I always call this beach Blind Pass with a little note if it’s the Sanibel side or the Captiva side to explain where the shells are. But actually, the official name of the beach on both the Captiva side and Sanibel side is Turner Beach and the waterway that separates them is named Blind Pass. So if I called the beaches by the official name of Turner Beach, I’d still have to explain which side. Geez, shelling isn’t complicated so why complicate the beach names. I just like to wrap it all in one little package and call it all Bind Pass. Easy peazy, right?
Kenny, Marisa and Lisa from Ohio could have cared less what the name of the beach was, they thought the shelling was “awesome”.
They were having a ball plucking these juvenile FIGHTING CONCH shells right out of the surf.
I walked over the bridge to see what the Captiva side of the beach looked like…. nuttin’ honey. The high tide is starting to cut into the sand on the beach. No worries, it could be back tomorrow. This beach changes sooo quickly. Click HERE to scroll through pictures of the changes of Blind Pass.
So I walked back over the bridge to the Sanibel side and the first thing I saw was this pretty little bright orange SCALLOP shell. There was a fairly high tide at somewhere around plus 2 (the sand bar was covered with water) and pretty calm with temps in the 80s. Paradise. So I had to take a little video. Nothing fancy but I just had to share the warmth with the sounds of the water rushing over shells.
Thanks for the video. Can’t wait to ge there this summer.
Calling it Blind Pass on S/S (sanibel side) or C/S (captiva side) would work for me. Like you said, I don’t care what its called – I just want to BE there! And you do a fine job no matter what you call it!
Par-ah-dise!!! It looks so pretty!
I love those orange scallops. I even like the ones that just have a little orange running through them. They are a wee hard to find however. LOL
I always wondered about the people who live at the beach, “do they ever get tired of it?” I think I have my answer!!!
OOOOOHHHH how I needed that thank u thank u thank u!!!
i so miss the ocean. Keep the videos coming! Have a great Easter my friend.
Oh…I want to come back!!!!
87 days … paradise found !!! Love the web site Pam , thanks for bringing all of us a little slice of paradise everyday !!!!!!
Yes, have always known it as Turner Beach, especially because Blind pass is NOT always a pass! I hope they don’t let it close up again…wish they would have finished the job the first time!
Beautiful!! I don’t care what you call it either… I just love knowing where you are talking about and picturing it my head because I have been to this little island-heaven!
So I am curous, Pam. My husband and I were thinking that the water would be more blue than it was when we visited, but now we’ve seen lots of beautiful pictures on here and the water is sooooo blue. We got thinking that maybe it’s the time of year. But now, in your pictures today, the water is pretty murkey again. What affects that? When do you get the beautiful blue water and when does it turn “dirty-like” ? It’s always beautiful, but just curious. Thank you for another fabulous post. Happy Easter!
Kelli,
It depends on the how choppy the water is for one. If it is rough at all (like I like it to bring in all those beach treasures), it stirs up the sand, silt, shells and everything to make it “murky” or dirty looking. The other thing is the rain. If we don’t get a lot of rain, we don’t have run-off from the river. If we get lots of rain (we need it right now) Lake Okeechobee (in the middle of Florida) over flows and runs down through the Caloosahatchee River through Ft Myers. The river water will make the bay and gulf look murky too. So just like shelling, the water changes every day depending on the wind direction, runoff and calmness of the water. It’s just one more thing that makes the beaches so interesting to me. Lots of times when the water is murky, the shelling is really good because things get stirred up. Late summer during the rainy season, the water seems to be not as blue …. but there’s not as many people here to get to the shells first ;). I happen to love the summer water….blue or not. I hope that helps!
So, you’re saying shelling is great during the rainy season of late summer??? ;)
Awww Pam that was just what I needed after a hard couple of days. My blood pressure is right back where it should be. :) Thank you!
I hope you had a good visit with your family!
Have a good holiday if you don’t post prior to Sunday and, you know, if you celebrate Easter. ;)
Happy Earth Day to all! Pam- I could listen to that all night and just might!
Hi All
I am currently at Treasure Island, near St. Petersburg/Clearwater/Tampa. While it certainly isn’t Sanibel/Captiva (not a Florida cone, conch, tulip, or whelk in sight) I have found some great shells on Sunset Beach and at the very beautiful North Beach at Fort Desoto Park:
–tons of augers; some lovely olives; some Fargo worm shells; and a first for me: wentletraps :-)
Yesterday, I was taking a little dip in the nice warm gulf, and a sand dollar–in great shape floated by right in front of me. Also a first for me. Totally random! That’s shelling for you.
Tomorrow I’m going to Egmont Key and Shell Island. I’ll let you know what the ‘gods of shelling’ reveal at those spots.
Also saw some gorgeous dolphins today, including a mother and baby.
Tomorrow
ohhhh- North Beach. I’m going to have to remember that. I’ve heard Fort Desoto but didn’t know where. Thank you Susan for letting us know the scoop!! Good luck tomorrow
I am sooo jealous, i want to be at sanibel island sooo bad, but i am saving my pennies to come in september, is that still a good time to shell…..
The next best thing to being there. I have got to make a return trip happen…soon. Do you think the shelling slows in the summer months?? Just curious. Previous trips have been in Feb. and March. Thanks for the steady posts, makes me happy!!
HI Pam
We met last December when I was in Sanibel with my daughter Emma. We are still suffering in northwest Ontario with cold and rainy weather with some wet snow mixed in! I wait with such anticipation for your emails as they help to tide me over until I can get back there! Now that I have experienced Sanibel, there is nowhere I would rather vacation. Thanks for your uplifting reports-they make me so happy!
Lisa and Nancy, I love summer shelling but you can see what you think. You can see my archive posts from August at http://www.iloveshelling.com/blog/2010/08/
September at http://www.iloveshelling.com/blog/2010/09/
Oh Pam…..you have no idea how much your beautiful posts/photos mean to me, girl! As I sit here looking out onto another cold, dreary, rainy spring day Michigan —- my heart and soul just aches for my sweet Sanibel. :( The smell of the jasmine; the warm sand beneath my feet; the sound of the waves rolling on the beach pulling those shells back across the wet sand……it’s all simply heavenly paradise to me, Pam. ♥ I would so love to live there someday, but could never afford it. What area/city would you suggest we look in to to spend our winters? We’re looking for someplace quiet – but as close to Sanibel as possible. :)
Thanks for your great posts, Pam. :) Keep’em coming……and have a blessed Easter!
xoxo laurie
Oh, Laurie — don’t do that to me!! Your post describes exactly what I feel when I’m at the ocean and Sanibel. It is a spiritual experience for me. I feel the power of the ocean and yet it laps at my feet begging me to come in. The true gifts it gives me are it’s unique shells, lovely pearls and total relaxation. I’m 49 and grew up at the beach. To live in Sanibel would be heaven on earth.
Pam, I love the gentle sound of your video. It’s so relaxing and calming. It’s got to be better than Valium (not that I would know) lol You and your dedication to this blog fills my cup. With all the beautiful posts I read here, it seems I’m not alone. :) From my heart, I thank you. CYH (consider yourself hugged)
laurie,
Fort Myers is just across the bridge from Sanibel and is very affordable. Clark (my husband of course) is in real estate and would to answer any of your questions about homes/condos anywhere from Naples to North Ft Myers. I’d love to have you down here in the winters!!!!
Oh my gosh! so fresh in my memory. We were just there three weeks ago!
How I love the sound of the waves coming in over the shells!
LOVE your post!!!
We will be going back next March…We will have to visit this spot.
Have a wonderful Easter holiday.
Thank you for sharing this…it warms my heart.
Hugs,
Debbie@lakehouse
Hi Pam!
Thank you for the relaxing video! It does so much for the soul. Everyone in our area (Pittsburgh) is so depressed with our rainy cold spring. But the good news is my sister and I will be there in 6 days! The anticipation is almost too much . . . hope to see you on the beach! Happy Easter!
Jeannine
I’m comin’ to Turner Beach May 8- 12!!!! Managed to get out of working for 5 days and I am SO excited! I was there in February and shelled the sandbars- it was awesome the last couple days I was there. Hoping for more of the same, but I’m extremely grateful just to have the opportunity to come back so soon. After all, iLoveShelling :D
Thanks!! We just spent 9 days camping at Ft. De Soto. Wish I’d known about this. How do you get there and where do you park?
I visited Turner Beach back in 1980 and the shells were piled 10 to 20 feet deep across a majority of the Sanibel side. Then, two years later, all the shells were gone due to being washed out by a hurricane. It is great to see the “piles” of shells seem to still exist in some capacity!!! Thanks for the site!
Just to clarify…
Turner Beach is on the Capitva side of Blind Pass. Blind Pass Beach is on the Sanibel side of Blind Pass.