And then this happened this weekend… I found this spectacsheller empty HORSE CONCH! I was walking along with my  friend Alicia and then… Boom- Shellalaka! I saw part of that bright color shell half buried in the sand.. then galloped towards it and lassoed me a Horsie – Yeehaw. I reined this big bad boy filled with sand and saw it had such a nice lip and this amazing orange yellow color… and… without too many barnacles. Yup, it was bareback! Giddy Up, Horsie!
And Alicia found so many awesome shells too. She and GAIL were especially happy to both find perfect ALPHABET CONES.
We’ve had so many storms, the beach at Gulfside City Park on Sanibel Island is littered with shells of all sorts. Most of the shells were still alive on the beach at low tide which exposed so many creatures we normally don’t get to see. This is a rare time when Mother Nature decides to clean house and let us see what she’s hiding on the floor and under the carpet of the Gulf Of Mexico.
These were a few of the empty shells I found wedged in-between the ARK shells and the live MOLLUSKS.
I’m not exaggerating…. there were thousands of shells. It was overwhelming to even know where to begin to identify all of them so I just enjoyed taking in the view.
After a while, I spotted a few empty shells that were laying right on top.
And still… oodles of SEA URCHINS.
Local shellers Melody and Vickie were as thrilled and curious as I was to just see the awesome sight of the exposed beach filled with live creatures.
They couldn’t get over how gorgeous and perfect the PAPER FIGS and SEA URCHINS were. They are both so delicate.
I’m telling you, it was shocking to see that bright orange creature with so many live HORSE CONCHS exposed. The wild wild west of Florida.
These unbridled HORSES were digging back in to the sand saddling up along side and feasting on other MOLLUSKS while waiting for the tide to cover them up again and take them back to the stable. Most of those BANDED TULIPS were alive and riding horseback but can you spot the sand filled WHELK in between the PEN shell and one of those BANDED TULIPS?
Many people ask if this happens every day… No it doesn’t. Yes, our area on Sanibel and other SW Florida beaches have shells every day but these huge shells just don’t wash up at your feet every day. It’s the circle of life so it’s fun to see live creatures in their natural habitat and to be overwhelmed by Mother Nature. It’s a special occurrence just like fisherman fish for “the big one” or birders trying to spot flocks of ROSEATE SPOONBILLS or looking for DOLPHIN jumping out of the water. All of this happens on special days and mine was this weekend. Shellzam, y’all!
I took lots of video over the course of a week while so many of these HORSE CONCHS and other shells and bling were scattered along the beach because it was even hard for me to wrap my head around the whole scene. A beachcombers dream…
Amazing! I’m speechless!
Sandi C.
Love it!!! Im so excited to vist the end of the month and just be able to get a few little common treasures!!
Very cool! I saw a seastar in one of the photos! I told my hubby that if we want to make sure the oceans aren’t rising, we need to shell more! as that must be the reason the ocean levels are slowly rising – so many shells at the bottom displacing the water! (now he really thinks my shell sickness has taken over!)
Super colors on that pear whelk. Reminds me of 30 yrs. ago while walking the flats at low tide near Buck Key and we came upon a horseshoe crab that was flipped over and being eaten by a colony of colorful pear whelks.
WOW!!!!! Counting the days til I hit the beach! Know you are on a shelling diet, Pam. Did you keep Mr. Horsie?!?! LOL
WOW! Counting the days til I hit the beach. Know you are on a shelling diet, Pam. Did you keep Mr. Horsie? LOL
Not sure why my comment came twice. I AM REALLY EXCITED!!! 😊
Found some candy striped tellins near Gulfside too. Some very cool shells there.
That’s an amazing conch shell! And I love those paper figs. Amazing!!
Wow Pam, did you measure that gorgeous horse conch shell? I wonder how big it is. And really it’s remarkable that it was that big and yet it was still that pretty yellow-orange color.
And zowie, those views of Gulfside — that’s what a good big storm or series of storms can do!
Pam-What was the measurement on that big horsie? I’m coming Monday-you’re getting me all excited! Probably everything will be quieted down by the time I get there. LOL!
Shelling Sister Susan
Pam, where did you find that amazing horse conch? At Gulfside?
Love that you found such a large colorful empty horse conch – it is beautiful!! You have been finding such gorgeous large shells lately. Really happy for you :-). One of these years I will have to come there in the winter. Love all of the shells everyone found! Also love seeing the live shells and always hope they can dig themselves back in after being exposed from the storms and tides.
Wow! Such beautiful shells. One of your best posts ever. Especially love the paper figs – they seem hard to come by in one piece. Makes me want to board the next southbound 737 to Florida before they are gone.
This is awesome! What a great find, and in such great condition too! Looks like it was a sheller’s dream there this weekend!
Unbelievable finds. Way to go cowgirl,,,,,errrr shellgirl!
Just spent 4 months at Sanibel, trying everything anyone suggested. I found some few shells, but nothjng on the scale described here, i found the beach to be lovely, the shelling, quite disappointing.
Hope there are still lots of big ones left the last week in March. The storms hit the night I left in January :(
Fantastic find!! I’m sure Clark is very happy for you and glad it came home with you.
I’m hoping Thursday will be a good day that’s when we will be there!! I can’t wait!
Wow!!!!…is all I can say!!!..I have a friend who lives on Sanibel and she has kept me posted on all the shells..she said she has never seen anything like it.!!!!..Happy to hear that everyone is collecting them!!:)
Good eyes, Pam! That ginormous horse conch is gorgeous. I really love that last picture with all the banded tulips. Wish I was still there!
All I can say is WOW!
Pam, Annette and I are thinking alike…I was wondering how you could possibly pass up some of those beautiful shells–not just the gorgeous horse conch, which you had to keep, but the amazing figs, whelks, and so many others. Maybe this is time for “splurging” a little bit–like they tell dieters. Makes it easier to stick to a diet long-term if you can indulge every now and then. ;-) I wish we had been able to stay longer than last Wednesday. But the extra days we stayed because of the snow up here were an amazing gift! Those Sanibel memories will keep me warm through the rest of the winter.
I’m being really good! Of course I kept the yellow horse conch (although I actually found another one -not as good shape- that I gave away) and I also kept the Sharks eye in the one photo. I found a gorgeous true tulip that didnt make it in any of the photos- I kept that. But I gave all the other shells away. I brought home 3 shells. Yay!!!! I feel Really good!
What did that horse conch measure?
Shelling Sister Susan
We were just down there, and went out on your Big Hickory Island trip, but a couple days before that my girlfriend found a Horseconch that looks to be the same size as yours. Just about 14 inches. We were wondering how old something like that was when it was alive. Thanks, Hunter
Wow I think you have awesome shelling skills or luck! Congratulations on such a wonderful horse conch it sure is a beauty.
I’m here to tell you folks, ‘Ol Eagle Eyes Pam can still bring it. She is a sheller extraordinaire:-) And yes, that Horsie is as big as it looks; probably 14″ right Pam? It was perfectly cleaned by mother nature and ready to set on her coffee table…
Alicia ( the tag-along sheller who didn’t spot the ginormous horsie)
Can’t believe we never saw you and Gail while we were there in Nov. Shelling definitely looks better now, Nov. was pretty slow.
Pam that has to be a record breaker, could be a entry at the shell fair this year. We’ve been watching the webcams and seeing all those pen shells lining the beach and knowing there would be a lot of treasures to be found.
Almost fell out of my chair when I saw this! I am absolutely thrilled for you Pam. What amazing color and size.
Absolutely amazing! My husband I would just lose it if we stumbled on this! I didn’t even know they were that big! What an adventure!!
How I miss shelling in Sanibel and Ft Myers Beaches. I now live in Key West and this sea and shores are barren. Can’t wait to take a trip up there. Love your page. Happy shelling!
Wow! That’s amazing! We just moved to Florida and bought our dream home! I’m looking to go full florida coastal decor!!! Need me some beautiful sea shells!!!! So I’ve been looking for the best shelling beaches! Crongrats on the big one!!! I’ll have to add that beach to my list!