Shells, shells and more shells. Leroy can’t get enough seashells!
He loves to walk the beaches of Sanibel to collect any type of shell he can find to bring home then clean, oil, categorize and box them all up in his garage. I see Leroy on the beaches quite a bit so he invited me over to see his collection.
He categorizes them at home AND he’s a volunteer at the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum to organize shell collections that are donated to the museum. See? He can’t get enough of shells. I got tickled at this next box since those gorgeous CONES were mixed together with all of the other “UNIVALVES”. He said “I have a method to my madness… I just don’t have enough of those categories to have their own box yet since we just moved here 2 years ago”. Yep, that would take a lot of CONES to make enough for their own box… for sure!
He also likes to collect BEACH BLING! You know I love me some BEACH BLING too. This was my favorite in his collection… a PURSE CRAB that still had all of it’s legs attached.
This is kinda wild- ALLIGATOR GAR jaw bones…
Before he moved here, he used to collect GEODES from New Mexico…
He gave me a GEODE that was formed inside a fossil shell and a few yard shells. This is the first time I’ve seen a SEASHELL GEODE. Thank you so much for the tour, Leroy, and for my new “sheode”! (FYI-“sheode” is not a scientific name, I made that up- heehee)
Love this guy. Great pics and story. Totally into natures treasures. I can relate. Is that calcite in the “sheode”? Can’t wait to meet all of you.
Still here in North Carolina but some day…….
wow!! Leroy amazing!! i also love & have geodes.
Wow, That is a ton of shells. Very cool tho!!
does he have a box of junonias?
Very good question. Hmmmmm?????
That’s what I was wondering, lol! I would turn into him if I moved there! There is nothing I’d rather do more than collecting shells!! Sherri from MN
If he does, he’d best check to see if he still has it! Pam, you wouldn’t. would you???????????
Junonia box? What junonia box…. errrr… i don’t think I saw one. LOL
Pam..You’re starting to fill up your own junonia box…you don’t need Leroy’s finds!
There is lots of purse crabs with there legs still on here in Daytona Beach.
What kind of shells can be found in Daytona? My husband and I will be there the week after Easter? Would love to find me some beach “bling”! Sorry, Pam, would have preferred Sanibel but we’re staying with Rick’s sister and b.i.l. so more affordable! Next vaca it’s Sanibel or bust!
I want to grow up to be just like Leroy. I’m flying down in 2 days! Can’t wait to walk the beaches with you. Caren (Ann Arbor, MI)
I, too, want to grow up to be like Leroy. If I had that many shells I’d be the happiest person ever!
My question is whether Leroy is married? I am, but . . . Sanibel, shells, great organizational system . . . I think my husband would understand the split!
I was thinking the same thing!
Okay, I want to start a poll…
How may of us called our spouse or significant other to the computer to see Leroy’s collection?
How many of us said “See– I don’t have too many shells”?
How many spouse or significant others replied, “Yes you do.”?
I did! But he’s not buying it. :-)
I’m going to show my husband Leroy’s collection in the morning!
Haaaa! Great idea. And the conversation will go just as you suggested. :)
I do and he says where are you going to put them?? What a spoil sport. But I keep collecting anyway. Janet
My husband said the exact same thing!
OMG, mine too!! He just did not think it was normal to have that many. I just looked at him in awe thinking how he just doesn’t get it!! Leroy, here I come, or else it might be time to check out the Fort Myers singles page.. ;) Haha, Jk!! Sherri from MN
LOL Yes, I had to call him over to see all his shells !!
Then of course I said …see!?…… I am not the only one with tons of shells and not the only one that sorts them!
I don’t have too many ,right???
He answers sweetly……no sweetheart……you can have all you want ….even if I have to build you on another room!
How sweet is that!!!!
I have a total shell addiction that started when I grew up in FL and expanded after visiting Sanibel. I could rival this collection, except I am just not as organized. I could really do some cool things with all of those shells. If only I could move back to FL.
Check out some of my work
https://www.facebook.com/pages/KIM-Sea-Shells/156347164378471?ref=tn_tnmn
At least I share!
Kim, your work is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Leroy!!!!!! I’m looking at the sharks eye you gave me right now. It’s sitting in a dish with of all my favorites.
And I’m with Suzanne. I’m swooning over the organizational skills. :)
Pam, that shell geode is awesome!
Glad to see that there are others out there just like me!! Carry on proudly, Leroy!
Oh wow! He puts me to shame. The crab is cool.
Wow!!!
That is one giant collection…very impressive.
Oooh, what a collection! I have some ‘sheodes’ that were collected at a state park in Dania Beach. The crystals are calcite – I’ve found them in rocks, on rocks, whole shells and blobs of coral transformed into calcite. Combines my two fave hobbies-shelling and rocking.
That’s one organized sheller! Something to aspire to…I don’t have enough yet to organize…I want to keep looking at them all! I have them in glass hurricanes on my mantel and on side tables in living room, some in kitchen and a bunch on my desk here at the computer! I guess I need a few more trips to Sanibel!
Would love it if you showed us pics!! Sherri from MN
My goodness! I’d like to browse by his boxes to see what rarities he has. I wonder if he has a box of “unknowns” that he can’t ID? I also wonder if he has a box of teeny tiny shells…
Susan: I save all my fancy.unusual bottles and that is whereI put my teeny tiny shells. They sit on the book shelves. That way I get to look at them all the time. Janet
I would love to see inside the boxes! Awesome collection.
A Sheode… Whoduv thunk! Amazing, and I’m very impressed with Leroy’s organization skills. How nice to have that much space devoted to his shelling operation.
Thanks for sharing the tour!
Talk about true passion for collectiong shells..How amazing to see life’s hidden treasure all in boxes:0) Now thats what you a big time devoted shell collector! Go Leroy..
I’m so jealous of Leroy, but I would like to know how he gets the bottom boxes out without causing an avalanche?!
Hi Pam, We enjoyed the birds all this week. The interesting thing was the sea gulls pestering the pelicans after they dive for a fish and when the pelicans went after the sea gulls. Lots of folks on Bowman’s beach shooting video of them on Thursday.
Very poor shelling all over the island this past week. The Florida Sisters, Janet, Ginger, Martha, Ginny, Crystal and Lois looked for you each morning.
We were all wearing your tank, tee and hat and had lots of folks asking where they could get them and of course we explained your web site.
Thanks for a great job. I am still adding to my shelling life list and wish I would find a flamingo tounge.
Lois life lister.
My husband found a flamingo tongue on a beach in the Bahamas last year!
He didn’t even know if it was a shell or if I’d be interested in it. I had overlooked it completely.
Lois, Although flamingo tongues (aka Cyphomas) are a relatively common shell on the Caribbean reefs, they are only very rarely found on Sanibel Island. Only one such shell is listed on the BMSM website, http://shellmuseum.org/shells/shelldetails.cfm?id=296 , and it is the first recorded such shell from Sanibel Island. If you want some flamingo tongues, you will need to go to the Florida Keys or to the Bahamas. As such, the journey may be even more rewarding than finding the shell ;~)
Pam and/or Leroy –
Great collection. The posting states that Leroy oils the shells before boxing them. What are the specifics for how he does the oiling? Thanks.
My guess is that after he cleans them he rubs minera oil on them to bring out the color. That is what I do. You can get mineral oil at most any drug store and just rub them good with a clean cloth when you are done.
What a great organizer! Every time we go to the beach, we send boxes of shells home. Going through them when we get back home is like an extension of our trip.
We both love the ocean, picking up sea shells, scuba diving, snorkeling, underwater photography and the beach lifestyle. And now we wear our I Love Shelling lighted caps. Our favorite place to go is Sanibel and we go there 3 to 4 times a year to collect shells for our art.
Kathie and I love to make jewelry using the shells we collect and you can see our work at http://www.no2arealike.com. We’d love to hear from all of you.
Wow!!! I thought I had a shell addiction!! I wish I had the time and the space to enjoy such a large collection!! Thanks for sharing!
How nice of him to share this with all of us. Marvelous!
Oh wow ! that purse crab is so so beautiful!
I have a few boxes like this collector Mr Leroy does. but only a a few ;)
I love those see-thru shoeboxes. They are cheap at the Dollar Stiore – only $1 – heehee. What a super idea & space-saving too (except when you get over the 20 box count)
I don’t have a husband or a garage!! But if I did have a garage it would probably look like his. My condo runneth over with shells!! Great sheode Pam!!
Hi Everyone,
It is mineral oil to clean the shells after a nice soak in plain water. He will also clean your fresh caught fish if you just ask.
Ryan
(What am I going to do with all these shells)
I bought a beautiful treasure at a Gem and Mineral Show a few years back.
A Sheode… lovely big, yellow crystals inside the hollow center of a fossilized Clam.
It was found in Northern Florida. The folks had a campground and during an excavation on their property, they found a … “Clam Shell Sheode Mine.” ???
Still hope to find it someday.