I have said countless times that the beaches of Southwest Florida change every day and by the hour so finding shells becomes a fascinating treasure hunt. So I would say Tam Tam from Michigan has had quite a treasure hunt this week! She found so many shells that aren’t found on our beaches all that often like that sweet baby LIONS PAW (top left), a CABRITS MUREX (middle), a LONG SPINED SEA URCHIN (okay, thats not a shell but its just so beautiful and big for that type of URCHIN) and a THORNY OYSTER (bottom). The ALPHABET CONE isn’t rare at all but it is just dang gorgeous…. and same for that BABY’S EAR. And of course you see she found a JUNONIA too!
Tammy found her LIONS PAW along West Gulf Drive and found her JUNONIA and CABRITS at BLIND PASS SANIBEL. Her friend Barb from Virginia found a CABRITS MUREX at Blind Pass Sanibel too!
I think this is the tiniest, cutest CABRITS MUREX Ive ever seen. Wow!
Oh but hold on there’s more… Sue found a LIONS PAW as well!
Her LIONS PAW is soooo pretty, right? The CONE is just as spectacshellar and both were found off West Gulf Drive. That is a very dark rich color variation of a FLORIDA CONE. Shellicious!
Lisa and Derek from Kansas were very happy to be finding such a variety of shells at Blind Pass Sanibel.
They are very new to shelling but as you can see, they already have a great eye for such pretty shells. They found out about all the seashells on Sanibel from Derek’s dad Darrell who caught the shelling bug about 5 years ago on his first visit to Sanibel. Hey Darrell! Thanks for spreading the shelling love on to your kids- Derek and Lisa cracked me up!
Lisa could identify most of their other shells but she showed me this little mini shell and asked me what it was. Its a PITTED MUREX! I don’t find these all that often but I loved that even as new shellers, they both were so interested in this tiny shell that turned out to be not all that common in our area.
Every day is a new adventure on Sanibel, Captiva and all of the beaches in southwest Florida. What I find even more rare than these shells that my lucky shelling friends found, is that our islands are filled with so many friendly, smiling folks that enjoy every gift from the sea whether its rare or not. (oh…and the view aint half bad either ;) )
Wow, Tam Tam hit the jackpot!! Congratulations to her on her great finds.
OMG, what beauties! 5 more weeks till I finally get to come back.
What a nice Junonia! Looks fresh and unworn.
All kinds of other great shells too: really nice stuff — I guess the beach re-nourishment brought up those Cabrits murexes and the lion’s paws too. Gorgeous Florida cone. :)
Nine days to go! Tammy and everyone found such great shells. The cabrits murex and thorny oyster were great finds. I wonder if I have ever found a pitted murex and thought it was something else? We’re getting some more cold weather this week-I hope it warms up down there. Pat
wow… This was a great week for her…. Wonderful and such a beautiful day today!
Beautiful shells!
Pam I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your information and video post , it taught me well! As we are new residents near Boca Grande! And I wasn’t getting no shells but loved it any way! So when I found your web page it was a blessing as I have read and watched everything you have posted ! And this morning me, my husband and little girl went shelling with your info at hand and honey we hit the mother load ! Not 20 minutes after stepping on the beach I pick up 2 flat scallop shells ! Words could never thank you enough for sharing your knowledge ! This is my new love and I have you to thank for it!
Oh Tammy… Thank you for this nice note and so happy for you that you had the joy of finding a beautiful shell… Or 2 or 3! :)
Pls post a picture of your treasure on the ILS Facebook page, I would love to see those flats!
I can not believe that I missed you! I was at Blind Pass on the Sanibel side all day. Hoping for a Pam sighting soon. :-)
I absolutely love Tam Tam’s handfuls of joy- just beautiful! Oh, how I miss Sanibel Island!
We’re here on the Island since Friday. I found my first ever Cabritt’s Murex too, in a shell pile on W. Gulf, yaay! I also found a Shark’s Eye bigger than the palm of my hand. I will send you (Pam) the pix, perhaps you can share. The shelling has been great, hate to say tomorrow morning will be the last chance before heading home.
WOAH! How big is the diameter of your palm? Even if it’s only 3 inches, that’s still a gargantuan Shark’s Eye.
Oh my goodness. I think my brain just exploded! Great job, Tam Tam from Michigan! That must have been awesomely fun, finding all those gorgeous seashells!
Shelling must have been great with the west/northwest winds – in the pic of Derreck and Lisa doesn’t that dark olive in her hand look a bit unusual? The color pattern in odd and the shape is different than a standard olive….Thanks for keeping us all up to date!
GREAT finds! Can’t wait to come back.
How awesome is that!! It’s nice to know those of us who shell on West Gulf still get awesome shells as well! :) Wish I could be down there and see all of these in person!! Thanks for keeping us up north up to date….we are hanging on every word!! ….BTW HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAM!!!! Have a GREAT Birthday in paradise, don’t forget to Shellabrate by doing something extra special since you are extra special!! <3 <3
Hi Pam – Just read your post this a.m. (Mon). Am waiting to hear from Wendy (she’s working) so we can meet up and head to Sanibel. Don’t know what beach we’ll hit but hope we have a little of the good luck the others had! Have they opened the parking lot on the Captiva side of Blind Pass yet?
Wow great finds! So I was as gulfside city park yesterday afternoon for one last shelling stop before we headed home to snowy Colorado. Found lots & lots! & just as the sun was going down enough to make seeing things in the water a little difficult (about 5:45ish), I saw a junonia tumbling in the water. I gasped outloud and stepped over to where I thought I saw it. I lost it in the surf but then I spotted (pun intended!!!) it again, but lost it just as quickly. So I hope some lucky sheller found it and is feeling so very special! Can’t wait to get back and try again. Those spots were the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Ha! just wish they would have found their way to me.
Sufferin’ Succotash, I hope Tam Tam and Barb played the lottery that day! What rare finds indeed!
Looks like everyone is finding some wonderful shells. We’ve been watching the webcams and wondering what was coming in and now we know. Richard & I have found our lion’s paw on W. Gulf also. Would have loved to have been there but luckily we were home last weekend because the lower level of our raised ranch flooded but good news we were able to save our shells.
Absolutely awesome shells. It’s always a wonderful week when shelling on Sanibel, but it looks like this week was especially wonderful. Congratulations to all on their fantastic finds!
Great time shelling Blind Pass and West Gulf Drive this weekend. Found my first ever lion paw (small and lovely) and many others. Also found my first wentletrap!
I’m quite “shellous” of that junonia beauty and urchin. Oh well…guess this just means I must take more trips to Sanibel to find more of my own treasures. :)
Hello I have found some very very old Shell’s 8 miles from the ocean here in Florida. We have been working on a job site and we were digging a lake about 25 to 30 feet down and I seen some huge Shell’s and grabbed them, so if you could help me out on identifying them and the age I would be very grateful. Thank you.