Clark and I found loads of shells at Gulfside City Park yesterday and collected a few really sweet ones. Most of the sea shells we saw were the common clams and other bivalves but it’s funny to me how everybody sees something different when they look at a pile of shells like this. It’s the Is-The-Glass-Half-Full scenario. What do you see… Lots of shells? Or a picked over pile that has “nothing” in it?
I see a beautiful beach that has miles of shoreline to explore, don’t you?
Rachelle and Justin are always happy when they are on the beach and they found some nice shells in the water using their shell backhoes. They both found CONES- an awesome ALPHIE and a beauty of a FLORIDA.
Holly and Cathy from Indiana were searching in those shell piles and up high on the beach.
Cathy found her very first WENTLTRAP among some other sweet minis. I think my favorite ones she found were the teeniest tiniest little TURKEY WINGS. They are hard to see in this photo but they are perfectly darling.
I’m also usually tickled to run across a funny beach sculpture like this dog and bone… But! Remember folks, it’s SEA TURTLE nesting season. Please don’t build tall sand sculptures or dig trenches to cause mother SEA TURTLES to have false crawls or for the babies to get trapped. It’s so stinkin adorable but I’m sure SCCF turtle trackers will decide if it needs to be smoothed out.
In those photos, I see HOURS of fun sifting through the shell pile looking for treasures!!!
I see the glass half full!!! Nice finds. I was looking a bit yesterday and today near Holiday Inn. I didn’t find anything That is okay, the sound of the surf was my gift both days!
I see… more shells than anyone has a right to expect in their whole lifetime!!! Sanibel is amazing.
I am in the West Indies right now, and I am searching hard and finding some very interesting things, but nothing beats Sanibel for: a million, zillion, up to your knees in shells!
Have a great trip Susan. Be sure to tell us about your finds.
I agree with you about Sanibel. No place like it on earth!
My glass spilleth over!
Wentletraps! Oh my!
I stayed at a condo on this beach last week and have no complaints about the shells I found! I found a florida cone, wentle traps, knobbed whelks, lightening welks, olives and so much more. I must have walked 30 miles up and down the beach last week. Shelling any where is a joy! It’s amazing to see these beautiful creatures alive, we foiund many fighting conchs, a couple of whelks and many many live sand dollars that we just enjoyed looking at. And how mother nature shares the beautiful shells with us to take home is equally amazing! I have so many shells I shipped a box home, it will be like Christmas when the arrive later this week.
I see possibilities. Another bunch of shells that might just have a really neat shell hiding in it somewhere, if I’ll just look. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m addicted to shelling. I guess it’s a good thing were hundreds of miles from any ocean. I might never get any work done unless it involved shells!!! Can’t wait to get back to Sanibel. Can someone tell me the best fall month to go there?
I’m addicted to shelling by too Phyllis! I try to get out to the beach at least once a week and it’s not enough! 😁
any day here my glass is half full, i love coming here, Sunday i found a Sunray Venus Clam, beautiful, now i have to figure out how to get it home on the plane. Wish i could share pictures.😊
Nope, that’s us Justin and Rachelle. :-)
Arrived in paradise yesterday after low tide. Still had just as much fun hunting for shells 😀. Found some candies to keep and saw a live candy yesterday along with live fighting conch today. Lots of pen shells up my way. Found some nice tulips today. I will have to look for you on the beach this week!!
Judy, where on the island are you? My daughter and I are here and have been looking for candies and larger shells.
I am off of West Gulf Drive.
just walking the beach is a blessing. However, , if I don’t find shells on the tide line, I sit and sift thru the areas of the beach that are dry and seem to have some shells on the top of the sand. I have done this on Casperson and Venice beaches this past weekend and found many unusual shells I have never seen before. Very exciting!
There is always something new to discover.
good for all- shelling is for everyone to enjoy whenever and where ever great post I love shelling r.g.stein
Hi! I love your website and Sanibel. I was wondering if you could please tell me the name of the shell in your May 12 post. First photo with shells in hand. There is a long thin shell. I find these, and we call them sting ray tails, but never knew what they were. Thank you!
It’s a catfish bone! I learned that from Capt Brian Holaway- he has a couple of stingray barbs stuck in his hat and they r much straighter with very cool little barbs on each side. This is one of two sharp bones that a catfish has on each side.
Thank you Pam!
If we are staying in Captiva and would like to go on your ilove shelling cruise on July 7th to big hickory island, where does cruise leave from? We won’t have a car so wanting to know what would be the easiest way to get there!
It will take you 50 minutes or so to get to Salty Sams Marina for the iL Sight Sea-R cruise to Big Hickory. Soooo… I’m not sure what a cab would cost so you could check that. Hmmmm but it might be cheaper to rent a car for the day. I hope u can work it out!!!! I’d love for yall to join us. :)
I see lots of tiny little special wonders <3
Every shell pile holds a treasure for somebody. We’re not all looking for the same shells so what I pass up, somebody else might want, and vice versa. Every shell is a gem from God. It’s up to the sheller if they want that gem or not!