Well, well. Lookie what Matt and Denise found on their first trip to Sanibel… A big ole beautiful empty HORSE CONCH in the water on the Sanibel side of Blind Pass. Boom Shellalaka! They came over from the east coast of Florida (Mims) to do a little shelling then realized the best shells were in the water right now. They were very persistent and it paid off. That CONCH makes for a shell of a vacation.
Andy and Stephanie from Illinois were just as happy with their finds of WHELKS, FIGHTING CONCHS, double DOSINIAS and more in the water as well.
I loooove finding dark LACE MUREXES. I found a really dark one the other week and never got around to taking a photo of it for you so I was not about to let this one slip through my fingers. It’s not as dark but it is unbelievably gorgeous and the spines are so impressive. It even has a pink nose!
This is the other side and now you can see some of that rich brown coloring that makes it a little different…
I walked over the Blind Pass bridge that connects Sanibel to Captiva so I could see what kinds of shells I could find there. Remember I showed you the “Amazing Shell Mound” the other day? Well, now it has dwindled. In 3 days time, notice the blue bag on the shell pile in my photo taken on May 30th on the left… that little shell “ramp” is now where the mound starts in the photo I took 3 days later on the right. That’s maybe 9 or 10 feet back (I’m just guestimating, y’all. I didnt measure it- just eyeballing). Most of the shells that everybody was picking through on May 30th have been taken back out to the Gulf Of Mexico. Isn’t that wild how quickly that happens? BUT that’s how quickly the sand and shells come back in too so that’s what makes life so much fun to shell at Blind Pass. You never know what the beach will look like until you get there! Let’s say it together, y’all… “That’s why i Love Shelling!” It’s the best treasure hunt in the world!
So if you missed MY LAST POST about the 4-day giveaway for a Shelling Vacation to Sanibel, you have got to CLICK HERE to enter! Come and shell with me and win your own shell of a vacation!
That conch is a beauty. So it seems all the action is moving south of the jetty. These nice rainstorms today should stir things up again.
Awesome conch! I really want to find one of those!! Maybe in October!
I have a lace murex from Sri Lanka. Very nice!
Wowie Zowie on that horse conch!! And the lace murex, super pretty.
Ok, your killing me!! Can I come back already? lol
Way to go! Great finds!! I always like to see everyone having great time!!
Yes, come back! LOL Me too Ken- Thats half the fun is seeing and meeting so many happy people.
Lovely Horse Conch. Hard to believe shell pile has gone again.
Beautiful lace murex. Can’t wait to find one just like it. Will definitely be at Blind Pass sometime this week. Yay!! ;-)
Wow! Love the comparison photo showing Blind Pass yesterday compared to a couple of days ago! Amazing!!!!
Keep the shellsational stories coming!!! My daughter and I will be there around the end of the month for a shellabration!
Awesome conch. I’d love to find one like that some day. Its a beauty.
That Horse Conch is awesome!!! What a wonderful treasure you found! Congratulations!
Pam, What type of shoes to recommend to wear for shelling? Love your blog!!Thanks!
I bought a pair of water shoes that were not expensive at Bailey’s grocery/general store on Sanibel last trip cause the shells in the water were killing the bottom of my feet! I just bought some for my son and his family at Walmart and sent them to Okinawa, Japan where he is stationed. Water flows through them and they do trap sand but I just rinse them out good….they “saved” my feet!!
Patricia, I usually just have flip flops on when I shell our beaches…. But! I always have a pair of water shoes in the car just in case.
I have “thin skin” so I think I will just go with flip flops. I usually wear Teva Olowahu, but I may pick up a pair of Croc flip flops or a sports brand shower sandal. Whenever I use water shoes, I usually end up missing a little skin and I love keeping my skin in tact! :) Thanks for the help Parker and Pam!
exactly why i just use flip flops… and mainly crocs! i get blisters easily too but if there are tons of shells are in the water (like after a storm) i tough it out and put my water shoes on- I’d rather have blisters than punctures. :)
I always stick with Crocs as I never have a problem with them rubbing and causing blisters, but with memories of losing flip flops in the water as a child and not particularly wanting to see them bobbing away as an adult ;0) I tend to go for a flat full style like the ‘Kadee’ model – it also means I can go in the water with confidence, and not in fear that something will nip my toes – I don’t want anything distracting me from my shelling task :0)
I picked up a pair of Crocs this afternoon! Let the shelling begin!
Beautiful conch and murex!! Congrats!
That BIG conch is just amazing! Smiles are just as big, I see! What fun!
Is that horse conch the largest Ive seen anyone find on this blog? If not, it must be close…WOW!! Congratulations!!
Is that horse conch ALBINO? Or is it just really clean?
It had just a bit of tan color so it’s not an albino (IMHO).. But it was unbelievably clean. Only a few barnacles too. So lucky! He said he felt it with his foot while in the water. Wow
Just 15 more days…..and I’ll be introducing my grandsons to shelling….see ya on the beach, Pam!
WOW!!! We’ve just returned from our first vacation on Sanibel and I am still reeling from all the great shells we found … more in one day than in all the years of vacations at Myrtle Beach, the Outer Banks, and Virginia Beach combined! WOW .. I would have fainted if I’d found this huge horse conch!! You should go buy a lottery ticket immediately because your luck is really running high right now! :-)
Aw, gee, Pam, thanks for the beautiful pics of that lace murex! I had to run and get my most perfect murex ( the same one I made my husband admire, again, a few days ago) for comparison. I am going to have to search through my collection and see if any of mine are brown… . I guess going through my collection from time to time is the only way to go shelling in Nebraska. Maybe I’ll have to dump them all into a pile and recreate the Sanibel effect!
That horse conch is also super impressive! And to find it on your first visit to Sanibel, Matt and Denise, also super impressive!
I will be out shelling in the rain tomorrow…I hope the weather isn’t too bad. I’m excited to visit Blind Pass for the first time!
Went to blind pass yesterday for the first time. Great shells! Big waves be prepared to get wet! Wear your swimming suit! MUST wear water shoes. Husband took his off and cut his foot! Silly man didn’t listen! LOL Will be going back soon!
I am planning a shelling vacation to Sanibel. What is the best place to stay?? Expensive or not we don’t care. Just want to make a good choice and have easy morning access and be comfortable as well
Try the Island Inn at http://www.islandinnsanibel.com . its beautiful!