The sunset at Bowman’s Beach last night was picture perfect… but then so were the shells.
I was combing through a wide string of shells a mile long when I came across half buried spots in the sand… omigosh! Rasher frasher… just a piece. But a biiiig piece of JUNONIA. It’s a big beautiful piece of spotted goodness that I will definitely keep for the Shellaboratory.
There was nothing wrong with fabshellous ZIGZAG FLAT SCALLOP though…
There were all sorts of different shells washed up on the beach. Not only did I find that big honkin JUNONIA frag but I found OLIVES, FIGHTING CONCHS, colorful CALICO and ROUGH SCALLOPS, 2 other FLATS,  couple of WORMIES. The really surprising thing was that I found two ROSE PETAL TELLINS (just below that FLAT at the tip of my fingers). Cool!
I was such a lovely evening hanging out with my friend Ellen (Shellen) …
She found some nice beauties too.
Since the weather was gorgeous, we decided to ride bikes to the beach.
I’m so happy we did since we found out where the shells have been hiding!
The last time I rode bikes to Bowmans Beach was with my buddy Diane a couple of weeks ago. (She was with me when we saw the BOBCAT on North Captiva… hmmmm she was also with me when I found my whole JUNONIA– I need to take her shelling with me more often!) I just realized I never posted this awesome video of our bike ride down one of the paths to the beach. We saw two GOPHER TORTOISES flying down the path directly at us.
I seriously don’t think they thought we had food since we saw them so far down the path already moving so fast. It took me a few minutes to get my camera out and they were still in a full gallop… then I had to get off my bike to let them pass by. It was crazy! Here’s the video…
I might be visiting Bowman’s Beach a little more often now, don’t you think?
Those turtles were really moving!! Have fun!!
Lee
Ha ha, think they were racing each other!!!
Wow, what a really huge chunk of Junonia! That must have been a really nice large shell when it was still whole. I wonder if some critter broke it when they ate it!
And the tortoises are gorgeous! I wonder what the story was there…
Is it tortoise mating season?
Love the gopher tortoises! It’s mating season! I think that’s a male doggedly pursuing a female!
Haha well, that’s what I thought too and maybe it was. We watched them for a while more but didn’t see any more “signs”. If u listen really carefully, you can hear him (what I called the “him” that was the pursuer) hissing when they got in front of my bike. Maybe he was panting since they were “racing”- dunno .. But it sure was fun seeing them! We couldn’t believe how fast they r!
Wow! What a great video and Junonia find! I’ve never been to Bowman’s beach in all my trips to Sanibel. I guess I better in June!
The beach and shell pictures are beautiful and I love the gopher turtle video. But the fact that you also have a bike in your favorite color brought the biggest grin of all! Looks like a lot of fun.
Well, yes, I said “my bike” but I meant the bike I was riding. I wish that was my bike! It’s Diane’s bike that I borrowed from her. It was a last minute decision to ride bikes so I jumped on her daughters bike…. of course I picked the Aqua one. Hahaha I think I’m gonna paint mine now.
Beautiful as always, Pam! I love all of Sanibel’s beaches, but Bowman’s in particular is special to me, since that’s where my husband proposed! (Cue the “awwwws.”)
We’ll be down again in a month or so. *squee* I hope you catch you somewhere!
Awwwwwww! I hope to see you again too- maybe on Bowmans ;)
Love the flat scallops and gopher tortoises!! Hope to find both in June. Life is good, right Pam? :)
Those gopher tortoises kill me! How funny it is to see tortoises (or can they also be called turtles??) go so fast! And that sunset photo is absolutely beautiful. Thanks again, Pam!
Looks like 2 wwII helmuts with legs!
When we were on Sanibel in July of last year our 12 year old found a juvenile junonia two days before we were to go home. AND we saw THE BOBCAT as well on our first night driving around the island at dusk, it was just roaming across one of the streets we drove down and crossed over walking up the driveway of a big beautiful home. We were speechless and didn’t have time to snap a photo but it will FOREVER be ingrained in our memory banks : ) Coming back this July and hope to do one of your Shelling cruises! Thank you for your website and all your beautiful pictures!
Oh this piece makes me so excited to return to Sanibel!
Thank you for sharing your memories and for the
Sweet pictures.
We know the tortoises weren’t running for the water! What an oportunity for you. Like you Pam I carry my camera with me when I go the beach. I missed a chance to make a video of several horse conchs getting up and walking. Love the junonia. Happy shelling. Pat
Hey Pam!
That is a huge piece of Juninia shell for sure!! Wow! Gorgeous photos too.
Trying to pin down Kenny for our next trip. I want to come next month but not sure he can. If not hope to see you in June.
I love Bowman’s Beach. And now that I know that you found that big piece of Junonia, I will definitely stop there next time.
Really beautiful shells!!!
I wonder – do you think that shell pile is still there today ? Thinking of driving in
I would guess that there was love in the air for those turtles. If you picked them up the male would have a concave plastron (bottom plate) so that he doesn’t fall off of the female when he gets serious. The fact that he zigged when she zigged and zagged when she zagged says sex was on his mind. I don’t know when Gopher turtles mate but here in NJ June is turtle month.
Aha! So thats how you tell the male from the female… not that I would have picked him up during this- he was on a mission. Any interference and I may have lost a finger- he was already hissing. thanks MEM!
Lucky you!
OMG I’ve never visited your SHELLABORATORY before. All I can say is WOW!! You could open your own museum!!
Haha Christine, thank u. And I just be adding on to it this summer- I already need more room! Lol
Those are some speedy tortoises! And those shell pictures are beautiful. You truly are living the dream.
Hi Pam, I just saw your shark post, really fun! I’d seen that group setting up about a week ago
Bowmans beach is spectacular indeed. A wide open white sand Gulf beach with natural vistas everywhere. On our last visit we did not fine many shells there, but the beaches and shelling conditions vary widely from day to day. Love the zigzag flat scallop and video of the Gopher Tortoises.