Beach sponges and stuff

This is what I love to see on the beach! Lots of SEA SPONGES, PARCHMENT WORM CASES, SEA PORK, and PEN SHELLS. Why? Because it means there will be great shelling in the next few days!

Double Jingle Shell in pen shell

See that JINGLE SHELL on this PEN SHELL? This jingle has both sides and is attached to the Pen shell….. and this isn’t even the most exciting part of this whole picture. I’ve never noticed a 2 sided jingle until MurexKen showed me. Yes! You read that correctly! Clark and I met MurexKen and MurexAlice (celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary) on the beach and he showed this jingle to me.

MurexKen showing the Jingle shell

For those of you who don’t “know” MK, he is a seashell identification wizard and educates us on the scientific gastropod and bivalve names with his comments on my posts. That may have been the first time I’ve written “gastropod” and “bivalve” in the same sentence…. huh? He’s rubbing off!

Paper-thin jingle shell side view of both sides (my fingers)

Clark had to break out the big shelling backhoe and found this TUBE WORM.

Tube worm in Clark's backhoe

I thought this was a PARCHMENT WORM but I think it’s a different MARINE WORM.

Sea Cucumber Sanibel

Clark also found this SEA CUCUMBER in his backhoe. This guy was still alive so we put him back after I snapped this photo. Lots of fun stuff off Middle Gulf Drive near Gulf Side City Park!

Allen and Julianna (San Francisco)

Julianna has been collecting shells all over the world so she and Allen were happy to finally be in Sanibel.

Renee, Carol, Kathleen and Julie (Connecticut)

A great shelling Girls’ Trip! These gals take a girls trip the same time their husbands get together and do a guys trip at another destination. How fun for all of them!

Pen shell pile

OK- I’ve got to get to bed so I can be up for the early morning low tide. I hope to have lots of goodies to show you…. or maybe just one… I’m not giving up on that JUNONIA!