Soft sandy beaches . . . boundless sunshine and gentle winds . . . warm water and miles of pristine shoreline awash with shells of every color, size, and description. This is Sanibel Island, Seashell Capital of the United States. Located off the southwest coast of Florida, Sanibel and its sister Captiva, jut out into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Because of their position and the tidal patterns, during the winter months, the islands serve as a giant trap for millions of shells which wash ashore from the Gulf. During the summer months, the tides take back their gifts, wiping the shells off the beaches.

The shells are so abundant you can’t even step on the beach without being drawn into a treasure hunt. People come from all over the world to walk the sands, bending down to examine a particular specimen, pick up another. There is actually a name for this action. It is called the Sanibel Stoop.

If you want deluxe equipment, a mesh collection bag, small shovel, and rake, scooper net and snorkeling gear can fill your needs. Or else, you can simply take a plastic bag to use as a container, and you can spend hours beachcombing, raking, gathering, sorting. Just remember that some shells are still alive and provide a home to a marine mollusk or crab or other sea creature. They should be treated with respect.

Over 275 different types of shells can be found on the 17 miles of beach that surround the islands. The best time to search is early in the morning, just after the first low tide. If you are on Sanibel at the time of the full moon, you will find an even greater abundance of shells.

In addition to conches, whelks, periwinkles, scallops, and coquinas, keep your eyes open for the birthing place of shells, the small chains of leathery capsules that look like a snake. These chains are nurseries and sometimes hold hundreds of baby shells.

When you are tired of the beach, stop at the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, the most comprehensive museum of its kind in the US. There you will find a lot of interesting information about the shells you have collected and will be able to identify them all.

And what will you do with the plastic bags full of your treasures when you get home? Fill a glass lamp or jar with shells; put them in a bowl as a centerpiece; use the large ones as soap dishes or create an artistic item. The possibilities are endless. Whatever you choose to do, you will have a lasting keepsake of your time on Sanibel Island.

IF YOU GO
The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum has more than 30 exhibits about shells in art and history, fossils and more (3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, 1 mile west of Tarpon Bay Road; Tel 239-395-2233) Open daily 1000 to 1700 except holidays.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2014 Diana Russler