Blind Pass Captiva still had plenty of seashells piled up along the shore line yesterday. I peeked in one of the shell buckets perched on top of the shell mound and gasped…
I asked Judy from Indiana if she realized the shell she had in her bucket and she said “I’m not sure what it is but it’s a piece from a big shell so that’s why I kept it”. Well it looks to me like she found a very large lip piece of a QUEEN HELMET shell that is not commonly found here. Good eye, Judy!
Judy was shelling with her family… and I mean to tell you, she has lots of family members that love to shell! A shelling family is a happy family. Here is Judy, Larry, Cary, Joe, Shaun, Jenny, Evy, Fiona and Sam. Beautiful, right?
I didn’t see many of the SANIBEL SIX, but I was amazed to see so many CERITHS washed in like this. Everybody was collecting them.
And AUGERS!
I also met Shelling Sister Wanda’s grandson Cody (PA) who kept racing up to her on the beach after his snorkeling expeditions to deposit his seashell loot into his shell bag. Treasure!
On a side line, I have to make a note that last year June 27, 2011 there was a juvenile FLORIDA BLACK BEAR sighted on Sanibel that was thought to have come over from Pine Island on a negative low tide. BLACK BEARS are native to Florida but not compatible with highly populated areas (with humans!). Now as an adult at 3 years old weighing 250 pounds he has “become a nuisance” by showing up in neighborhoods and getting into a trash can or two. I was so hoping we could catch a glimpse of him but as of 1 p.m. today, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission trapped him and relocated him off island. Relocated where? I have no clue. “They” won’t say. It’s bitter sweet. He was a very exciting visitor but I know he needs to find a mate and have a bigger place to roam before he gets in trouble on the island. I hope his new home offers him a long, happy and healthy life. Good bye, Mr. Black Bear.
Sanibel Black Bear photo by William Epranian on Facebook
How is it with the negative low tide?
Negative Low Tides!!!
2012-06-21 Thu 9:43pm (21:43 EDT) -0.23 feet Low Tide
2012-06-22 Fri 10:18pm (22:18 EDT) -0.15 feet Low Tide
2012-06-23 Sat 10:54pm (22:54 EDT) -0.01 feet Low Tide
2012-06-30 Sat 5:56pm (17:56 EDT) -0.24 feet Low Tide
I’m not sure I undestand your question, but maybe this helps. If the tide is an “average” high or low tide, the chart will say it is 0.00. A negative (-) tide is lower than average and a positive (+) tide is higher than avarage. For shelling we look for the lowest tides to expose the most shells on the sand or sand bars. So, the larger the negative number, the lower the tide. The ones you listed are negative tides but not that low. If the tide chart says -0.72 or -0.83 those are really low tides and really good for shelling. I hope this explains your question.
Thanks so much for the update on the island’s black bear. I’ve been wondering about his welfare and whereabouts. It is sad that he needed to be relocated, but hopefully he has been moved to a more remote habitat where he can find a mate.
Can I come live with you? I promise to cook, clean and share my sunblock with you!
Great post Pam!
That piece of a helmet shell, in theory you guys could find pieces of the King Helmet too I guess? I say that because both the Queen Helmet and the King Helmet occur from North Carolina to East Florida and West Florida, the Keys and the West Indies.
Good luck to Mr. Bear in his new home! :)
I’ve been hearing that Mr. Bear has been showing up a lot more frequently and the latest I heard was at Lighthouse Beach. So while he is really cool to see, I’m glad he has been relocated to an area where he will thrive and no one will get hurt accidentally. Swimming from Pine Island would be something but I agree I’m not sure where else he could have come from. I wonder if there is more than one………
Hoping with the waves we get something good here – it’s raining and I love it so do my plants!
hello, what month is the best to visit?
Jane, I live here 12 months a year and love each and every month for different reasons. If you look through this blog, you’ll see that I’ve documented the beaches each month and represent them pretty daggone well (if I must say so myself- heehe) so since everybody likes something different, if you see something you like… make note of the month.
Ahh – that water looks so nice and the shells even better!
Thanks for sharing about the Black Bear – I can understand why they had to do it but still, I would hate to be forcibly removed from Sanibel! Maybe he was a shelling bear. But yes, I wish him well!
Just found your blog recently and am really enjoying it. I come to Sanibel from Punta Gorda frequently. I was there often the last time the dredge was there with the “shell fountain.” Absolute Heaven! Please post an update about the setup for dredging this time. Let us know if there is good access to the shells during the dredging process please. Thanks!
I agree. After all the trips we’ve made to Sanibel, we’ve never been disappointed with the shelling. Some trips you’re looking for one thing and other trips you find different treasures. But, they are all meaningful in their own way!
Queens Helmet,
I found an empty and intact Queens Helmet on an island in the Bahamas in the late 70’s. It was so beautiful..the underneath side had gorgeous color.
I had it on display for many years, but somehow, somewhere it disappeared! I wish I could get it back. At the time, I didn’t know what a special treasure I had!
Bummer for the bear. Let wildlife be wild. It’s a wild world out there. Let’s keep it wild.
Well, the shell pile is history at Blind Pass; the last of the intense waves got the rest of it this afternoon. On a plus note, the waves let loose a bunch in front of our condo at Sundial. :)
Joan! You are a doll for letting us know the latest on Blind Pass and Sundial! I wasn’t able to make it to the beach today so now you’ve helped me to make plans for the weekend. So much appreciated!
Hey Pam – Bob and I are still on the island and last Saturday we just missed seeing the bear at the lighthouse – men were out with dogs, and had him kind of surrounded – but then had set the trap with donuts….Bob said they might find HIM in there if there were donuts! Ha…. Glad to know they finally got him…now we will go Home to TN and have more black bears right around our home! Johnnie
The Bear was at the lighthouse area on June 15th when we visited. We spoke to the officers who were trying to trap him, and they told us the story of the bears arrival on the Island. I’m glad he is relocated and not hurt.
Wow! This explains what my daughter & I saw running across the road near the intersection of the causeway & Periwinkle around the 2nd weekend in June. We were coming back from a sunset dolphin tour at the Sanibel marina & thought we were imagining things! There was no other traffic, & he scooted off into the vegetation (heading in the direction of the lighthouse) very quickly. Glad he has a new home….
I am about 6 hours away from arriving on Sanibel, have been keeping a close eye on the weather forecast and Debby. Have looked foreward to this trip for so long and fear the weather may result in poor shelling. Do you feel this storm will help bring in the shells or take them out. I know there are always certain beaches that seem to have the better shells, any predictions with this week and the weather thati s predicted. Pam, I hope to see you out there on the beach somewhere, I’ll be out lshelling rain or shine. I enjoy reading your blogs and all the information I get from your followers. Thanks you so
As I always say, this is Mother Nature we are dealing with and she often throws curve balls to keep us guessing. There’s no guarantees for anything with her… other than she will remain in control. With that being said… my best guess is that Tuesday or Wednesday will get the shelling ball rolling. Where? That’s when the treasure hunt will begin!
Pretty amazing to see a bear on Sanibel. That sounds like it should be on a tee shirt Pam!
Stumbling across this blog got me all excited for shelling. I was on vacation on the other side of the state but this blog enticed me to drive on over and try my hand. I was on the beach digging in this same shell pile, on the 20th and 21st. I had a great time and found some really neat shells! I was super excited, as I’m from the mountains of NC and shelling trips come few and far between for me. I now check this site daily and will most definitely be back!!
Crystal, sounds like you have the shelling fever now! Glad you had a great time and Thanks so much for commenting.