South Seas Island Resort on the north tip of Captiva Island has always held special memories for Clark and me. It was our first vacation spot together when we lived in Virginia Beach and the first time we ever beach combed together. It’s the beach where I fell in love with WORM SHELLS… oh yeah… and Clark too (heehee). As I walked down to the jetty rocks towards Redfish Pass this morning (reminiscing) I was soooo excited to find such a fun shell wrack line with a SAND DOLLAR, double SUNRAY VENUSES, CONCHS, WHELKS, a WORMIE (!) and other goodies.
The shells were just rolling in…
On the other side of the jetty (on the pass side) there were lots of shells caught in between the rocks…
Even in the sand throughout the beach (recently renourished sand), I found lots of CHESTNUT TURBANS, a CARRIER SHELL and all sorts of minis…
This was a particularly handsome CHESTNUT TURBAN…
A sweet PURPLISH TAGELUS…
But… I can’t even tell how thrilled I am to have found one of these shells for the first time…. a CROSS-HATCHED LUCINE (or Divalinga quadrisulcata). Dr Jose Leal of the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum said “Not found here before, Smithsonian has lot in their collection from deeper in the Gulf, so I am not surprised to see it here. Good, solid find”. Kris from Shellabaloo 4 found one on Captiva too!
It’s a beautifully detailed shell so you bet I will be looking for more!
I even found a piece of JUNONIA this morning too. I felt like a kid in a candy store since there was nobody else out there shelling. I had the whole beach to myself! It’s a private beach for everybody who stays at South Seas Island Resort or owns a home there (like a friend of mine) so I felt so fortunate to be able to beach comb there this morning. Check out the satellite map of this north tip area… CLICK HERE.
Is this area accessible? Took a Cayo Costa shell trip in Nov from S Seas marina but next day when I tried to show the area to my husband, they wouldn’t let us through guard gate without accompanying bellman, even though I assured guard we wouldnt leave the car. Strange. So how to get to this area – boat accessible only? Thanks.
Haven’t been there in years. Stick to West Gulf Drive. Pam, how do you get in the guard house gate @ South Seas? What do you tell them?
Steve and Carolyn, you have to either be staying at South Seas to get through the gate or live there… Or know someone who lives there. Like I said in the post, I feel fortunate that I know someone who lives there so that’s how I can get to the beaches. It’s a beautiful place! When we didn’t live on Sanibel, we rented a place at South Seas since we had other friends there.
That has always been one of my favorite shelling spots when staying at South Seas.
I’ll never forget the day I saw you there Lee!
Our plane takes off at 9:30 in the morning and I plan in having my toes in that Sanibel sand by noon. Countdown has officially begun! :D
Really gorgeous photographs Pam, especially the first one with the wave breaking on the rocks!
Well done on the cross-hatched Lucine!!!
And love that whole, very fresh purplish Tagelus.
Nice turban shell. The lucine shell is nice-I wonder if I overlooked some because it was just another white shell. Can’t wait for the end of the month. See you then. Pat
Hi Pam, Thanks for taking me shelling when I can’t be there. When I saw your cross-hatched lucine (one of my favs) I went and looked at my collection. I have well over a hundred I have collected on Sanibel-Captiva over the years. I was surprised to see that they are considered an unusual find. Can’t wait to be on the search myself in Feb. Jeanne
How big are you cross hatched Lucines? Are u sure they have that cross hatched detail on them? Which beach do u think u found them on?
Absolutely cross-hatched. I love the pattern. Can send pics if you would like. Found mostly on the Sanibel side. So many I don’t know when I got them all over thirty years. Did get two in November and actually got them on the beach in front of Tween Waters after they refurbished it. Think there is a connection? Hmmmm. Jeanne
Dr Leal and I were thinking it was from the renourishment in Captiva.
Oh yes Pam, mine are all somewhere between nickel and quarter size and such a beautiful pure white. J
After doing a lot of internet research, I’ve confirmed that this is first time in the history of humanity that the phrase “fell in love with worm shells” has ever been used.
Bahahaha I’m sure you are right Dave! :) :)
Glad you found wonderful shells at a place that is so special to you and Clark!
All beaches in the United States are FEDERAL PROPERTY, up to the high water mark. There is no such thing as a private beach in this country. As a water woman, I have encountered many people who’ve tried to throw me out of the area in front of their home which they happened to have built on the land which is at the beach, and behind the high water mark. There are laws which refer to the building of such properties which I won’t go into here. I’m not advocating that anyone trespass on private property or park illegally. I am advocating the fact that you have a right to use the beach as it belongs to the federal government.
Ellen, Im not sure how the law is written about private beaches… but it wasn’t my intention to say that anybody would be thrown off the beaches if they pulled up by boat or walked the 3 miles (or whatever it is- please don’t quote me on that- Im just guestimating) from public parking. Its a beach resort with a gate so that folks that are staying there or own a home there have a more private experience. I said “private beach” in my post because there is no public parking any where near this beach… which makes it pretty dang private in my book. Thats exactly why Clark and I loved staying there when we visited before we bought in Sanibel.
Headed to sanibel right now! Are there any beach closures? On my phone emailing so I’m not able to pull up any info to see if there are areas we should avoid. Thx for ur help! Hope to run into u on the beach. Here visiting from cold Colorado!
All beach parking lots are open! Yay! ( well I say that… As of yesterday Friday they were open. Lol)
Thx so much! We’re here! happy birthday to me!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this mid-January post, Pam. Your super-shelling, phenomenal photography, many hours of research, updates, and preparing of posts – along with keeping Clark and kitties going ;) is recognized and appreciated! Memories of our CC adventure, beach treasures, and your blog, keep us warm and looking forward, as always, to next time. Many thanks!
so sweet Nancy, thank you!!!!