The Sanibel Island shellers have been out the last 2 days having great luck with and without their scoops. Kim from St Louis was in knee deep water scooping up treasures with her net this morning at Blind Pass Sanibel…
She found a bag full of trophies! She found The Sanibel Six, COCKLES, SCALLOPS plus a big honkin’ HORSE CONCH! She said it was rolling by her foot when she was in the water.
She was workin’ it!
The shells were piling up at the same spot I showed you last week when the Shellingmen Tribe was out in full force…
I also met Darlene from Pennsylvania but was too shy to have her photo (not sure why- she’s cute as can be) but she definitely wanted to share her loot because she was happy as a clam to find all of these WHELKS, CONCHS, OLIVES, TULIPS, MUREXES (The Sanibel Six minus the CONE) , SCALLOPS and some cool CORAL.
Okay, I told you this was the same spot on the Sanibel side of Blind Pass as last week where the shells were rolling in… but yesterday I found another shell pile at Blind Pass. This time it was under the bridge on the Sanibel side.
Kim from Cape Coral didn’t need a net or a scoop to sift through this pile on the canal to find some goodies to take home…
She sorted through to find a KINGS CROWN, HORSIES, WHELKS , TURBANS and my latest faves… the amazing colorful SCALLOPS.
And last but not at all least, cutie pies Emily and Brian from Boston were wading in the water to find this live LIGHTNING WHELK…
I write some times about finding an OPERCULUM on the beach so now you can see what it looks like when it’s still useful to this live MOLLUSK. It acts as the door to the opening of the shell so it can protect itself from predators. The black part around the OPERCULUM is the animal going back inside its shell. Cool, huh? So after we looked at this magnificent live creature, Emily and Brian walked it back out to the water to live happily ever after.
That’s what makes shelling so much fun… every day the beaches change and every day you see something different.
Awesome!!! Cannot wait until July!
Are they still dredging under the bridge?
I was wondering that too. When we were there the end of Feb. the dredges were there. Based on the pictures though it looks like they are gone.
I had a strange brown some what oval thing in a shell mirror I had had made years ago, this week I could put a name to it. But over the years it had been broken but at least now I know what it was.
We were those on Tuesday
grrrrr
Lucky shellers for sure! Darlene’s whelk (at the bottom of the picture) is especially pretty! Love the colors! Pam – my sister and I are counting the days – just about 3 weeks – until our Cayo Costa Shelling Cruise! Can’t wait!
I agree! That whelk is a beauty!
You keep coming up with those snappy blog post titles!!!
Ha! Mark, thank you! As you prob know, it’s a whole other “job” just to come up with a cute title for each post. Really though, thanks for noticing!
Hi, Pam. It was great meeting you today! I have enjoyed your blog for a year or so and was thrilled to see you in person. This will get me through until we can come back again next year. At least I have a couple more days to go this trip!
I love seeing the water so beautifully blue!
I cannot believe all the fabulous shells that have been coming in lately!!! I agree with Donna, the water is so very pretty. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many shells on the canal side of the bridge. Sooooo wish I were there. But it will probably be October again unless I decide to brave the heat for a summer trip. I may just have to!!!
Nice!!!!!
Look at that “clear” blue water – musta crept over from Cayo Costa, hu????? Here’s hoping it still looks beautiful in a couple weeks when I come back “down” – this time with 4 friends, all who graduated together in the 60’s! Oldies but goodies! Can’t wait.
Beautiful images! Nice shells here too, especially tiny ones, and a lot of variety, but there’s nowhere like Sanibel, where shells come in as if by the truckload! :)
That is what I love about Sanibel. The Gulf gives you a gift every day. You just have to find it. MEM
I am in awe. I cannot imagine the fun it would be to sit on a pile of lovely shells and just sift through them…let alone find a giant shell with the animal still in it! Somebody send me a plane ticket!
Hi Pam, I am rather new to shelling. My aunt introduced me 1-1/2 yrs ago. I was instantly hooked. My husband and I are going to be in the area in mid-October. Will there be any cruises to Cayo Costa after October 8 (I hope so)? I am so jealous of all the fabulous finds. I do have another question, are some shells only found in during specific times of the year?
I’m sure there will be more iLoveShelling cruises every month from now on and I try to work them around the lower tides. If there are seasons for differnt types of shells, I haven’t figured it out yet. Mother Nature always likes to mix things up.
YOUR PICTURES REMIND ME WHEN WE WERE AVID ROCKHOUNDS. THE POSITION IS ACTUALLY THE SAME!!! WITH OUR BAGS, PICKS AND TREASURERS. OF COURSE NOW I CAN STILL GET DOWN B U T CAN I GET UP? THAT IS A DIFFERENT QUESTION…WISH I WERE THERE WITH YOU ALL. JANET IN AZ
Hi Pam!
My husband and I are on our way to Sanibel right now. It’s our 29 anniversary and he agreed to take me shelling! I am headed to Blind Pass unless you head us in another direction! I love your web site and I love shelling! Hopei get to meet you and your husband someday
Linda
What great finds! Can’t wait to see what’s been found this weekend.