When east winds seem to carry our WHELKS and CONCHS and such out to sea in Southwest Florida, the CLAM SHELLS and miniatures still can be found.
There’s always something to get excited about collecting the minis.
Bruce showed me this macdaddy WENTLETRAP he found on the gulf side at Lighthouse Beach at low tide in the evening. Wow!
Near the pier at the lighthouse beach some people were finding a few shells in the erosion ledge .
Mother Nature has been doing a number on all of our beaches in Sanibel and Captiva lately. The waters of the Gulf Of Mexico have been absolutely gorgeous but look at the erosion at Blind Pass Captiva.
Do you remember what this looked like last month at Blind Pass Captiva? This next photo was taken at this very same spot on May 10, 2014- just one month ago. Do you see the guy fishing on the jetty rocks in the photo above? He is standing in front of the highest rock. Take a look at that same rock in the next photo to relate how much the sand has shifted.
That’s what happens with wind and currents- the beach changes constantly and drastically here but that’s what makes shelling such a treasure hunt. The shells may not be on the beach, but persistent shellers look for shells in the water too. Not a bad way to spend the day!
The erosion has continued on the Sanibel side of Blind Pass too but as you can see, there are shells just under the ledge and some in the water. They may be mostly bivalves but there are still shells and there are always interesting hidden treasures to find.
The old wooden sea wall is showing again as well. We’ve seen it come and go since the winds will bring the sand and shells back in but it’s fascinating to see how quickly Mother Nature can change our environment. CLICK HERE to see my first post on this sea wall.
The shells always build up around this old sea wall when it’s exposed but now you have to be very responsible for yourself since being uncovered so many time now, the wood can be sharp and there are jagged edges.
This was a similar view of this same area the beginning of January 2014. In the next photo the beach renourishment project had just been completed so can see the heavy equipment was still on the beach. There was so much sand less than 5 months ago and has been taken back out over such a short time. Mother Nature is very powerful. She must be respected. But no worries, she always brings the sand and shells back to us here in Southwest Florida, we just have to be patient.
It is always so interesting to see what Mother Nature has in store for the beaches. Thank you for the update. It will be interesting to see what the next few months bring.
Hi Pam! Wow, the changes to the beach are pretty startling. So does nature build the sands back up again? or do they need people intervention? Do the east winds tend to blow in the summer months? I want to plan a trip to Sanibel (hopefully to coincide with another shellaballoo in the future!), but I want to go during a primo shelling time! A few years ago I went in August, which I knew was off season, and the waves were calm and the shells, while I found some good ones, were not that plentiful. Thanks!
so many questions! lol sorry I can’t answer them. Its Mother Nature… she changes things constantly. theres no definite answers. Just go with the flow, baby and be happy with whatever she gives us any given day. We can’t even plan Shellabaloos thinking it will be the ultimate shelling time- we just plan (which we don’t have any future dates yet), hope for the best and enjoy whats in front of us when we’re here.
Really great pictures — very interesting.
So excited to be coming to Sanibel next week. Really hope the shelling picks up! How is it on captiva and the outer islands, do the winds affect them the same?
just the same
Update from the northerners…our persistence has paid off. We have continued our search from ybel to tween waters and came up with some great finds. Not as plentiful as last year but it sure makes each find more special. We are hoping this afternoon thunderstorm coupled with extreme low tides tonight make for a Shell o Rama. Boy do we love this place. Where else is your biggest concern how big of a tulip you find?
hahaha- love it! thats exactly how we feel too… when you do find a tulip or 2 on days like this, it makes you really realize how special they are. thanks for the update! :)
Wow Pam! I hope there is beach left when I’m there in July!! The wooden bulkhead is one of my fav spots! We had lots if fun there last October with the big waves, and will found a beautiful alphabet!! Hope to see you soon! I have the shelling fever bad!!!
Did you go to Lover’s Key this morning? I thought I saw you in traffic.
Pam, we were on Sanibel last week. I wanted to thank you for your blog about Harn’s Preserve. I found oodles of beautiful apple snails. We then went snorkeling for sand dollars on Bonita Beach. Another successful venture. So, while the Sanibel shelling was so-so, I got my fill in other ways. I still found plenty to bring home from the island too.
Pam, we just left Sunday , I wanted to thank you for all the shell info you have shared. We had the best time shelling. Each day was a new adventure. Sanibel is a must for us, we will be returning every year.
Thank you for your time and energy you put into this stite.
Jackie
Honestly, from the bottom of my heart I thank y’all for sending such wonderful comments my way. It keeps me fueled and makes me want to share the best information I can possibly give. Thank you for letting me know I’ve helped you in any way to not just find shells but to enjoy the entire hunt for shells. Thats really my goal…. to share the whole experience of shelling! So thank you, thank you thank you and your welcome to to nth degree. its my pleasure to share life’s adventures! xo
Hi Pam!
Have you noticed that the erosion is seasonal? Or does it happen whenever? I notice when we go to the beach in Maine in the winter and early spring it is hilly and uneven. Then by summer, it is flat and even again!
Minis don’t take up as much room in your luggage! I was able to put everything in my carry on. At blind pass captiva, I found two new shells under the ledge. You need to do the stoop! I found a dove strawberry cockle and a circular chinese hat (which is 12mm or smaller and very easy to overlook). So don’t be discouraged if the shells don’t leap out at you. Pat
Very good on the dove strawberry cockle! :)
Congrats to Bruce on that giant wentletrap and thanks too for the olive.
Bruce’s angulate wentletrap must be very near to the world record size for that species, which is one inch, or 25 mm.
Susan, you have a good eye. On Sanibel Island I have found the Angulate Wentletrap up to about an inch, 2.5-2.6 mm in length, but they do come larger than that. If I remember correctly, a few years back a 30 mm Angulate Wentletrap won a prize in the Sanibel Shell Show. Since a dime has a diameter of just under 18 mm, I guesstimate that Bruce’s Angulate Wentletrap is about 33 mm in length. It certainly is a large one. The World Record Size (aka WRS) for the Angulate Wentletrap is about 34 mm. So, it might be worthwhile for Bruce to show his shell to Dr. Leal for measurement. If it had the entire tip or protoconch, it might actually be a new WRS. It may be one anyway.
That would be cool! Dr. Leal might like to add it to the display of world record size shells in the museum!
I see now that the supposed world record of 34.3 mm for that species has never been confirmed with a photo, so it is not reliable.
I had some excellent mini shelling luck this morning! I found about 15 mini whelks, a mini pear whelk, a mini paper fig, lots of wormies, a couple of mauve-mouth drills, a sharp-rib drill and a small handful of shark eyes. Even though it doesn’t seem like the shelling has been that great this week, I have a pile of really nice shells that would say otherwise. I, too, am thankful for all the info you have blogged. I read and reread tons of this info before we came down. It made a huge difference in my shelling, so…..thank you so much!!
Wow! Yes, you did have some excellent shelling! Where were you when you found them?
I believe I was at the lighthouse, Julie. You really have to get down close and look. :)
I was so pleased to run into Bruce again shelling last evening because we were really wondering what the actual size was of his beautiful wentletrap. He said it measured 1.25″!
Ooo, that’s a biggie alright! You really need calipers to measure in order to be properly accurate, but It sounds as if Bruce should take that shell in and let Dr. Leal examine it.
P.S. It is a pity that the tip of the shell is missing; if it was completely intact it would be even larger!