The Sanibel Ligthhouse is all dressed up for Christmas with wreaths and big red bows bringing festivity to the salty air.Â
The cool, windy air brought a few of my favorite shellers out to the beach as well… like Wanda and Lori. It’s always so much fun to see yall- “Shello” to your family!
As soon as I walked on the beach, I met Ruth Anne and Mark (VA) who showed me a beautiful TULIP and WHELK they found in the water on the way to the Sanibel pier. Thank you for the tip! I headed that way and found some too.
On the way around that east tip of the island, I saw Penny who I met on our shelling adventure to Big Hickory in July. She found an abshellutely beautiful double SPINY JEWELBOX that was “cemented” to a CROSS-BARRED VENUS – like Mother Nature crafted the perfect little display stand to show off the long spines and dabs of purple she painted on the inside of this artful shell.
As you can see in this next picture (wet shorts and nets), Penny and her husband Greg found most of their shells in the water but there were plenty of shells scattered along the beach too.
So…. I took a video while I was shelling around those tree roots that I’ll show you. I miss doing my videos! So I filmed some fun shelling around the tree roots (in between the lighthouse and pier) where Mark told me he found his TULIP. But…. Ugh- now I remember why I haven’t posted videos lately. The dang thing won’t download clearly! I took this next vid on my iPhone 6s – if someone can tell me why it won’t download to Youtube without being clear, please give me tips so I can get y’all some good footage? It takes hours to download.
Until then, pretend like the water has splashed up on your sunglasses like you know it does… and keep shelling through the water drops on your lens. Hey, we do that any way, right? When there are shells washing in, we dont have time to get out our little lens cloths and clean our sunglasses off- we just work around it and get shells and bling while the gettin’s good. Oh… and watch out for those tree roots too! Dont worry about the bumps and bruises we’ll get when those branches stab us in the ribs or bump your head while we work around them… we’ll heal later. hahaha Ok, and one more thing… if you get a little queazy when the camera is moving too fast to catch those shells, you might not want to watch this while drinking a milkshake- just saying. heehee
Even through your salty sunglasses, it’s still fun, right? Ha! Did you see Penny and Greg in the background still shelling too? fun! After I took the video and a few photos of the shells I found, I realized that I really didn’t need to take any of these shells home, the Shellaboratory is filled with these same shells so I left them for someone else that may not have found as much…
Just seconds later, a taker. Yes!
Hahaha, I would have been a taker, too!! Beautiful pictures as always!! I like it that the lighthouse has Christmas decoration.
Only 165 days until I can return!!!
That’s my favorite spot at low tide. All the half buried shells are so much fun to find. Thanks for the video, almost like I was there.
Great pictures. I can’t believe all the trees down at the lighthouse. When we were there last month I never made it down there….my husband told me there was very little beach left. I am jealous that I am not still there. I love Sanibel and shelling. Thanks for sharing your pictures n videos.
Pam,
Loved seeing the video of you “rooting” out shells by the Lighthouse. We did the same the week after our Big Hickory cruise with you, and came away with two lovely lightning whelks like the one you pictured and two tulips as well. Thanks for keeping the memories fresh.
Absolutely love that picture of the fighting conch on the wood with the lighthouse in the background. Wonderful idea for a photo! Love that long soothing video, too. It was like a B12 shot-made me energetic to get back there and play. Merry Christmas to you! Lynn
I’ve been away a while (offline)… is the sea level rising that much or is it just a really high tide? The water’s edge seems to be right up in the vegetation.
We are coming to Sanibel for 2 weeks, 2/6-2/20, and I’m hoping to find the elusive FROND OYSTER. Any ideas where to find them?
Hi Bruce,
The Frond Oyster isn’t an every day find for us and we haven’t found them at any particular beach or in any particular weather condition. So…. I’m not sure to tell you “where” to look other than in the same shell lines on the beach that we look for any other shell- just keep your eyes peeled. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you find one!
We found a pretty purple one at blind pass today, if that helps :)
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!! for enduring the elements to bring us such a great video. This is my most favorite type of video—when you’re in the water looking for shells!!!
We usually stay at Lido Beach Resort in Sarasota and they have what (I think) is called a breakwater. (A long protrusion of rocks jutting out from the beach into the ocean…) And the last day of our last vacation it was very windy (like in the video you just made). Well, I stayed next to that breakwater and caught all kinds of shells that were rolling in. I had to be SUPER quick, but I got a lot of beautiful Olives, Lightning Whelks, Cockles & Fighting Conchs. And next to the breakwater I found all kinds of smaller shells in piles, like Augers & Cross Barred Venus shells. I had a blast!!!
So thanks again for this video and reminding me of the last–but awesome–shelling day that I had!
Thank you for taking the time to add this video. It was so nice to hear the waves and see the ocean – even if it was a cloudy day. It feels like forever since I was there (9 months) and this really helped me to re-connect.
I love your 1st photo – very cool. I hope you and Clark enjoyed the Luminary Festival. Looks like not too much rain. :)
Darn! We were at the wrong beach this morning, I guess. Good finds! We’ll try lighthouse beach at low tide this afternoon.
I love that you left your shells for a “taker.”
The lighthouse was our favorite place to shell this last time we were there. When Richard sees the video he’ll think he just loosen the shells for you, he was always digging by the roots. And you finally got a cool front after we left. When we left last Wed. at 6:30 a.m. it was already 72 degrees.
Great video! I still can’t watch them on my NOOK, but I can enlarge it on the computer. Loved the sound of the waves lapping on the beach. It looked like you were walking through a mine field with all the branches attacking you. About 3 minutes into the video it looked like you had a flat scallop? I love your blue jacket. Because we had to cancel our trip next year, these videos will have to keep me going. Pat
Hi Pam,
Your video was fun. It looked pretty good to me, maybe that’s why I have an eye doctor appointment tomorrow. I’m looking forward to my arrival christmas day. I had a knee replacement a couple of months ago. I hope limping around on the beach and shelling will be good therapy. I’m hoping to take Kaitlyn , Matt and Karley on one of the shelling trips with you.
Pam, I have followed your website for years and it has been a ray of sunshine up here in Albany, NY. I have enjoyed your beautiful posts, the beach cams and tide charts. I do not care for the new format and loss of the the beach cams and tide charts. My wife and I come to the Beachview Cottages on your beautiful island once or twice a year and the whole family with all the grandkids every other year. We have all become avid shellers due to your site and have used it as a build up to the excitement. All of us even have have shelling scoopers just like Clark’s. Please bring back the “I Love Shelling” site we have all grown to love and follow.
Thanks much, Art Dombrowski
Art – I usually use my Nook to look at the web site. If I turn it sideways there is a listing for web cams and tides plus shell ID. If I have it straight up and down they don’t show up. I do have some problems, but I think it’s my nook. I can’t get her shopping page. How do you manage to pack your shell scoopers? Do you drive down? Pat
Really enjoy the updates. Looking forward to coming to the shell fair in March.
We are visiting Cape Coral Dec 9-15th with my 4 year old daughter. We are from Chicago and all she wants is to find some seashells and maybe a starfish. I’ve read your tips a few times but do you have any other tips you can share so that we can find some shells with her when we make it over there? I doubt we have time to visit many of Sanibel’s beaches so we’d like to make the most of our afternoon out there. Thanks so much!
Hi Pam! I was wondering if you have a calendar to purchase for 2016? I buy them every year, but I haven’t been able to find one yet. I look forward to seeing your wonderful pictures that lead up to the month of October when we spend a few weeks in Sanibel. Thank you, and Happy Holidays to you
Oh Kathy- I wish I made one this year! …but I didn’t. Im so sorry! Thank you so much for asking though xoxo
Just found your site. How exciting! I went to Sanabelle 30 years ago and found next to nothing. Where ever I was I was not in the right place. I am inspired to return. My favorite shelling is in Venice FL where my husband and I hunt Sharks teeth.
Hi Pam! I have been watching your videos for months now and believe I have watched each one a few times. I have been worried about no new videos, so was happy to see it’s a technical glitch that keeps you from posting and not that you have lost interest. I will be in FL in about 80 days; I plan to spend time at the beach after I have picked up a shell guide, net, and a mesh bag to put them in. Now that I know what they are, I am super excited to pick a few. I’m hoping to find fighting conchs, jewel boxes, banded tulips, whelks, and just everything. Thank you so much for posting your adventures. I love to watch them before I go to bed each evening; it is relaxing. Shell on…
Hi Cathy! I’ve missed doing my vids too- it got so frustrating with the glitches… But I think I’ve got it figured out and I just posted one that’s pretty clear today- yay! Lemme know what you think?
I just realized that I had not commented on this post! It was a real joy and pleasure to get to meet you at Lighthouse Beach about three weeks ago! It is still so much fun to reread this post and see the picture you took of my son and me! (Sorry for my sappy grin!) Thanks so much for including us! And thanks for all your videos–I’m always impressed with your keen shell-spotting ability in the midst of all that tidal action!