We had a golden opportunity to watch a healthy, live GOLDEN OLIVE that Sara found in the water on our iLoveShelling adventure boating to Cayo Costa with Captiva Cruises on Friday. It’s always so thrilling to see a GOLDEN OLIVE (which is the not-so-common yellow color form of the LETTERED OLIVE) much less, be able to the live creature come out to say hi. Of course Sara placed it back in the water where she found it after I quickly snapped a few photos. So cool- good eye Sara!
The Shellucky Bucket of shells really works! On each of my shelling trips, I have a bucket of shells that pass around so everybody can pick a lucky shell to put in their pocket to give them a little bit more luck on our day together. Most shellers are already lucky but I feel like Clark and I are lucky enough so we want to share our luck by putting our shells we collect in the Shellucky Bucket so shellers like Barbara (CA), Judy and Bill (Fort Myers) to tune into even more Rambo shellapathic senses. haha
Every single time I step on the beach at Cayo Costa, there’s a special feeling I get. I think it’s called… peaceful and easy.
And it’s exciting! Sharon, Gina, Sue and Barb from Kansas City, MO all found SAND DOLLARS.
So did local sheller Dale from Ft Myers.
Dave and Becky (Kansas) found SAND DOLLARS too along with some other nice finds too.
Kelli (MN) was searching in the high tide wrack line for the mini shells.
She found a few shells that I haven’t found in a while… a MORTON’S EGG COCKLE (golden!) and a SPECKLED TELLIN. She was also happy to find her first BABYS EAR.
Susie and Chris from Oregon found sweet little COMB BITTERSWEETS in this same shell line pictured above.
I love how each of the COMB BITTERSWEETS have their own unique patterns and golden colors on them.
This was a special girls trip for Irma and Joyce who were visiting SW Florida from Canada. Joyce knew every single shell name so it was so much fun to see what they were finding.
Bivalves! Be still my heart. They were thrilled to have found quite a few Purplish Tagelus and to realize how many different colors of JINGLES and COQUINAS are found on Cayo Costa.
Jackie and Ritchie visiting from Flagler Beach found a few faves… COCKLES and CONCHS.
It’s always so much fun to hang out with so many fabshellous beach combers together in one place to really see how we all find so much joy on the beach.
I looooove to see all of the different treasures and identify the ones that are firsts time finds for folks. The largest white shell is a BABYS EAR, the brown shell to the left of it is a COFFEE MELAMPUS and the small white shell is a WHITE MELAPUS.
Teresa from North Carolina found all sorts of gifts from the sea and is also showing off her other gifts too- a new bumper sticker and $25 gift certificate from Sealife By Congress .
On every iLoveShelling shelling trips, each passenger receives that $25 gift certificate from Congress Jewelers on Sanibel (and the iLoveShelling bumper sticker- heehee). Oh happy days!
It was so much fun to see friends Cliff and Tina on our trip too with their family Scott and Tracy. It was such a beautiful day and seeing y’all made it that much better!
You can join us on one of our iLoveShelling adventures too! For dates and info CLICK HERE
Your trips to Cayo Casto are always so much fun. My sister Holly still raves about our trip with you last September.
Will you have a shelling cruise between March 5-12?
I’m so sorry Connor but I haven’t been able to book the dates yet for March. I will try to get the dates for the next 6months together soon. Thanks for checking!
i’ve never found a sand dollar when we’ve gone to cayo costa. if i can’t find the regular bitter, i like the comb bitteresweet. your passengers certainly found a nice variety of shells. i love all your pictures. pat
Looks like you had a wonderful day!! And how interesting & cool to see the LIVE Golden Olive!! With a long ND winter looming ahead I sure am looking forward to the next time I can visit FL, and hopefully go on one of your shelling cruises. (**Fingers crossed**) Thanks again for another great post, Pam!
We are on the island and just wondered how we would know if something shellatious would happen. Thanks, your shell-shocked fan, Louanna
Hi Pam
When you do know your March schedule for the Cayo Costa trips could you please post them. We are visiting the third week of March and would love to book a few seats on the boat.
Thanks,
Cathie