Awesome Evening Shell Class

I missed going out for the first negative low tide due to storms...boy I was disappointed! So last night I went extra early to make up time. It was a beautiful evening, cloudy, light breeze and cool, a perfect evening for some strolling and beach therapy.  I noticed right away that there was a lot of area to cover and the storm had washed the surf all the way up the beach, almost to the grass line. 

I found this nice sized live Double Jewelbox first thing, and tossed him way back down in the Gulf.

The water was still pretty murky and had lots of sea grass and stuff in it, so you couldn't see in the water, except between waves. Scooping would bring in lots of 'stuff' that was difficult to clean out of the net. It is still good therapy to me!

There were lots of places where shells had gotten covered by the sand, and the surf was slowly washing them out with each passing wave...

...and there was all kind of sealife, on the beach and floating in the water...
There were dozens of these neon green sea squirts (I believe), every size you could imagine, some were washing in and out, some up on the beach and some like this guy...

Lots and Lots of Live Lightning Whelks...

 Including this beautiful one with the lavender inside!!

Sea Urchins of every size and color...

I found 2 nice Live Kings Crowns, I haven't seen those on this beach in a really long time....

Lots and Lots of these Live Cockle shells all over the beach....

I did find 3 whole Angel Wings, which is fairly unusual.... as well as several pieces....

And I always take it as a message from my Dad when I find his favorite....Shark's eye (or Moon Snail)...he's watching!! <3

This one I found next to this little Turkey Wing  

What made this especially awesome, was as I bent down and pulled this....not too bad Alphabet cone out of the sand...

A lady reached down next to it and started to pick up a Lightning Whelk, but mentioned she thought it was alive, so left it....I picked it up and showed her it wasn't live, and showed her one that was buried, letting her know that "these are the live ones" .  She and her Husband were very excited! We talked for a long time, and continued down the beach, I found her so many shells, and they asked so many questions, and were just over the top excited about all of it!! We must have shelled together for over an hour, continuing down the beach.  Such fun to see the enthusiasm they both had for all things beachy! Before I knew it I was a long away from home! Luckily we reached where they were staying, and I realized I better head back or I wouldn't make it before dark!  It really was so nice to see someone so interested in everything.  They left and said they hoped to see me again tonight, and I told them I would be there!


For some unknown reason I am addicted to Lightning Whelks, usually I cannot pass them up, so I've started making excuses as to why I keep them! :)  The excuse for this guy is the pretty Coral colored point he has....

 This guy's excuse is the pretty gold color.....

This one is that it has such nice Dark colors.....

You could see so many things floating around in the waves all along the beach, It was difficult to catch a picture, because you see them for just a second as the waves recede...the pictures just don't do it justice.

So many colorful things, that I shouldn't keep, but I did...

Banded tulip, True Tulip, Jingle and Apple Murex

This was a pretty Nutmeg I couldn't resist...

and another couple of Apple Murex, 

 One tiny....

It amazes me how you seem to find such fragile shells still intact after a storm, like the Angel wings and this Paper Fig...

And I found 3 dead Sand dollars in perfect shape.

The night ended with a beautiful sunset that I caught a glimpse of over the trees...

I so enjoyed the walk, and the therapy....More tomorrow....Stay tuned!

::Shelllady Hugs::

PS.... I never can resist grabbing a video of these live scallops, they are so fun!

...and I grabbed this one for some new shelling friends, to bring them some Sanibel beach therapy while they are not here....enjoy!