I love to find Sit-N-Sifters plopped on top of a gorgeous shell pile when I walk on to the beach at Blind Pass Captiva.
This is what gets my heart racing…
A deep pile of seashells just waiting to be sifted and sorted while you can hear more shells in the surf waiting to land on the sand.
Once I hear the jingling of the shells in the surf or another sheller sifting through the mound of shells, I can start focusing on the different types of shells I want to pick up …like this cutie BITTERSWEET CLAM shell.
Then everything else in this world disappears, my heart calms then my hunt for a beautiful seashell begins.
This is a video I shot on Thursday which I intended to edit to make it shorter but I couldn’t wait another day to put it up. Now that I downloaded it, I actually think you might like this unedited version. It’s like CYBERSHELLING and CYBER”SEA”ING together. LOL Hmmm. If this next image doesnt have that little arrow  on the screen to tell you the next photo is a video… it is! …. this next image is a video! click it to start playing…
I went back yesterday to see if the shell pile was still there … and low and behold!… I saw shelling sistah Roxanne Reinhart doing the sit-n-sift! She is has been hanging out and commenting on iLoveShelling for it seems as long as I have been posting… so I am so grateful for your encouragement Roxanne! xo  Here she is with her adorable niece Kenna and her brother Kenny…
She loves minis so these were her favorite shells – 2 little teeny tiny bright orange SCALLOPS. What I loved just as much was her blue nails. She even had her toes painted in blue too! So cute!
I want to thank all of you for participating in Island Inn’s shelling package in January to sell it out within 36 hours of my last post. Wow! I still can’t believe it! So I do want to apologize for all of you who wanted to join us but didn’t get to so we will be working on getting another shellabaloo date and/or another event to include more shellers. It’s a phenomenal  (or phenomeshell hahah) community, isn’t it?
Gosh! What a enormous shell pile! :) did you manage to find any treasures in there? Thank so much for the post by the way! Really enjoy looking at the beach, shells, sand and sun… Everything! :)
Joash, now you can see why Sanibel is considered one of the top three shelling destinations in the world! Is that ever a huge pile, completely composed of shells!!?
Of course, Sanibel does not have huge shell piles all of the time, but it happens fairly often when the wind blows from the right direction. And even when there is not a big shell pile somewhere on Sanibel, there are usually plenty of shells on the various beaches in the strand lines. Only thing is, there are also usually a heck of a lot of shell collectors too! :)
Haha! That I can’t deny! :) it must be lovely have all these shells right at your feet when you want them! Thank again Susan! :)
Pam I could watch the video for hours – thank you! Counting down 48 days till I will be sitting on that shell pile!
Oh that video makes me want to hop in the car and head on down from Nova Scotia to Sanibel & Captiva but guess I will have to wait 2 more weeks! Hope November brings some great shelling!
Love you blog! Keep the info coming!
Patti, I really wish I could come down there with you. Looks like the gals may be down there next year so one year to dream away.
Dang Pam, I was thinking about coming down for your shellathon! Do another one please! Guess you can’t ponder long when something so spectacular is happening!
I finally made my trip over yesterday, but the pile wasn’t there
Kellye, I was just there yesterday (October 12) when I met Roxanne- that’s when I took the photo of her on that shell pile. It was the Captiva side of Blind Pass by the jetty. I’m sorry I missed you and you missed the shell pile. ;(
OHHH MY PAM !!!!! Sure would love to be doing me some scooping & sitting right about now … well more like everyday !! The water was beautiful … my fav color ! Thanks for the mini trip this morning !!!!! UGH , July is sooo far off , may just have to think about slipping off by my self before July … LOL !!! Have a great week-end & happy shelling .
Hi from Virginia Beach ! I love following your blog!! Jill and I wish we were there! We hope to cross paths with you down there again soon! Happy shelling!
How lovely and soothing the sound of the waves and the sound of the shells rolling in is! Thanks Pam. I really enjoyed the long video.
I love those shots from next to the rocks at Blind Pass. I can close my eyes and picture being there. How fun that you met Roxanne – she’s another blogging buddy of mine too. Working hard on getting back down there next spring!
I so needed that video! I just loved watching the beautiful water and listening to the calming sound of the waves…sigh. Would love to have sat on that pile and sifted. It’s fascinating how the landscape of the beach changes from day to day.
Say, what ever happened to the dredging operation up there and the stuff they dug up? Did you ever find out? or did I miss a post? Just curious.
HAPPY SHELLING!
Great video Pam!! The longer the video the better! You are our portal too Sanibel.
I love to sit n sift the piles!
That shell pile is totally amazing! I’ve never seen one so deep! I just wanted to jump in my car & drive straight down there from Missouri till I reached the beach! And the sound of the surf was wonderful…so peaceful & soothing. Love your videos!
Oh how I loved this video…and the sound was amazing. I have never seen a “Shell Pile”, but I’ve only been there two times, maybe someday.
Love the video! Next January I’ll have to get to Blind Pass so I can find a bittersweet. Also love the small orange scallops. By the way Pam, do you have a sister named Stephanie? There’s a woman on Jeopardy this past week who reminds me of you. She’s won a lot of money so far. Happy shelling.
Pat
Pat, I do have a sister Lynda but unfortunately she wasn’t on jeopardy to win a bunch of money. Lol.
The shelling video was wonderful – it seemed just like I was there! Thanks so much, Pam, and please do another Shellathon. I would really love to come!!
OMG!! We NEVER get shell piles like that here. You would hear me squeal all the way down there if I found a pile like that!
My husband and I were shellling in mid-August right where you made the video–almost like being there again, except that cyber-shelling is a dry activity! I will have to watch the video again whenever I need a Sanibel fix until we can get there again. Thanks for posting it!
The delightful SOUND of the waves really got me this morning–I’d love to have a nap on that beach. Thanks for the treat.
So beautiful Pam, thank you so much for sharing!
Ooh, I can just feel that warm water lapping at my ankles as I take a virtual step into the water. What an amazing change in the water – it was so rough, with sand churning in big, loud crashing waves when I was there last week. Now it is gentle and inviting. I wanted to reach through my laptop and grab some of those shells! Great video!
That was 5:49 of pure bliss. I agree, the longer the better! The pictures are always fantastic but ooooh the sounds in the video…. the water…..the shells…..I could almost feel the sunshine on my shoulders. Thanks for the best cyber shelling yet!
I am sitting in the airport in Wenatchee WA and just enjoyed my vicarious shelling walk at Blind Pass. Washington is beautiful in its own way, but its hard to top Sanibel! Thanks for the memories…
Wait…..I’m coming ….I’m comIng down tomorrow!!!!!!
Hope u see you all there!!!
Mary Ann from CT!!
I’m officially on Vaca!!!!!!
We missed Roxanne this year. She left yesterday, and we arrived. Having a quiet day today with an early morning beach walk. Found a few keepers. Had a little “catch up” nap. Looking forward to Cayo in Friday. Miss our horses though!
Sheri, I was so disappointed to miss you. I LOVED running into Pam. I told my brother, who happens to be school superintendent that he needs to change the week next year! Hope you and Sam are having a blast. Tell Brian hello for me. I had some devestating news and I didn’t do an excursion this year.
Hey Roxanne. I’ve had very spotty wifi while at condo this year so just had a chance to reply. Hope everything is okay with you. If you email me at my little black scrap cat address I’ll be able to get it on my phone, which is the best connection I’ve had this week. I will pass your greeting on to Brian on Friday. Wish you were joining us!!!
They all look like treasures to me! Lucky you!
Roxanne, I’m so upset….I’m missing you by a week. A WEEK. Uggghhh!!!!
I’m happy for you, it looks like you’re having a blast and Kenna is adorable!!
xxoo–Lizbeth
Thanks Lizbeth! I am so bummed I missed you. Like I said to Sheri I am trying to get Kenny to change fall break for next year. I would so love to meet you in person hope you have a fab time too.
I wish I was there sifting thru those piles of shells. Instead of being here in NY raking up piles of leaves.
Thanks Pam for the wonderful video showing us all what we’re missing out on.
Hey Pam! Great post. I might be going to Sanibel this November and I was just wondering where the best shelling spots are. I have heard of all the beaches and places you name in the blog, but I have no idea where they are on Sanibel Island. It would help out a lot if you could help me locate these “hot as shell” shell spots! Maybe there is a map you could point me to with the spots labeled. Thanks, Emma
Hi Emma, I hope you don’t mind if I try to answer this. The “best” spots for shelling on Sanibel are all on the Gulf side of the island, but as Pam often points out, which area is particularly good varies a very great deal from one day to the next, which means that if the beach near where you are staying does not have much in the way of shells, then basically you need to try some other beaches one by one.
However, Pam usually tells us on the blog if she knows which beach happens to be good “right now”. You can use Google Maps to understand the geography of the island, or I got a detailed paper map through AAA. For example, Lighthouse Beach is at the very southeastern tip of the island, and Blind Pass aka Turner Beach is at the opposite end, where Sanibel meets Captiva.
This links takes you to a map that has many of the beaches marked:
http://www.iloveshelling.com/blog/parking/
Thank you so much Susan H. for the great advice!