If you haven’t been finding shells lately, head down to Blind Pass Sanibel. There is a big “sit ‘n sift” shell pile but nobody was digging through it. There were lots of shellers around the sand bar….
There were shellers finding CONCHS and OLIVES in the water….
Andria, Erica, Diane and Chuck (PA)
Shellers finding CONCHS and OLIVES snorkeling…..
Heather and George (GA)
A sheller finding WORM SHELLS and FIGHTING CONCHS along the shore (in a cute tee shirt!)….
Brenden (CO)
Whoa, wait! There’s a huge HERMIT CRAB Â in the FIGHTING CONCH! That silly Crab needed to find a bigger shell because his claws were too dang big to get all the way back inside. Brenden put him back in the water to help him get on his way for some new house hunting.
I saw shellers finding a few good shells here and there but nobody was sifting through those big shell piles. If you are a sit ‘n sift sheller and you are in the area, Blind Pass Sanibel might be the place to hang out for a few hours tomorrow.
I also have to tell you how touched (I mean REALLY touched) by all of your thoughtful comments on my Night Shelling Lighted Cap GiveAway post. I expected most comments would be like “enter me please!” or something like that. To read all of your sweet thoughts about this blog, your stories about shelling and your lives in general hit me deeply. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing.
PS- I also had a few questions on buying these hats and tees while you are here visiting Sanibel Captiva area. Just contact me HERE and we’ll work something out. Click HERE to see all the cool iLoveShelling merchandise on sale.
You all make me smile every time you post.
I feel the same way; seeing the beautiful photos that you post helps get me thru the day and ALWAYS makes me smile and warms my heart!! I look forward to your blogs every day!! My husband says I am just torturing myself but I can’t make him understand its not torture! We have been vacationing on Sanibel together since before we married in 1983. I have been vacationing there since 1977. Heaven on earth!! Thanks for sharing your days & shelling!!
I bet Clark could help him find a house!! :) We leave this morning….will arrive tomorrow!! YAHOOO!!
You are making me jealous with those shell piles!! I wish I were there to “Sit ‘n Sift!” Hmmm… sounds like a new catch phrase to me. You have a nice day!
wish I was sittin’ in that pile today!
These sit n’ sift piles are amazing!!! We spent hours one day on one at Blind Pass during our trip… our little dog was even sifting! He found some of the best shells of the day!!
Save us a spot in the shell pile, we’ll be there next week. Pat and Julie
A little to late, Pam *lol* I’m back home in Germany now… But I really enjoy your pics. And on my next FL vacation the Shelling-T-Shirt is on my list!!
I was going to email this link to you, but I didnt know if it was considered important!! Hehe! I bought this book titled, “Junonia”, and later googled it to find out more about them, and that is how I found your site! This is a childrens book about a girl on SANIBEL ISLAND looking for a Junonia!!! So I just had to share!! http://www.amazon.com/Junonia-Kevin-Henkes/dp/0061964174
Thanks so much for the info about the Kevin Henkes book Tara!! I just ordered a copy after I read your comment!! I teach elementary school and I visit Sanibel a few times a year so this book will be a perfect way to connect my love of Sanibel and shelling to my students!! Five weeks and counting till my shell sista and I, and our girls will be on Sanibel!!!
Pam, I don’t think you know how much you are liked and appreciated. Your daily blogs keep our dreams alive; the dreams of coming to the beaches of Sanibel and Captiva. I don’t get over there often enough, even tho you’re just a 4 hour drive from home for me. But I can tell you that as soon as I pay that toll and drive onto the causeway, look at the gulf and bay waters and smell the salt air, I can feel my blood pressure go down. Reading your blogs, looking at the photos and videos is a break in my day that I really need. I imagine that is so for others. You’re loved, shelling sista. One of these days I’ll get to meet you and give you a big fat hug. And one for super sheller Clark, too. Don’t ever stop blogging!
Marcia, I could not have said it any better! DITTO!!
I stumbled upon this blog last year when researching my return to the place my heart calls home and I have looked every day since!
Pam you are appreciated for keeping our souls fed, our eyes blessed with your amazing photos and stories, and our hearts lifted with your humor and shell finds and people that you meet.
THANK YOU!!
I also concur with Roxanne…you’ve said it all sistah! I feel exactly the same way…there’s nothing in the world like the drive across the causeway to get ya “in the Sanibel frame of mind”. Thank you, Marcia. AND Pam, you rock and your little blog too! LOL
hey, it is what it is…a great website for us wannabethere shellers. in case no one has told you today, thanks for a great job.
“I’m with Marcia!” From mid-Missouri, Sanibel becomes a distant memory, a constant dream. Someday, my husband and I hope to live there. We’d be forever sitting in shell-piles and sifting, or forever stooped over looking for our next great shell. There isn’t a room in our house that doesn’t have proof of our love for those islands.
As the tornadoes have rocked our state hugged by many others in the middle of America, all we have thought is, “Sanibel, take us away!”
WOW! More Sanibel aficionadoes from central Missouri. We leave tomorrow for our 6th annual–driving this year so we can bring more goodies back home. We Sanibel Missourians need to create a blog of our own to share our Sanibel experiences. BTW, I live in the capital city.
Oh…..how I would love to be sitting smack dab in the middle of one of those shell piles. Don’t know if I’d be picking through the pile or not……I’d probably just be mesmorized by that beautiful blue ocean…… :)
xoxo laurie
I just had to see how many people commented (235) to be entered into your contest and leave such wonderful posts for you,your blog and Clark. You make such a special place an every day reality for all of us who can’t be there every day. Your pictures are just …can’t come up with words to even convey how great they are. You just have an “eye” for capturing “moments”. Thanks so much for what you do for all the rest of us. Keep up the good work and hope that Junonia finds it’s way to you soon.
In exactly 2 weeks we will be on Sanibel. My 2 yr old has run around the house all day saying that she wants to go to the beach and if you ask her what she is going to do, she replies “look for shells”. I know she will have the same love for shelling as so many who visit Sanibel. Thank you so much for sharing a day to day visit to the island for those of us who can’t be there all the time. Your page brings a smile to my face every time I visit it and I look forward to seeing you new pictures and stories from the day! Thanks again, you have no idea the joy this page brings to so many fellow shellers :-)
I’m so glad I found your website. Great links with beautiful pics and great information. Keeps me going until our next trip to paradise!
I LOVE to sit ‘n sift. I Wish I was there.
We are coming in two weeks and I cannot wait. I love sifting through the piles of shells. I definately want to make it to Blind Pass this trip. I love reading your blog and seeing what kind of treasures are popping up! We will be coming from good ole West Virginia. Maybe we will see you while we are there….Thanks again for all your info!
I cannot believe I came across this site while checking out This Old House blog. When I saw Sanibel and shelling mentioned, I almost died. I was just hours ago, talking to my Captain on this tug and telling him how outrageously wonderful Sanibel Island is for it’s beauty and especially the awesome shelling. I’m from Pennsylvania, and in years past our family used to pile in the car with our bikes on top, for our 22 hour journey to the beautiful Sanibel Island. I used to spend 2 weeks, perfecting the “Sanibel Stoop”, walking the beach, bent over, shelling. Have also spent many hours siting and sifting…what great memories you have just given me. We haven’t been there in many years, but I think my wife and I will have to revisit. I LOVE that place.
Oh, how I miss Blind Pass! ~ Maria
We went down to Blind pass yesterday and had a great time sifting through the piles of shells that everyone was ignoring. I love the tiny ones!
Great photos Pam. Wish I was close enough – I would get in my car and drive over now. Looks like the shelling has been amazing. Have a great weekend.
Your wonderful shelling blog has helped us through a long cold winter & rainy spring,..We three pals from work–all realtors–discovered Sanibel & Captiva as a getaway over 10 years ago & it has been our passion since. We call ourselves the Captiva Cuties & have a 4th convert now who loves it all too. I see there are others who cheer & yell as they cross the causeway as we do every spring. In the meantime, until I can shell again, your blog starts every day for me… Thank you for your labor of love keeping us up to date on our favorite place in the world!.
I can’t believe we didn’t go to Blind Pass until last week – we have never had more fun finding shells and chatting with so many nice people. It’s neat to sit, sift and talk with fellow shellers from all over the country and beyond… an entirely different adventure than shelling alone at your hotel!
We shipped back 9 lbs. of beauties that should be arriving to their new “home” in Massachusetts Tuesday!
Goodbye Sanibel until next year!!