Twenty five die hard shellers bundled up for 25 mph winds and 44 degree weather for a boat ride with Captiva Cruises to Cayo Costa for an awesome shelling adventure. Oh Yaya! Gail Carr showed up in the same fave hoodie and tote bag stuffed with shelling gear just like me … ready for whatever the day would bring. We looked like twins! LOL And before we took off, I met another sheller ready for the day. Mariah from Seattle told me she found a JUNONIA at Lover’s Key (in Bonita Springs) just a few days ago.
It’s a beauty! After she showed it to me, she tucked it safely away in the car before she boarded the boat for our trip. Congratshellations, Mariah!
We had no problems in the rough water at all thanks to our fearless Captain Skip and his Co-Captain Elliot. Our boat trip was smooth as silk.
Our shelling adventure began… only 15 minutes into our boat trip we witnessed an unfortunate site. We saw billowing black smoke on the tip of North Captiva Island that had just started. Captain Skip immediately called 911 but thank goodness fire and rescue were already on the way. A house went up in flames from what firefighters think was from a bad generator. There was nothing we could do to help so we continued to Cayo Costa.
I think we all had a sick feeling in our stomaches by the site of it but we were reassured there was nothing we could do and there was no reports of anybody inside the house. We got quick insiders information from our friends, retired volunteer Captiva Fire Fighter Ron and retired Captiva Fire Commissioner Phyllis (Ron’s wife and a shelling buddy of mine). They both happen to be on our shelling cruise with their granddaughter Isabelle.
As soon as we got on the beach, it warmed up a bit and the worries of the day started to melt away. Within 5 minutes, I scanned the high tide wrack line and saw an AMERICAN CARRIER SHELL!
Wow! I have shown these several times and I always say the same thing… “I know it’s not pretty…BUT really! This is a cool shell!” This shell is a collector of shells too, just like we collect shells. When the MOLLUSK that made this shell was alive, it came out of the opening and picked up that ARK shell and cemented it to its own shell. I’ve heard it may do this to be camouflaged but it could be for balance or to move more easily. I think they do it for the same reasons shellers collect shells… it’s just in their blood- they can’t help it. I have a video HERE on another post about CARRIER SHELLS if you want to see it. Anyway, if it had been laying on the beach this way in the next photo, I would never had seen it. It looks like a clump of shell bits.
We made it around to the south tip of the island to find two OSPREYS building a nest.
It was such a show with these two huge birds bringing sticks and fish into their nest, it was hard to leave the entertainment. Donna and I stood watching for a few minutes and when I took this photo, I caught one of the birds in flight and one in the nest. I hope you can you see it.
Then we pulled ourselves away to keep shelling…
Merna from Nova Scotia (this weather was warm to her- ha!) told me a little something she heard about JINGLE SHELLS…
She showed me that when you look at the inside of good JINGLES, you should see a baby’s foot print. I’ve never heard that! So she showed me and sure enough.. there it was. The MOLLUSK’s muscle scar looks just like a baby foot print left behind in the sand. Cute! You can see it best in the shell all the way to the right.
 Layla and Ron from New Jersey were collecting ATLANTIC GIANT COCKLES. Can you believe she was in shorts?! ha
I was thrilled that Tonya Clayton was on our shelling trip as well. She just published a book about how to “read” beaches called “How To Read A Florida Gulf Coast Beach”.
I love to “read beaches” by looking at wrack lines, tidal pools and shifting sand but I didn’t know how to read little holes in the sand. I have read many sand trails like my AUGER ART and OLIVE SHELLING but I assumed these little holes in the sand were from the COQUINAS we saw today but they aren’t! They are just little air pockets that rise from below the sand. She can tell by the shape of them. Cool!
We all had a fabulous day collecting, learning and enjoying the beauty of the islands (even though it was a little chilly) but I was very impressed by Evan’s ALBINO LIGHTNING WHELK.
He found lots of OLIVES, WHELKS, TULIPS Â a NUTMEG as well but his ALBINO was awesome. BTW, he was the second one to hit the beach before anyone else so he almost had first dibs since we were the only ones on the entire beach.
The first guy down the beach was DAVE. Yep! He hit the mother load. Take a look at the monster LIGHTNING WHELK! The other side has lots of BARNACLES but they are going to clean up really nicely with some bleach diluted in water like I showed how to do on another post HERE. Great find Dave!
Not only that, he found ANGEL WINGS (okay, I have to snicker… it’s not an “angle” wing– heehee), a PAPER FIG and some other goodies too.
On our boat ride back we saw the fire was contained and put out… but the house burned to the ground in that short time we were on the beach. Again, nobody was hurt but lives will be changed. We all feel for the home owners and the neighbors in this small tight knit community only accessible by boat or small plane.
I’m so thankful the cold, windy weather didn’t scare off my new shelling friends to go on our island outing so our small community of shellers could get to know each other a little better too. Thanks you guys! And thanks to Super Sheller Clark for going too to show everybody how he uses that shelling backhoe of his in the water. He had a group so far ahead of me on the beach, I didn’t even get to take a picture of them. Shucks! Any way, here are a few more photos from our iLoveShelling Exshellent Adventure!
For more Shelling Adventures, click on the this next image…
Great pics!! wonderful way to spend the cold day. and that is a FANTASTIC junonia!
Sounds like a really chilly of a good time!! Good shells were found too!!
The one lady who had a handful of jingles…thats what I like collecting at Cayo too. It may be a common shell but on Cayo the jingles are bigger and more colorful!!
Love the big welk too!!
I cant wait until August when we get to go back to Cayo!!!!
Awesome shelling adventure you all had!! I’d be extremely jealous ( and I am, truly!!) But I’m doing a trail ride with my daughter & our horses today out in the desert so that eases some of my jealousy!! We are celebrating our one year anniversary of the day we bought them!! Hope our ride brings as many treasured memories as your shelling cruise!
Up in Southern Ontario we at -15 below C. That’s cold. Was even colder when I left for work today at 6:30, but glad everyone had a agreat time and can hardly wait for our trip.Ps you put mutmeg.
heehee- oh thank you, thank you for the “mutmeg” edit! I should have asked you too to proofread my angle wing.
Sorry it was so cold, but I’m totally jealous. That would have felt warm to us people who live in northern Iowa! Looks like everyone found a lot of shells so happy for them. I’ll be in Sanibel the last week in Nov. and the first week in Dec. if you’re planning another shell adventure (hint hint)!
Looks like it was lots of fun! My husband is going to try to join your trip on March 16th when he is in Florida on business (and of course he is extending his stay so that he can go shelling!).
It may have been cold, but at least it was sunny!
All kinds of interesting stuff!
Best. Carrier Shell. Ever. Wow, simply gorgeous! My mom always loved them and when I find one I always think of her. She would have been jealousing over that one, lol! :)
Oh My Word, you are killing me with all the junonia’s recently!!!
Is that a teensy-tiny angle wing pair? See what I did there? That is an amazing find!
Heehee yes I see what u did! It’s a teeny tiny little false angle wing. Only prob 25 degrees. Teehee
Ya wanna trade some shells for some snow? Seriously, I would be happy to package it up and send it to you! All of it! Hee, hee! (like a few feet of snow would keep you from shelling!)
That shelling adventure looks amazing…I’m jealous! However, we will be in our winter home down there this time next year…so, we’ll have to start planning to join you then!
Happy Shelling!
So glad you guys were able to go after all!! I should’ve guessed that it would take a lot more than some cold weather or gusty winds to keep true shellers away. I hope to go to one of the next trips sometime :). My heart goes out to the homeowner who suffered the fire.
I never have found a carrier shell. That was a nice lightning whelk. Sorry I missed the trip. Looks like people found some nice shells.
Pat
Looking forward to mar. 16 trip..order some smooth water, pam…….
And warm temps!
What an awesome post Pam. Lots of great finds. I’m going to go check out that new book too!
Pam,
Will you be going on any of these shelling adventures to Cayo Costa in late June or early July?? I see that your last one was in May.
As the sun rises over the mountains and I enjoy my coffee I can’t thank you enough for this morning’s blog!! I never dreamed that technogy could be so much fun.
What a wonderful tide~over until my next shelling adventure :)
Having followed your posts for a few months, I think certain shells are more prevalent at specific times of the year. Is that correct? If so, could you do a post on “When to Find What” so I can plan my next trip to Sanibel. I want what those of us who spent summers on the East Florida coast call “pincushions”. What you call “Olives” are “Panama Rollers” to me. My childhood was a LONG time ago; do I have the names confused? My first trip to Sanibel was the last week in January and I had a WONDERFUL time.
First shell I found this year on my Jan. trip to Sanibel was a carrier shell. My second ever. Just ordered four of your Shell ID cards from Sanibel Shells. Don’t worry about the angle/angel mix up. Angel wings look like butterflies and there is a class of butterflies called Angle wings! MEM
So my typo wasn’t so far off then..hahahah! Thanks so much MEM for the shell ID order from Sanibel Shells!
Pam, it was WONDERFUL! I have so much I want to write but I have to get back out on the beach to look for more shells. Can’t waste a minute while I’m here. I’m finding lots of Lady-in-Waiting Venus clam shells, thanks to your help in identifying them. You’re THE BEST!
Arrived Monday afternoon. Temps have certainly risen since your Sunday adventure. I picked up your ID card today. I smile every time I see the Angle Wing in the center. I love it.
Shelling has been very “average” so far on West Gulf. Doesn’t matter though, I am just so happy to be here. We are going shelling with Captain Brian on Friday, can’t wait.
Impressive carrier shell! Wish I was there! Good shelling!