It was a seashell wonderland for 17 year old Swedish exchange student Anna on the beach of Sanibel’s Gulf Side City Park yesterday. She couldn’t believe there were so many beautiful shells scattered in every direction and that each one offered different patterns and colors to tell its own story.
Even if she picked up a shell then saw that there was a live mollusk inside, she would marvel at the beauty then put it safely down in the sand where she found it. Together, we both were in awe of the deep purple color inside this FIGHTING CONCH…
Then she ran over to me to share the gorgeous detailed architecture of this FIGHTING CONCH. It looks like you are looking down at a spiral staircase with a string of pearls lining the top!
Don’t you just love to see someone for the first time so excited to see the beauty in shells like we do? LOL So I asked her what her favorite empty shells were that she had collected since her shell bag was busting at the seams. She knew immediately so she dumped them right out and sifted through them looking for these shells…
Clark is involved with Rotary Youth Exchange through his Rotary club along with club member Cyndi Doragh… so that’s how I met Anna from Sweden!
As soon as I heard she was from Sweden, I showed her the Swedish TV segment so she couldn’t wait to find shells on Sanibel too!
I don’t talk a lot about the other half of the life that Clark and I live other than our shelling life (albeit, a huge chunk of our life!) but I want to share a bit of our our Rotary life with you. When I say “our” Rotary, I really mean Clark because he is President of Rotary Club of Fort Myers South this 2012/2013 year. I am very proud of him because it is an amazing service club and they do such good work for our community and for world peace (really, I know that sounds crazy “world peace” but it is very true!).
Here is Sweet Swedish Anna with Clark (ahem… Rotarian President Rambo -heehee), and sponsors Cyndi and Pete Doragh…
We all had a fabulous day! Cyndi found a FLORIDA CONE and a KINGS CROWN!
Thank you Anna for coming to Sanibel to shell with Clark and me!
So now you know why Clark hasn’t been living up to his name “Super Sheller Clark” lately… because he’s been very busy trying to volunteering his time to Rotary. He’s such a good man!
Remember our trip to Thailand? Since I really never explained this, we went there to join 35,000 other Rotarians from all around the world to gather in Bangkok for the 2012 Rotary International Convention to find ways to better our world and find ways to support people in need. It was the most inspirational conference we’ve ever experienced. This next video really isn’t a shelling video although it does have some shells we found (of course!) in Thailand, it’s really about how small our world is and how we all came together in Thailand for peace. We, as shellers, know all about this stuff! I made this video for Clark to show to his club but I thought you might enjoy it too.
If you want to help Clark and his Rotary Club with funding to provide this awesome exchange student program and so many more programs like Shelterbox to help and support others in need Clark and I would be grateful for anything.
PS- I hear there are people finding WENTLETRAPS at lighthouse beach!
You two are good people. Knew that when Jill and I met you. Good Karma. Peace.
are those all live fighting conchs?!?! it’s like an army!
ditto, Kimmy. Great video! Great experience for Anna, too!
It really is a small world I know a family from our area Whitby ontario that was there from the Rotarians.
Pam you always look so darn cute!
Does anyone know why there is the deep purple color inside the conch shell? I also would like to know more about the flame auger shell since reading about it in a book! Thanks Pam!!
Steve, there are many levels to your question about shell color and many levels of responses. The mantle is the organ of the mollusk that makes the seashell and adds the color. Explanations for the shell coloring are varied and more complex than are easily given in a brief response here.
The flame auger, Terebra taurina, http://www.gastropods.com/8/Shell_1968.shtml is a beautiful shell. It is a most uncommon shell in southeast Florida and in the Keys. To my knowledge, it is not found around Sanibel Island. I have one or two of these shells in our collection, but have acquired them thru trade/gift. I have never personally found one. Many of the shell books show nice pictures of them, but do not report how common/uncommon a shell may be to find. Hope this information is somewhat helpful.
Thank you for your response! I was wondering if the purple color is more unusual than ordinary? Thank you!
Thailand-the land of a thousand smiles and beauty everywhere from what I can tell from these photos! : )
Didn’t have the opportunity to go to the Rotary’sThailand convention but went to the 1211 convention in New Orleans. Met people from around the world and close to home. Very proud that my husband is associated with such an awesome organization.Their fight to end polio will hopefully be a world wide victory soon!
Linda fSWM, I really didn’t understand how awesome it was until, like you, I met people from around the world with the same goals. Yes- end polio. I’m proud of you and your husband too!
Wentletraps?! Am so envious!!! You have no idea how often I wonder when I will get over there Pam… so close yet so far… wish I could convince some of my friends on this side of FL to drive over with me! Still battling health issues, but the sea is the greatest elixir!
Beautiful article… thanks for all you post and share!
Cathy B*****y pbprojecthope at yahoo dot com
We participated and have hosted several exchange students over the years and the one we grew most fond of was a Rotary student from France. Two of our exchange students lived with us for a year and we spent a week in Sanibel with each. What fantastic experiences we were able to share with them and Sanibel was always that really special vacation that had to be done.
Lovely, Helen. Thank you so much for sharing your story! It really makes a different in lives.
Look at all those fighting conch!!
Thank you Super Sheller Clark for all you do to help this world of ours! Truly, thank you.
Great job Pam & Clark for all the work you do!! Good people!
All those live conch’s are great to see; nice pics Pam.
When I visited Lovers Key last month I was snorkeling & as I was picking up Sand Dollars from the ocean floor my foot stepped on a Conch & ouch…. Bottom of foot sliced open. They don’t call them fighting conch for nothing. It was so painful that I had crushed the nice sand dollar in my hand upon yelling…ugh !!
It is great to see so many live conch’s!! Keep all the pics & stories coming!
Mary Ann
CT
It was nice seeing you and meeting Anna that morning. Fighting Florida’s is my guilty pleasure of shelling, yes, they were everywhere. Congrats to Clark, I’m not sure I would recognize him in a suit. By the time we left Gulfside yesterday we had everyone digging. Richard found a nice Kings Crown and I found a nice big(empty) pear whelk.
Pam you and Clark never cease to amaze me. You are both such good people and an inspiration to all of us. You prove the point that two people can make a difference in this world. Thank you.
Your website makes me smile…..Keep up all of your good work in every aspect of your life. Thank you for sharing!
What a beautiful video, brought tears to my eyes.
Thank you so much for sharing that video! I never new Thailand was that beautiful!
Thank you to all for your wonderful responses and your generous donations to Rotary! Every penny goes to helping someone in need.
And thanks MK for your answer to Steve’s question- I was hoping that you would help out on that one!
I just now got a chance to view the video – it is amazing!! What an amazing place to visit. Absolutely gorgeous!! I cannot even imagine…….