It still amazes me to walk the beach to see miles of seashells lining the coast…
Joann from New Jersey remembered her mother used to make jewelry from the shells she collected on Sanibel so wanted to come back to do the same.
Combing the beach back and forth in front of Island Inn Sanibel, she found BANDED TULIPS, FIGHTING CONCH, OLIVES, LIGHTNING WHELKS, COQUINAS, CALICO SCALLOPS, APPLE MUREXES Â and a sweet colorful NUTMEG.
Her brother Harry and his wife Joann (easy to remember!) from Tampa were thrilled to find so many shells they remembered as kids.
Sandy McFadin had commented on my iLoveShelling Facebook page last week asking what the shelling was like at Island Inn. Hmmm I hadn’t been in a while so this is for you Sandy! And… Sarah the ShellAnimal had requested another video so I started shooting a video at the Island Inn before the rain came in to chase us all off the beach. While I panned around to the shore, I caught Harry walking towards me then stopping to pick up a shell. Then he called out “Hey, I found four OLIVES!”
Come beach combing with me and you’ll see why I had to meet Harry and the Joanns. Click on the video…
The evening before this, Clark and I walked this same stretch of beach for sunset where Clark found a perfect FLAT SCALLOP and we had fun watching all of the birds like this beautiful SNOWY EGRET…
A BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER….
And a WILLET…
We also loved adding to this shell tree.
I made a wish when I added my shell…
It was a perfect way to end a beautiful day…
Wishing upon a shell shrub :)
With a beautiful beach, shells, sunsets and lively wildlife… it’s the perfect place to gather people who love shelling to join me for a 4 day shellathon during Shellabaloo! It’s coming up soon so don’t miss out for our April 24 event! CLICK HERE for more details. I love to meet new shellers!
Love, love, love the shell tree!
Hi!
I was just in Naples for a work conference, but was able to get a couple of hours down on the beach to search for shells. I loved finding all the minis and the double coquinas.
I happened upon your blog after my trip and I love it. I’ve been reading through the backlogs and I’d love to hear more about how you organize and display your shells. For example, I noticed a jar full of shells tagged as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba – do you do this for all the shelling trips you take?
Thanks for all the virtual shelling you’ve provided!
Ashlyn
Thanks for the video and wonderful post! If I could make a wish upon the shell tree I would wish for the nor’easter that’s coming our way tonight to take a detour and miss us here in Nova Scotia!
Dusting of snow here in IL last night. If I can’t go shelling, I at least want to plant my pansies. This pansy — me — can’t take this cold, windy weather. I miss Sanibel so much!
Shell on,
Annette
Love the shell wish tree! Must be an amazing time on Sanibel right now!
Keep shelling & telling!
May all your wishes come true,
Mary Ann
East Granby. CT
The shell tree was at Island Inn? I didn’t see it when I was there in February. Back then there weren’t many shells and it was hard to get down to the beach-the waves had washed away a lot of the sand from the cliffs. Love the video. Hope the shells keep coming. Pat
the tree must have been exposed with the erosion there- I think you were here when the big ledge was formed, right? Well the beach has grown but the ledge is still there but the tree must have been in the water when you were here. Isn’t it amazing how it changes so quickly? we’ll never get tired of the some ole same old here for goodness sakes!
I think I remember a tree to the right, but there weren’t any shells on it when we were there. Pat
where is the shell tree? I will be there this spring.
Head out to the beach from Island Inn and hang a right. Its just down a few paces.
Oh my gosh!!!!!!!!!! I love the shell tree- I love all shell trees and general!!!!!!!!! And whenever I see one when I go to the beach I make sure to add to it. Kind of like making a gift to the sea gods so that maybe they make more shells wash up on the beach for you :D
Hi, I was on Sanibel last week and I found 3 flat scallops. I was wondering why they are flat?
Anna, see the entry for Sept 27, 2012… Pam has some interesting notes on flats, fan or zigzag scallops. Check out the index on the left for past highlights on individual shells. Good stuff.
Just booked our trip!! Kim and Moira and I!! Super excited.
We’ll have to look for shell tree and see if its still there.
Soooo many great shells lately. Cant wait for our trip!!
Hi Kim, Moira, and Traci, looking forward to meeting you if you are attending the Shellabaloo.
Hello Pam,
I am so looking forward to the Shellabaloo. I did see one of your previous posts that you have not found a Sharks Eye Opericulum. I was at the Pt. Pleasant, NJ, beach last night and found a whole pocket full. I will be bringing you some of them. I also posted a whole bunch of photos of Sea Shells on Sea Girt, NJ Beaches, hope you like them and might be able to help me identify some of them.
Have a lovely day.
Wow Pam, What a gorgeous video — I felt that it was your most poetic and lyrical yet!
What about this turquoise bracelet you’ve been sporting of late – Love! what is it made of, not the stone, right? I like the other one too! Are they salt water friendly?
We arrived here today, just in time for the gullywhumper. Are the winds still from the NW? Do the right winds trump a low tide?
Hi!
I really like your blog, and I’m a beginning sea shell collector. I would love to come to one of the Shellabaloo’s but I live in Sweden so it takes a bit of planning. Envy those that can make it to the one now in April. :-)
Right now I’m looking at heading over to Sanibal maybe this xmas, or next August in 2015. Do you have any plans currently for a Shellabaloo around those times? Then I could see if I could make to one. :-D
All the best, and thank you for such a wonderful blog!
/Malin
Hi Malin, I would love for you to come to a Shellabaloo!…but I just can’t make plans that far out yet. I’m so sorry! once this one in April is over, we will decide when (and if) there will be another one and I will give dates asap. Thanks so much for hanging out on iLoveShelling all the way from Sweden. :) <3
I’ll cross my fingers and hope for another one, and in the meantime I’ll keep enjoy your blog. And have a wonderful shellabaloo! :-D
All the best,
Malin