I have been a shelling maniac the last few months. Sanibel and Captiva have been bustling this season with visitors (and locals too) enjoying this beautiful weather and the good shelling so I didn’t miss a minute of it. I needed to catch up a little since my house and shells were getting out of control. So I took a few days for cleaning and organizing the garage where my shells are, doing the laundry and cleaning up shell photos on my computer. Ssssccccrrraaaaatch … BOORRRRING! I had to get back to the beach!
I went to Blind Pass on the Sanibel side to see the changes and if the shelling was picking up.
I found a few FIGHTING CONCHS and a LIGHTNING WHELK right away!
Cutie Hannah from Germany showed me up big time with her perfect nice size SHARK’S EYE.
See? Gorgeous!
I ran over to the Captiva side to find the shell pile from over a week ago is still there and still giving.
Angela (Englewood, FL) was collecting KITTENS PAWS and other small shells for her daughter in Atlanta who is a biology school teacher. Her kids are going to have fun summer camp projects!
So, I told you I was doing a little cleaning and a little laundry, right? Well, these are mighty clean shells…….. from the dryer. Sound familiar?
You should hear sharks teeth spinning around in the dryer. You know what we say about cleaning – Housework! Go wash your mouth out with chocolate!
I can just imagine what shark’s teeth sound like in the dryer… those murexes made a racket! I’m going out to by chocolate today- thanks!
I love shelling at Sanibel and Captiva. Went there on my anniversary this year. Definitely coming back.
It took me a while to get the sand out of the clothes I wore to the beach and stashed my shells in. You’re lucky the shells didn’t brake, what a mess that would have been. Enjoy.
Love the beach umbrella picture! Is that near Blind Pass, looks lovely. Doing laundry is just one of those necessary chores…B>O>RN>G! But now it’s done and you can hit the beach again! I so enjoy your posts, Pam. Makes not being there more tolerable…I surround myself with my shells as I sit here at the computer and fondly remember “the hunt”! LOL Have a great weekend and as my bumber sticker says “GO TO SHELL!”
That would be “bumPer sticker, LOL!
Where did you get your bumper sticker?
I know that the Shell Museum sells them.
I have two bumper stickers that I created through an online site called buildasign.com. One says “Shell till Ya Smell!” and the other says “Eat, sleep, SHELL!!”
LOL Shell till Ya Smell! hahaha Thats a riot Susan!
What do you do with all your shells, Pam? bins?
Bins, buckets, glass vessels, wire baskets, wicker baskets, wooden bowls, ceramic bowls, rocks glasses… whatever I can find. I guess I need to do a post on “displays”, huh?
Capital idea post on “displays”, because those I’ve brought back to Denver are needing new ideas!
I agree make a post on displaying shells!
Haha! I just pulled my clothes from the dryer and found some ‘remains’ from my trip to Lovers Key yesterday!
Maniac. Shelling maniac. That B U!!!
Shells in the dryer….that’s great! I mean, not for your dryer, but finding them…Right now I’m finding pine cones in the dryer…I wish they were shells!
I’m totally in love with that Shark’s Eye – fabulous! Glad you got back to the beach, so much more fun than cleaning up or anything around the house :O)
Save some for us! We’ll be there on Monday! You’ll recognize me by my iloveshelling.com hat!
I like to leave the sand in my pockets for a while after I get home. It makes me feel good when I put my hands in and feel it. I get a little smile on my face that no one else understands….except the people who read this blog!
Pam…I’m going to be in St. Pete’s/Clearwater for a few days next week. Don’t think I’ll have time to make it back to Sanibel/Captiva.
Do you know of any good shelling spots?
Susan from Toronto
I’ve heard Fort Desoto is a good place and Shell Island. I’m dying to take the ferry over to Honeymoon Island too!
We stayed in Indian Shores in Feb- the shelling wasn’t comparable to Sanibel/Captiva but quite decent. I found lots of turkey wings, jewel boxes and beautiful calico scallops. My sister-in-law collected a basket full of large cockles.
In a week I gathered more than two dozen varieties of shells.
For several weeks after one of my trips to Sanibel, I drop a shell in my pants pocket every morning before I go to work. Each time I reach in that pocket for my work keys, I “feel” Sanibel’s sunshine and gentle waves lapping at my bare feet…aahhhh!
Thanks, Pam, for the lovely photos- you can’t believe how much we all love your efforts to keep us connected to the place we love the most! I’m trying to swing a 3-4 day mini vacay in May to head down to Sanibel and stand in the Gulf waters- here’s hoping!
As I sit here at my computer in my den I still drool over the big shell lamps in here. I filled them with shells I found on Sanibel in one week about 20 years ago. We have usually come in February, about once every five years. That year was like hitting the jackpot for me. I stood in one place for about six hours just scooping up shells with every wave. ( I would’ve stayed until it was dark if my family would’ve let me!) About the only thing I didn’t find was a Junonia! Nebraska is along way from Sanibel but I, too, have shells in every nook and cranny of my house!
Hi Pam
Thanks for the tips.
Would you like to meet me at Fort DeSoto for a day and take the ferry over to Honeymoon? I’d love it!!
Susan from Toronto