double jewel box

Magnificent seashell treasures can be found on Sanibel when so much of the beach is exposed during very low tides like this morning at Gulfside City Park.

seashelling sanibel

Shelling at a really low tide gives you several beach combing options as well. The high tide wrack line can produce new shells to sift through but I always feel like I  can look through those shells on my walk back since it will take some time for the tide to come back in to cover those up.

high tide wrack line sanibel

So I search the tidal pools and areas of the beach that are newly exposed at the shore line which will be covered up quickly when the tide starts to come in. That’s where I found an ANGEL WING and DOUBLE ATLANTIC GIANT COCKLE..

angel wing double cockle

Oodles of juvie FIGHTING CONCHS…

seashells to collect on Sanibel

During these low tides, shells (MOLLUSKS) may still be alive or have live HERMIT CRABS in them so you have to look very carefully not to take any shells with live creatures in them. So when I saw this upside down SHARK’S EYE , I still had to check to make sure there was no live animal inside. Nope! Nobody was home! A keeper!

sharks eye seashell

Along with the SHARK’S EYE, I kept this gorgeous multicolored CALICO SCALLOP, double JEWELBOX and a pretty orange-ish TRUE TULIP…

pams favorite seashells of day

Speaking of SHARK’S EYES, Jeanne from South Carolina found this aaawesooome one…

sharks eye moon shell sanibel

She and her daughter Rachel were finding their shell loot by combing the tide pool.

rachel jeanne seashelling sanibel

These were Rachel’s faves she found…

assorted seashells sanibel rachel

Did you spot that orange JINGLE near the tip of her finger? It has both valves! Yes, it’s a double JINGLE! She said it was just laying in the very shallow water in the tidal pool not attached to anything. I rarely see both sides together without having to pry it off a PEN SHELL. Cool! Here’s a better view…

double jingle shell sanibel

I also met Shannon from new Hampshire who collected a whole bag of goodies…

shannon new hampshire seashells

Her favorites included a PAPER FIG…

seashells shannon sanibel

Further down the beach, I met Mary from Charlottesville, VA …

Mary seashells sanibel

I was super excited to see she picked up part of a FULGURATOR OLIVE. She had no idea what it was but knew it was special enough to keep it. The same goes for the THORNY OYSTER (the bivalve with the orange around the edge). I rarely see those shells.

seashells crab shell

If you want to see exactly what it looked like on my shelling walk this morning,  clicking the next video image!