shells, what finds. Love the vertebrae , I always find vertebrae when I’m there but have never ID’d them. Keep shelling & Showing!!
Mary Ann
East Granby. CT
Pam, What kind of murex in the last picture of the shells you and Clark found?
Amazing finds! I am so jealous but happy for everyone that had great shelling. We were not as lucky. However, we had a lovely one night stay at Island Inn which had the best shell line when we were there the first week in May. I was happy to find 3 wentletraps at Lighthouse Beach on my first official search for those little shells. My husband enjoyed collecting the jingles. Great post, Pam!
We’re just back from an amazing week on Sanibel–no junonia in my bag but found my first baby’s ear and an alphie.
And found this quote “It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire.” Robert Louis Stevenson—soooo true!
Pam thank you for sharing all the treasures of Sanibel (and world) shelling–I look forward to your blog every day.
WOW I love all the pictures of the many fabulous shells. Celia has the largest juniona I think you have ever posted a picture of on this bog. Have you ever seen or found a larger juniona? It so how large was it? I am so excited about our vacation this year, we are bringing our son to Sanibel for the first time.It is always more enjoyable when you are introducing someone to a new experience. Roy loved seeing Super Sheller Clark doing the sit and siff, perhaps he will give it a try. Thanks for all the cool pics. L-O-R-E-E
Again I’m shelling through your blog. WOWZA. We were there this winter and there was absolutely nothing after the renourishment. I am now hopeful when we come back and stay across the way at Castaways in January. Please order shells 3rd week in January during low tide :) I get so excited when I see your photos of all the beautiful shells. Have a great summer and keep the photos coming. Shellhugs…
Love all the shells ! My family and I are going to bowman’s this weekend and Lighthouse point , can’t wait to see all the goodies I will find . Love your site , I have always loved collecting shells and it’s great to see I’m not alone :)
That Dolphin Vertebrae is AWESOME! I am always amazed at how the beach changes from day to day, you never know how you are going to find it!