Archive for May, 2010
Sanibel Shelling on Memorial Weekend
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Colorful moon snail
The moon was full and the low tides were in the early evening this weekend so it was a perfect time to get out and see Mother Nature on the beaches of Sanibel Island. This COLORFUL MOON SNAILwas about 2 1/2 inches round and so beautiful….but I didn’t get to bring it home because he was still alive and well…. that’s a good thing.
apple murex egg case
Last week I posted a picture of an APPLE MUREX mound then MurexKen commented on that post to let us know that it was a female laying eggs. Now, look what I found! This is what those eggs look like with some of the murexes still surrounding them.
Murex egg case
I found another smaller egg case too with only one murex still on it. Not sure if this is the female still laying more eggs but if so, where did all of her men go to?? Did she run them off?
King's crown with egg case
We hit the jackpot when we found this perfect KING’S CROWN in a shallow low tide pool on the east end. When we picked it up, we realized that it was still alive…. but more importantly, she was laying eggs too! She found an old FIGHTING CONCH and decided this would be a perfect place to “birth her babies” 
. We gently put her back in the water where we found her so she could go about her way. We may not have been able to keep that gorgeous shell but just seeing Mother Nature in progress was hitting that jackpot for us.
Cathy (Orlando, FL)
Cathy from Orlando had her cup over-floweth with CALICO SCALLOPS, WHELKS, MUREXES and other treasures. She said she loves to come for weekends to go shelling any chance she gets. It was a beautiful Memorial Day holiday weekend for her to choose.
Low tide shelling
Rose Petal Tellins
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“Lots of fun looking and were rewarded with quite a few doubles and many halves! We love shelling!! 
” -from Tina
She found these ROSE PETAL TELLINS yesterday evening. I don’t find these very often- mostly on sand bars and sand flats on Lover’s Key in Bonita Beach or North Capitva . Please let us know where you found them , Tina, when you get a chance (Sanibel?). Shell crafters love these shells since they are so colorful and larger than the colorful COQUINA. Great finds!
The Gulf is Alive and Well
Posted by: | CommentsLow tide exposed so many live shells this afternoon at the shoreline on Sanibel. We thought we’d find lots of shells to bring home but not today- they were all live. That’s a good thing! It’s wonderful to see all of this sea life alive, well, eating and breeding.
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- Live sand dollar bottom
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- Live snd dollar top
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- Live olive
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- Murex feast
Did you know that live SAND DOLLARS are brown and fuzzy on the bottom and edges? The white smooth ones are dead and you can take them home….if they don’t break on the way.
I think this was the first time I’ve ever seen a live OLIVE! Cool! Can you believe this clump of MUREXES all piled on that PEN SHELL? Of course, after I snapped a photo of these live shells we put them back where we found them….to live happily ever after.
Pink Blinged Out Shell
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Pink blinged out shell to help conch out cancer
- I just love this! You could start something wonderful with this, Brenda! Fantastic idea to give for encouragement to conch out cancer.
- From Brenda the teacher from Grand Rapids, MI -
“My daughter and I read your post about the fighting conchs & cancer and it got us to thinking. In the past 3 months I have had 2 close teacher friends of mine diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. One of them is my age (38) with 2 small children.
My daughter and I had collected several conchs when we were in Pensacola Beach this spring break, so we got them out, sprayed them pink and added some ‘bling’ as little reminders for our friends that they are strong enough ‘conch’ out their cancer.
Thanks for the great idea ”
Tropical Treasure Weekend
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Pear whelk with fluffy clouds
The sky was brilliant blue with white fluffy clouds. The wind was calm so the gulf was like a sheet of glass but just enough breeze to cool the air. It was just like a tropical paradise. Ahhhh. Here are some photos of shells and some other island treasures that I ran into…..all this weekend.
Shell pile at Blind Pass
Lace Murex
Snowy Plover baby on Sanibel
While I was shelling on the east end of Sanibel, Margie from Rochester, NY showed me this cute baby SNOWY PLOVER closely watched by it’s parents. This is an endangered bird so it’s very exciting to see new healthy babies.
Royal terns on North Captiva
Clark with a lightning whelk
Hundreds of live juvenile conchs digging their way back to safety from low tide
Lightning whelk at low tide ....and nothing inside! I got to bring this one home.
From Blind Pass on Captiva to the lighthouse on Sanibel, to boating to North Captiva then back to the east end of Sanibel, the islands were alive, healthy and the prettiest I’ve seen them. Not a bad weekend, I’d say.
Love is…….Shelling
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Sanibel Ann and Nick
On the beach off West Gulf Drive yesterday, I ran in to two shellers I told you about in January. Clark met Sanibel Ann at the lighthouse beach looking for WENTLETRAPS on the 30th of January and then I met Nick with a live ALPHABET CONE on January 23rd. They are stilling combing the beaches for shells……this time I saw them together. Why? Because I just found out they are married. Love is shelling.
My true tulip and Sanibel Ann's horse conch
Sanibel Ann found this beautiful bright yellow HORSE CONCH and within 5 minutes I found this TRUE TULIP that I could describe as maybe terra-cotta color. What color would you describe that as? How ever we describe them, we both consider them great finds for the day.
Clear water off West Gulf Dr in Sanibel
I shot this picture just in case you had any questions about our water clarity and color in the gulf. Gorgeous!
