Jul
11
A Plate Stuffed With Shells
By
Okay- I’m getting jealous now too. Clark had another exceptional day shelling yesterday (Sunday) off West Gulf Drive. He sent me this photo he took along with this note “…..today’s finds at number 6 while visiting with Mary and Dick. Dick and I played golf earlier at Beachview and I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re both much better shellers than golfers.”
Here’s a picture he took of all the shells he found Friday and Saturday. Not a bad weekend, huh. You can click on the photo to make it larger for your own virtual shelling experience like I did. Can you name all the shells? Did you see that big beautiful JUNONIA? Thanks Clark!
Niiiiice! Clark referred to “number 6″. What or where is that? I think I did pretty good with your shell identification challenge; only thanks to you, Pam!
Hi Donna,
Congrats on your shell ids! As for the “# 6″ … I’ve added a link on the post to a map to show yall exactly where it is off West Gulf Drive. There are 7 small beach access parking lots that are only designated for cars with resident stickers on them. The biggest public parking lot near there is Tarpon Beach Rd lot. There are a few small hotels on West Gulf and ts also a nice bike ride down that street.
ohmygosh!!! That’s awesome! Congrats, Clark!!
What are the 2 shells in the top picture on the bottom left hand corner? They look like pieces of rawhide.
Those are called operculums. They are the trap door like thing that you see when you pick up live shells.
Oh Jesse! Thank you sistah!!! xo
lol more like brother im a boy!
Woops! You know what they say about “assume”. Well lets try again….. Thank you Jesse! Way to go Bro.
They are operculums! These are the “doors” of the mollusk that seal the opening when they don’t won’t a predator to be able to get at them. We just think it’s fun to find them too since you don’t see them that often. Look at this post… http://www.iloveshelling.com/blog/2010/12/20/brilliant-colors-of-the-sea/
What is the shell in the top pic below and to the right of the florida cone, to the left of the 2 olives and above the large fighting conch? It looks like a cross between a murex (texture) and a fighting conch (color)!!
Great job Clark..I guess you are doing okay, down there in paradise all by yourself!! Keep up the good work!!
Cheri – I was wondering the same thing.
Think is a apple murex. The angel may make it look unknown.
Yes! It’s an apple murex. I just got home to Sanibel (!) so I had to look at the shell itself because Clark told me he found some “freaks” for me to look at. The apple murex has some really great coloring so that’s why it looks unusual. I can’t wait to show yall the freaks he found for my next post and I’ll also show that pretty murex too.
Great Shells Clark! Nice Junonia, too! I’m with Kali though, what are the 2 shell in the bottom left corner of Sunday’s shells? I’ve never seen anything like them.
Ok, now he’s just showing off! But we love him anyway.
You found my junonia!! What an assortment!!
Great shelling finds, Clark! How nice that he kept up the search and provided pics for the blog while you were with your mother. Hope she doing well!
Was wondering if all the conchs in the top pic are Florida fighting conchs or are there two varieties? The coloration is quite different– top versus bottom.
I counted 7 fighting conchs. Yes – they come in so many beautiful colorations of brown/tan/orange/yellows!
Really Beautiful collection! We had similar luck off blind pass w/ florida cones, murexes, olives, etc., but I have shell envy for that beautiful junonia you found!!!
Can’t wait to find one like that-c’mon weekend!
Great finds! Would love you to share how you display all of your shells!
Let’s just say if the shelling is flat on the beach – head for Pam’s garage ;D
You crack me up! But you are right, normally we have a garage full but after we threw out so many shells for the parade, we’ll have to restock……sort of.
Clark always finds such great shells – thanks for keeping up the blog with pictures while you were away!
Super Clark strikes again!
Um,Mary Jo Shannon
Hope all is well with your Mom and I’m sure as you came over the causeway you were saying “there’s no place like home and wonder what goodies Clark found today”.
Is that a Scotch bonnet I see? How lucky can one man get? Well, he got you, right?
That is truly an awesome bunch of shells. I used to go shelling with the shell lady of Cayo Costa, the late Carol Sellars. She would be proud!!!!
Hope all is well with your mother!
Clark is THE supersheller!!!!! Very great finds…