shiva flat coils boring speckled shells

While shelling at Blind Pass Sanibel, I took a little break to the high dry beach sand to drink some water and reapply some sunscreen. Most of you are the same way I am- anywhere on the beach I still can’t help but look for shells. So that’s what I did. Up on the dry sand away from the water… on the part of the beach most people stomp over on their way to the water’s edge… scanned the sand and look what I found.

Sanibel shells found high on beach

I found quite a few SHIVA SHELLS (CHESTNUT TURBAN OPERCULUM). Im rich! I found MERMAID MONEY! (or MERMAID TEARS)

shiva shells mermaid tear operculum

They were sitting in the sand just like this…

Shiva shell turban operculum found in the sand on Sanibel

When I started getting excited to find them, I realized that I was missing some since they were upside down… errr… I call it “upside down” since the swirly part wasn’t showing like this…

Turban mollusk operculum in Sanibel sand beach

Omigosh, then I found a SPECKELED TELLIN…

Speckled tellin shell in sand on Sanibel beach

During my short rehydrating break, I found the SHIVAS, the TELLIN, BORING TURRETS, a bright orange FLY SPECK CERITH, MAUVE MOUTH DRILL and SOUTHERN FLATCOILS.

High dry sand beach finds Sanibel

We find SOUTHERN FLATCOILS at Cayo Costa just about every trip in the high wrack lines. They are LAND SNAILS that get washed up on the beach with the sea weeds so you might find them in the same areas you find might find ROSY WOLF SNAILS and SEA PEARLS.

Southern Flatcoil land snail Sanibel Florida Polygyra cereolus

I also found some CHESTNUT TURBANS as well.

chestnut turban in sanibel sand

Along with finding DARK CERITHS, ROUGH SCALLOPS and APPLE MUREXES, all of these smaller surprise shells up on the high dry beach made my day that much more interesting. Love that stuff!

Sanibel shells found high on beach