How quickly the beach changes with each wave.
Right before my eyes, a WHELK appears…
I was very lucky this week to have a TRUE TULIP wash up on one of my beach walks last week at Gulfside City Park beach as well.
And an ANGEL WING… always magical.Magical
A colorful FLAME BOX CRAB shell…
This little cutie too… a CALICO CRAB shell.
Over the weekend as I walked across from Sanibel to Captiva on the Blind Pass bridge, I saw Mike (VA) walking with a huge shell in his hand… A huge empty HORSE CONCH! He found it on the new sand bar in the pass on the Captiva side (you can see a little of it in the photo to the right). So awesome.
Yep, the sand has been gathering here for about a month to make the sand bar again. It catches some really good stuff whenever it appears.
When I got to the other side of those jetty rocks, there’s still a huge shell pile. It’s been coming and going here for about a month too. The shells get washed into a big pile then taken back out… then washed in again.
If you just dig through, it seems there’s always something to uncover…
I found a nice JUNONIA but it had already been cracked open and had made a nice meal for some BOX CRAB… but I think it’s a fun piece anyway.
My fave find though was this sweet little perfect ZIG ZAG FLAT SCALLOP- such a beautiful color.
Although I love my little FLAT, I am so happy for Jeanne who found this absolutely drop dead gorgeous teeny tiny little LIONS PAW. It’s so dang cute I can’t stand it!
I’m so sorry I haven’t been posting as much these days – where does the time go? As soon as I get home from the beach, there’s never enough time any more to get my photos arranged. But rest assured, I still have so many stories to tell you as well as I will soon be showing you some fun exhibits from the 79th Annual Sanibel Shell Festival coming up this Thursday through Saturday March 3, 4 and 5, 2016. I hope to see you there!
Join me on one of our next iLoveShelling Adventures…
Very nice pics Pam! And what a drop-dead gorgeous baby lions paw! Wow.
Thanks Susan! Can you believe that baby? And she said it was out of the water like that- no picking needed. Wow
Thanks so much for sharing these great photos and the info about how the beach at Blind Pass has returned! We will see you again this year, on the May 2nd Cayo Costa trip! Can’t wait!
Yesssssss Linda!
So excited! We are moving back to Florida after another bad winter in NY. Can’t wait. Thx for all your amazing pics and shell info. Ron & Kelli
I usually go to Sanibel in May or October. But one year I went in March. Lucky me! I got to go to the shell show. It was fantastic! A must for any sheller out there. I was mesmerized by the shell flower arrangements. They looked so real.
I was there for the 75th & plan on being there for the 80th!
Pam, your photos of your Magical Moments on the Beach brought Magic to my gray day in North Dakota today! Thanks!! (My hubby loves looking at your photos, too!)
WOW! Talk about beach bling! Such pretty crab shells! That perfect tulip shell is to die for! You are so blessed! Thanks for bringing the beach to me on this boring Monday!
Shelby
OH… your 2nd photo!! The capture of the blanket of sea foam and shells IS just beautiful :)
Shellotte
I completely agree with Charlotte- your second image is really lovely. I was so looking forward to being on Sanibel Island the week of March 20th but we’ve had to postpone our trip since our Canadian dollar has taken such a huge hit. Hope to send a week on the island sometime in the not so distant future. Love your posts Pam!
Cathie
Oops, that should be “spend a week on the island”
Love your posts Pam! I’m near Naples and have learned so much from your blogs/posts! I saw a whelk egg casing on Sunday south of Lowdermilk and felt so proud that I actually KNEW what it was! Thank you for teaching us so much about shelling!
Beautiful pictures Pam. It’s always amazing to see the continual change at Blind Pass. LOVE the tiny lions paw!
Pam, I don’t want to question the shell’pert but that “true tulip” looks banded to me.
Beautiful color tho.
The tulip in images 1 and 2 is a banded tulip, but the tulip in image 4 is a true tulip. :)
Yes! Thank you Susan xoxo! Hi Marie- I’m so sorry I didn’t get back to you… It’s shell fair week and the island is as busy as a bee with lots of people (and cars- ha). But yes, that was the best true tulip I found that day- that’s exactly how I found it on the beach sitting there as pretty as a picture- gorgeous.
Such beautiful shells there is there! I am originally from Texas & moved To Javksonville area 1 yr ago, it’s a shame I can’t find those here 😟 But I hope to visit Sanibel this spring or summer! Thanks for all the great pics!
I’m on Sanibel this week, and the large horse conch shells are everywhere. I’ve personally found 4, and I must have seen 20-30 in the hands of other shellers. They all smell recently deceased, and I can’t help but think the emptying of Lake Okeechobee is to blame.