Two True Tulips In One Whopping Week
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I got a call from friend and shelling guide Captain Brian about this guy Nick Hahn who comes to Sanibel every year and is a shell magnet. This year in only one week, he found these two huge colorful TRUE TULIPS! He found one at Cayo Costa (on one of the out islands on a shelling trip) and the second one he found in between Blind Pass Sanibel and Bowmans Beach. He said he even found a few more but they were alive so he had to put those back.
He also found a white spined SEA URCHIN that someone told him was special. Hmmm. I’ve seen a few of these on the beach but I just assumed they were just bleached by the sun. So when I saw this one with all of his other beach combing treasures, I looked it up. Sure enough, there is a WEST INDIAN SEA EGG found in Florida (but mostly more south in the Caribbean) with white spines.
After looking closer, the test is of this URCHIN is almost black instead of the purplish color of the PURPLE SEA URCHIN that we often see after a storm. I’ll have to add this to my Beach Bling Identification page!
Isn’t it so appropriate that he also found this very unusual pattern on a FIGHTING CONCH with the letter “H” on it ….. for Hahn? Congrats on all your special finds, Nick!
I’m SO jealous – I’ve yet to find one that wasn’t still someone’s home.
Wow, those Tulips are gorgeous! My daughter is going to flip out when she sees these after school!
Holy Moly, those Tulips are huge and beautiful!! So jealous!!
Wow..wow…wow……….I want to hangout with that guy. Those Tulips are amazing!
Nick joins Murex Ken in the Shelling Hall of Fame!
Holy Shell!! Those tulips are Ginormous!! Great finds!
Oh those tulips are lovely! *shell envy*
Once the spine Sea Urchins are boiled for cleaning the spines fall off and you are left with a Beautiful shell, Been shelling Sanibel since 1962, Love this place.
And he’s a Kansas State fan. *Swoon.* LIving in South Johnson County I couldn’t resist.
Those are some great finds!!
Wow..wow…wow …..I want to hang out with that guy! Those tulips are amazing!!!
One lucky guy for sure.
Wow, those are AMAZING!!
I’m having Sanibel withdrawal. This is the time of year my daughter usually brings me with her and we aren’t coming because of her job…I’m glad someone is scoring big but I wanna see all these wonderful finds in person! Save some for us this Spring!
Gorgeous true tulips and such good color.
Lee
WoW!! Beautiful Tulips!! Hubby found 2 like that this morning, they were HUGE…and each was wrapped around a fighting conch!! We sure wished they had been empty!! I have never seen so many live fighting conchs as this trip!! They are everywhere down here….with a ‘smattering’ of live tulips and murex…but not much else! We might have to go visit your favorite beach (Blind Pass) to see what’s there before we leave!!
Wow, that looks like my whopper tulip I found in the mud flats last August! Did he have to dig to find it? Where in Blind Pass? I’m hoping I can get back there and bring my hubby during winter break!
To answer your question: I went to Blind Pass, Sanibel side and walked toward Bowman’s. Got there at 6am, nobody there. The tide was coming back in and there was nothing except a row of Pen shells at the high tide line. After walking about 1 1/2 miles I came to a point and cove where the Pen shells were 3 or 4 feet wide and piled up. I just started kickin them and after about 200′ out rolled the orange one.Didn’t even get in the water. Very Lucky. I shelled 7 days, found 5 True Tulips at least 6″ long, 3 alive and 2 not. Also found the biggest Brown Banded Tulip I have ever seen, alive, so back he went. 6″. What Pam hasn’t posted yet is Monday at 6-7:30am at Bowman’s I found my 3rd Golden Olive and are you ready? 3/4 of a bright orange Lion’s Paw. The rest are all yours, I just landed back home in Wichita, Ks.
I can’t believe you found that on the shore!! I guess I am going to have to get out of bed early and try my luck next time instead of sleeping in. Those shells are gorgeous Nick.
Can I rub your head for luck?
Next October!!!! But my wife will be watching!!!
Wowser!
You go Nick! They’re beautiful thanks for sharing your wonderful finds with everyone. Hope we’re all so lucky next time we’re on Sanibel
Very cool!! I’m so jealous! But I’ll just have to come back again next October and try again. Its not like we didn’t find anything good this year, because we certainly did. Just never a true tulip. Especially one as big as those!! Love the urchin and the unusual fighting conch as well!
NICE tulips – those might be the largest I’ve seen.
Go to 3-11-11,” How big is yours?” My wife and I went to Cayo at super low tide on a Thurs afternoon in October 2010. Capt. Brian of Captiva Cruises is a witness, feel free to ask him. I found that Tulip aout 150′ off shore lodged under a rock cropping. Larry Strange the appraiser at Sanibel Shells said it was the best one he has seen in 47 years. It must have died under that rock. It is a perfect 10, and probably the best shell I have ever found. It is 8″ long, and look at the orange tip. I wish you luck in all of your shelling…… What it proves is you never know where you will find a shell. Even at a bad tide, you just have to be the first one there.
Hi Nick, congrats on your great finds!
I’m curious if you’re referencing a blog post in your first sentence above “Go to 3-11-11,” How big is yours?” If so, do you have a link? I checked here but couldn’t find anything…
Thanks!
Hi David, Nick was referencing my post in March called “How Big is Your Beach Treasure” – Here’s the link http://www.iloveshelling.com/blog/2011/03/11/how-big-is-your-beach-treasure/ . I actually looked for it by just putting “Nick” in the search area on the right hand side of the page.
Hi Pam!
WHOA…I remember that post now. Glad I asked, what a find! Great hearing the story behind it now too.
Thanks for all that you do, Pam!