 Just a few steps from the Sanibel Lighthouse, oodles of seashells were being washed up near the shoreline yesterday.
I overheard Kathy and Karen (Wisconsin) getting very excited about the shells they were finding in the water…
Yes there were! In ankle deep water along the surf line, I saw one shell after another so I quickly got out my video and started filming. This video is uncut and I was continuously filming so you can see how I had to keep working the same area to find all of these shells. Each wave uncovered more shells so I had to be patient. More CYBERSHELLING to the rescue!
As you can see, the shells weren’t obvious since they were buried and filled with sand so I had to keep stooping for better scoops. Sisters Diane (Illinois) and Nancy (Missouri) couldn’t believe how many they found in that one area.
Candy!
In the video, you briefly see Penny (Wisconsin) stooping in the water a little further out. I think I mumbled something like I hoped she was finding shells out there too. Any way, I ended up meeting Penny and her husband Brian a few minutes afterwards.
We figured out that just around the same time I was filming her out in the water, she found this FLORIDA CONE.
I also drove up to Blind Pass Captiva but that new sand bar in the pass is mostly just sand now but there are still some sweet minis. The Sanibel side of Blind Pass is still producing shells but the tides have been fickle so its been a hit or miss. It’s almost like if you don’t see shells there, just wait 4 more hours and they should be rolling in. I was just so happy to find such goodies at my old fave stomping ground- The Sanibel Lighthouse Beach.
shelling adventures trips by pam
Such a wonderful video reminded me of shelling. In nov. I always look for colors. And the waves mice what your looking at Soo fast. I barely caught my only wentletrap because I was catching a tulip. I kept that tulip because it caught me the wentletrap. I hope I get to come back to Sanibel again and get get to meet your generous heart and love of shelling
Such a bad finger texting
I love your videos but I get a little woozy. Does anyone else have that problem?
Jeanne I also get woozy to the point that I get a sick headache. But, I DO NOT let it stop me from looking at the video over and over. However, I can not remember feeling woozy when I am actually in the waves looking for the shells. Sometimes I will just close my eyes and listn to the waves and Pam’s uplifting voice and the headache doesn’t seem so bad.
Thanks, Loree, I’m glad I’m not the only one. I stop the video and come back to it later. It is very frustrating because I love watching them. I don’t get that way when I’m actually shelling, thank goodness.
Nice cyber shelling! I just got my shelling “fix”. Thanks, Pam :-)
Fun to watch you grab the rolling shells. A man with a rake might have done well – Clark wasn’t there for this outing?
Wow Pam, I honestly can’t believe how you can look (and shell) through those waves in the shallow water, hold other shells, AND shoot video at the same time! How is that possible??? :)
I couldn’t really see any of the shells before you grabbed them; the water was so turbulent!
Will be there in the next week and can’t wait to get some shelling done and leave this Ohio weather behind. Is the Sanibel lighthouse area the best right now for shelling? I have never shelled there, mainly Bowman’s and was going to hit Blind Pass. What do you recommend Pam? Thanks!
Can I just say that the beaches on Sanibel change so much from one day to the next that there is really no way at all of guessing which beach will be the best for shelling in a few days time. (Pam has showed us how the number of shells on any given beach can change radically even just from morning to afternoon of the same day!) The best thing to do is to keep an eye on Pam’s blog and see what she is reporting when you arrive and from day to day as new blog posts appear.
That being said, Lighthouse is often (but not always) good for interesting small shells such as wentletraps and bubble shells.
I couldn’t have said it better. Thank you! xo
And Junonias! And Angel wings! And alphies! And huuuuuuge horse conchs! And basically everything if you get out deep enough. Lighthouse is AWESOME!
Pam that video was “off the hook” LOL! Loved the waves, the sound of the wind, and the “chunkies”! Ohhhhh – beginning to miss Sanibel after only being gone for a month!! loved, loved, loved this video!
Loved the video. 13 more days till I get back, and it really helps to see the water and sun and shells :)
Loved the video! As Susan H says I don’t know how you do it all. I prefer to use a net and I could not handle a camera too. The lighthouse is next on my list. Went to blind pass-sanibel today. There were shell piles high up on the beach. People were going through them. I found it hard to see the shells in the surf today. Pat
Thanks for such a terrific video! Makes my heart smile! Question: were these winds coming from the south? Still trying to figure out how it works! Hoping we cross paths on my upcoming trip to Sanibel!
They were actually coming from the north east….but u have to understand that ….. Figuring out how the ocean/gulf works entirely is like figuring out how the pyramids built. Lol
WOW! After working on school work since 5 a.m. this morning, to have such a nice treat cyber shelling with you! I would love to be there right now! Sanible is my heaven on Earth! Wish I could bring my kindergarten class there for some shelling fun! I sometimes share your posts with my sweeties when we read a story about the sea. They are always amazed! I plan to show this one this week as we are reading a story about the sea. It will assist in the text, “I slosh”- the video will go perfectly! Thanks so much!
Omigosh Carol! I’m honored to part of your class!
Came back Monday from three weeks on Sanibel. Lots of nice live creatures but not great shelling most days. It was cool and rainy but still wonderful. I was hoping that the water would clear so that you could see the shells on the bottom as you are today.
Sadly someone was taking live horse conchs from the exposed sandbar on West Gulf. If we good shellers had caught him it wouldn’t have been pretty.
It was a wonderful vacation with lots of material for my kid’s stories. Mother Earth Marilyn
Oh Pam, as always, thanks for making my day. I imagined being right there! Even though I’m snow blind up here in CT, I pick up my shells everyday. With vids like yours it helps undo the winter blues.
Thanks again,
Mary Ann
East Granby. CT
I love all the prune-y fingers!
I loved watching this video. We were there just about 2 weeks ago now. Back to reality. It was so much fun watching you find the goodies. Thanks for the virtual shelling!
Pam your videos are wonderful makes me wish I lived there and was your shelling partner I could be on other beaches so you could have a multi beach view. Those waves make it hard to shell I always look for color. That away you get the variety
This video got me so excited for my visit in March to Sanibel! That last whelk you scooped up was beautiful Pam! Can’t wait to do some real shelling of my own!
Thank you so much for the video… I always wish that i could freeze the waves and have as much time as i want to look straight through still water and grab all the shells i want!!!
Hello Pam! Just wondering, how do you make those videos where you are snorkeling and shelling at once? I have tried to understand how you control the camera while swimming and shelling while still managing to get a clear image that doesn’t make the viewer want to puke, but it confuses me. I think it would be awesome to be able to record underwater shelling, so it would be amazing if you could just tell me how to do it :)
P.S.: How are Dusty and Rusty? Their pictures in the other posts are SOOO ADORABLE! <3
Pam, thrilled beyond words when we met you on Lighthouse Beach the other day! I have been reading your blog and watching your videos for months in preparation for our visit this past week to Sanibel. You have been such an inspiration. This was our first visit to Florida, and thanks to your advice (chiefly having patience and persistence proved huge) we came home loaded with a variety of shells. We had our best luck on Lighthouse Beach where we found my one and only Florida Cone, Fighting Conch, Tulips, Lightning Whelks (found a gorgeous one nearly 5 inches long), Pear Whelks, Shark Eye, Murex, Sunray Venus, Coquina, and several others. We’ve been having a blast identifying the various shells. My husband is now hooked on your YouTube videos and we’ve been reliving our beach experience through you. Will continue following your blogs until we return to Sanibel next winter. Thank you for making our shelling experience such a success.
Penny, you have made my day! Now “I” am thrilled beyond words because this is exactly what I strive for- helping folks like you enjoy your time on the beach and enjoy a successful day shelling no matter what the conditions of the hour or day it might be. Thank YOU for your sweet note!
I use to collect shells with my mom all of the time when I was little. But the VA and Carolina beaches just don’t have the shells like they use too. We’re lucky to find a handful of nice shells for an entire week of vacation. I am totally planning a trip to Lighthouse Beach now! So fun!!