junonia shell fragment in sand

It’s gray today. The skies have been dark, cold and cloudy with drizzling light showers throughout the day. But there’s always something so good to find in a day like today in SW Florida … take for instance the spotting a few beautiful brown dots in the gray sand at Blind Pass this morning. Well, how about that- a beaming little fragment of JUNONIA sitting right in the middle of the new sand bar that formed again last week.

Blind Pass November 2014

I found more sunshine to go along with that piece of polka dot shell. There was no thunder or lightning- thats so important so we could still be on the beach safely in the rain. Then… I found Ka’Sha, Stephanie, Aunt Andrea and E’Mia from Iowa laughing and cheering at every piece of shell they found on the BLIND PASS bar and in between rocks. They collected pieces of SAND DOLLARS, pieces of FIGHTING CONCHS, pieces of WHELKS and pieces of ARKS to put in their ziplock bags.  It was their first time seeing shells wash up on the beach and they were enjoying every single minute- gray skies or not and broken shells or not. Happy.

Ka'Sha, Stephanie, Aunt Andrea, E'Mia love shelling Captiva

After leaving Blind Pass, I headed to Gulfside City Park (I know, I know. I just can’t get enough of it these days!) to see the changes there since we’ve had a little cold front move through. Yes, there are a few new shells coming in with the tide but the best thing was to see the Iowan girls again. They were even more excited!

shellers at Guflside City Park Beach Sanibel

Combing the beach at the shoreline, there were a few nice treasures like this LETTERED OLIVE…

Sanibel shell on shells

and this teeny tiny LIGHTNING WHELK.

lightning whelk shell on shells

Then I heard a scream… E’Mia found this big LIGHTNING WHELK completely empty. Awesome!

lightning whelk found on Sanibel Florida

Since we have many shells still to be sorted in the Shellaboratory,  I’ve been trying only to collect shells with different patterns, colors or sizes to take home from my beach walks. Today, I will have to find a place in my Shellaboratory for a juvie orange FIGHTING CONCH, a dark maroon spotted ROUGH SCALLOP and a dark striped juvie LIGHTNING WHELK. Ok, we probably have lots of similar ones to these…. but really- I’m trying my hardest to be selective. I want to leave more for YOU!

a few shells I collected

When I got home, I received a note from my shelling sistah CShells. She knew I couldn’t hit all the beaches this morning so she gave me an update on where she went and if there were any shell piles she saw (which she said “nothing major”). But she made me smile as she told me she saw a LOGGERHEAD TURTLE and a BALD EAGLE – “Some people would think it was a yucky day, but it’s amazing the wildlife you see when it’s raining. It’s a good day.” Yes, I agree. It’s always good to see the good through the gray.

Cloud cover with seashells on Sanibel

Come shelling with me! Here are my next dates for my Shelling Adventures… CLICK HERE

shelling adventures trips by pam