Morning Seashells from Sanibel Lighthouse Courtesy Of Isaac
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Now this is what shelling after a storm should look like! Woop! Woop! Look at those LIGHTNING WHELKS and that HORSE CONCH! But hold on… I hate to get you too excited. So before you start envisioning piles of shells washed up by the load full in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac already, the shells really haven’t made it on the beach yet. They are still in the water. That’s how our buddy Donnie found all of these shells this morning. By the time I got to the Sanibel Lighthouse Beach at sunrise, Donnie had already scooped the goods. See? All by himself in the water with no other competition. LOL
There were a few FIGHTING CONCHS and usual suspects on the beach closer to the lighthouse point but not like Donnie’s finds.
So before I get to the beach again this afternoon when the tide starts to recede, I thought I’d go ahead and post these awesome photos so you will know what to expect when these beauties hit the shore. Need help identifying any of these shells? Click on my SEASHELL IDENTIFICATION page…
Gorgeous shells Donnie! Should I call you Awesome Sheller Donnie since “Super Sheller” is already taken? Or King Of The Dawn Donnie? Donnie The Cone King (He’s found over 140 since January)? Never mind, I got it!… Donnie, The Shell Dominator! LOL
I just heard that Blind Pass Captiva had some shells churning in the surf so it’s hard to decide where I’m gonna head first in an hour or so. Acckkk! So many places to shell and not enough time! If I find major shell piles forming, I’ll will send a quick TWEET or post on FACEBOOKÂ then post again here ASAP. Happy Shelling!
Oh wait! I wanted to show you that in case you couldn’t figure out what that thing is in the top right corner… It’s a sea turtle shell bone. I found a piece yesterday too but mine doesn’t have that bone piece running through it. BLING!
I am usually there this time of year for my birthday… I am so Jealy right now I can’t stand it. Super shells….
Oh that’s looks wonderful!
Wow!! The early bird gets the worm!! or The early Donny gets the shells! Awesome finds and love the turtle bone!
O…M…G! What a preview! I am salivating! Seriously…the next few days should be amazeballs shelling! HAVE FUN Y’ALL!
Well, save some for us! Looks like my son and I are going to make a road trip from Virginia just to do some shelling. We won’t be able to hit the beach until early friday. I think we must be crazy
Nah, not crazy. More like awesome! Find some goodies for those of us who can’t get there!
Either way, I’m jealous!
Great finds Donnie! And happy shelling today Pam; I’ll live vicariously through you as I’m too deep into work to sneak off to the beach today and see what Isaac did for us here on the east coast of the state 
Donnie should be named The Shellinator!
Debbie! Now thats funny!!! LOL Maybe you are right! The Shellinator! hahaha
Too funny….
You’re killing me
. Wish I could be there!
I. could. just. die.
Anna, I’m right with you!
Wow! In all the years I’ve been shelling Sanibel, I have yet to find a horse conch over one inch big. Not that I don’t love me some candy….lol!
eek eek eek!!!
Seriously, I’m like a kid waiting for Christmas to come. I keep checking your blog every hour just to see if anything’s changed.
(I can’t get to facebook or twitter from work, but I’m going to put your twitter feed on my phone fo’ sure!)
Have fun this afternoon Pam – I know that you will just being out there and seeing others out there too!
Can I put in an order for a sml storm to arrive before I do in October???
Have fun Pam & everyone else on that beautiful island.
Happy Shelling post storm!!
Mary Ann
Way to go Donnie…nice finds. Sure wish I was able to come and collect some too.
Be still my heart <3. I've gotten so much grief about scheduling my solo vacation for the first week in September…… and I must admit I've been secretly worried myself. Till now ~ THANK YOU PAM AND DONNIE (and the two cute brothers from Texas) for giving me what I needed to see to make it until Friday (when my plane flys out of Oregon and into Ft. Myers). YES, YES, YES!!!
So now I know that the <3 buttons won't make a "heart" on the FB comments. heart, heart, heart, heart. I HEART SEASHELLS!!!!!!!
YAY! I finally made it out to Sanibel to shell this morning. I think I was a little later than you Pam. Made my way to the Lighthouse and around the pier. Found couple tulips (my first ones!) but was seeing mostly scallops of MANY colors. I was there for a couple hours then packed up and head to Blind pass. WOW! The surf was really up! I got surprised by a wave crashing over the jetty-SPLASH! Woops!
But there wasn’t any trash…lightning whelks, more tulips (yay) and many others, that I need to identify …but my favorite was a Wentletrap (again, my first!). Thank you Pam, for your website…so informative and educational! I think I might head out there again, SOON!
I meet a few out of towners who were scooping in the surf and they invited me to join them in “sitting and sorting”…I felt like I was dumpster diving.
We promised to dog sit this week-end, otherwise we might have made a quick trip down. Is there a wind direction that helps you decide which beach to go to first? We’ve got 2 long months to go before Sanibel and following your blog makes me want to be there now. Love the color & detail of the horse conch.
Wow. Donnie…..you did good, man….GOOD! Love that horse conch. Hoping for some of that luck in Oct…..I think we land on the 7th and will only get to stay for 6 nights. But I am so looking forward to it. Can’t wait to be exact!!
I live in Canada and have been to Sanibel just once: last February. I’d love to come after a storm but I can’t do so on the spur of the moment. I plan to visit my daughter in DC mid September and was thinking I’d come down there for a few days either before or after my visit with her. So here’s a question only a prairie person would ask: how long do you see the positive effects of a storm like Issac on the shell population?
Jean,
Others may know more than I do but from what I have read here in the past, I would say the extra good shelling lasts for maybe a week. If the winds continue to come from the west, then maybe for a while longer. Any thoughts from anyone else?
Thank you Katherine,
I do wish I didn’t live so far away.
Even though experienced shellers said last February wasn’t that great, I certainly enjoyed it and found some nice shells for my collection. I also had several donated to me by a couple of regulars which was very considerate of them.
In February I was there with my husband and friends. If I go this fall it will be for just a few days and on my own, after visiting our daughter in DC. We’ll see how things come together.
Jean
I live in Pennsylvania so I feel that I live far away too. I only make it to the island once a year – if I am lucky. I was there last March and thought it was a little slow shell-wise, I had a great time. My husband and I will be back next February. It always changes, so we’ll see. Enjoy your September trip. Katherine
I think you’re about half the distance I am as I live in Calgary Alberta. The good thing is there are lots of flights from both our locations.
Jean
Oh, I am so envious!!….it looks like Donnie hit the mother lode! Wow! The lightning whelks are gorgeous!!! I am there in spirit. He really hit a shell jackpot!
I am so impressed that Donnie could find all of those great shells in the water while it was still dark out, before the sun came up! What a sheller!
Donnie, Congrats on all your wonderful shells. I can’t wait till we get there 3 more weeks!!!
Thank you Pam for all the shelling updates and great pictures.
It was great seeing you again out there Pam…and thanks for everyone comments…it was a great day…
Donnie
I’m gonna try to come down this Saturday to shell. I’m so excited I can’t stand it! My students think I’ve snapped a spring. I hope I’ll see some sister shellas there!
We have shelled the past 2 days at the lighthouse and while the shelling is awesome, we’ve had to work for every shell and enjoyed every moment. The surf was pretty rough. We found the best shelling about 2 hours after high tide. We found Lightning Whelks, Tulips, lots of Murexes and Conchs. Wish now I had gone at sunrise. We met Pam and Donny yesterday and saw the horse conch. Beautiful!! Wish all who are coming in this weekend, Super Shelling!!
Gosh, I wish I was there to compete with you guys….
Thanks for keeping us all updated, and, totally jealous
Coming tomorrow! I can not wait!!!!!!!!!!
8 more days!!! I can’t wait! Sun, sand and shells! What is better than that?
I love Sanibel Island! I love shelling too but when I was there all of the shells still had the little animals in them and I did not have the heart to take them for their shells.
Well it’s a good thing you didn’t take the live shells….. It’s against the law here in Sanibel (Lee County) to take any shell that has a living animal in it! Good for you just to use your moral judgement. You Go girl!
I just love seashells!
I was hoping that you would be able to help me identify a bone that was found in the keys. Can I send you a picture?
Sure! You can either tweet a photo through twitter https://twitter.com/iLoveShelling or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/iLoveShelling. I am not as familiar with all bones but I will try to ID it or someone else might be able to that sees our post.