Don’t you just love to come across something written in the sand with shells? Me too! Especially when it’s something like this…so sweet with that little heart. We found this beach art at Blind Pass last night along with lots of goodies to remind me why I heart Sanibel too….. and Captiva.
The waves were still really choppy in the Gulf so Clark and I checked out Blind Pass yesterday late afternoon and started on the Captiva side to look for shells by the jetty. Not many shells were on the beach yet but this perfect ANGEL WING was just laying on the beach exactly like this…
We took that as a good sign so we brought out the big guns and started scooping with the larger shelling backhoes in the surf. Oh yaya! We started finding oodles of OLIVES and juvie FIGHTING CONCHS. This was in one of the first piles of scooped shells…
The MANGROVE SEED PODS were coming in along with the shells…
One little SEA URCHIN…
A Horsie! (I just noticed I have a habit of putting an “ie” on the things I think are really cute. LOL It’s like when you talk about your kitties or puppies- you get “that” voice and everything is so cute ;))
Just like these two “cutie” sisters Jessica and Allysa from Sarasota who were having a great time filling up their shell bags. They both knew most of the names of their shells- such smart girls!
We walked back over to the Sanibel side and guess who we found! Local sheller Donnie (no really, his name already had the “ie” on it, I didn’t give him that pet name- LOL) who I mentioned in my post The Elite Threewhen his daughter found a JUNONIA and a SCOTCH BONNET in the same week.
He gives most of his shell finds away but he did have a few keepers in his shell bag. Oh, and check out his fancy shelling shoes… they have toes!
While we were on the Captiva side I took a video of Clark doing sort of a How-To on using the shelling backhoe but it is taking sooooo long to download. I’ll try to post it tomorrow. Until then, have a great weekend!
UPDATE: September 10, 2011- You can see the video of this day by clicking HERE.
Wish I was there shelling, this weekend!~
Once again you brighten my day!!! #41 more days till I’m there!!
You have found two of the cutest horse conch’s in the last couple of days. I love olives too. Will be leaving Louisville KY in 30 days! Woohoo!!!
Loved finally meeting you guys…I knew we would cross shell paths eventually. It was an honor. See you out there…
Donnie
Was wondering where Donnie got those cool shelling shoes??
The shoes are called Vibrams…that was the first time I wore them and they worked out great. I bought them at Snydermans shoes. They have lots of different colors and run around $100.
After 3 days in the surf last weekend I needed something to help my feet from getting cut up any further. You still get some sand in them but the heel flips off easy and you are good for another hour before you have to clear them again.
Will clicking shells together 3 times and saying “There’s no place like Sanibel” get me there faster?
Pammie :) ….I want to reach into the computer screen and turn that angel wing over!
Looking forward to your Clark sifting video. I bought one last time I was there, but didn’t have much luck with it. I think I need some tips….
Does anyone have experience flying with a shelling scoop or backhoe? I intend to buy one when we’re at Sanibel next March but wonder if I’ll be able to take it home on the plane? Do the handles collapse for easy packing? Can you carry them on and store in an overhead compartment?
Or would security consider it a weapon? The FortMyers airport is so friendly and laidback, they probably wouldn’t give me any grief but Midway is very by the book! Any advice is welcome…
Pam, can you tell us either where we can I buy the shelling backhoe or at least what it is really called?
Many thanks for the cybershelling, it’s really interesting!
Susan H
Dorothy….. I mean Della- LOL anything is possible!
Anna Lemmonie! :)
Linda FSWM, I’ve heard that you can unscrew the basket part of the little blue one so it comes in 2 pieces to travel with. But I would ask them at Susick http://www.seashellsifter.com/
Susan H.- The big scoop is actually called a sand flea rake (see why I dont call it that? LOL) and we got ours at Bailey’s Hardware/Grocery.
Donnie! OMG it was so much fun finally meeting you! Even if you didn’t have an “ie” on the end of your name, I think I would have given it to you anyway since you are as obsessed with shelling as much as we are- So CUTE!
Thank you so much for your blog! If it wasn’t for you sharing your adventures in words and pictures with all of us Sanibel-wannabes, I would have had to leave a note and hitch-hike to the island by now. The rhythm of the surf onto Sanibel calls me back in my mind continuously. “Someday soon,” I reply….”someday, soon…”