Sneaking out at Sunrise...

I did get out this morning just as the sun rose.....unfortunately I was on the opposite side of the island at Captiva.....

 Looking back at Blind Pass, I wondered if I should have checked that out first, the water was calm, and appeared to be very clear! But no....I wanted to pick up some more Coquinas, and some Kittens paws for a craft I'm going to be working on....Yes, I know, Blind Pass has Kittens paws too.....hmmmm

 As I walked onto the beach at Captiva I saw these two Bald Eagles having breakfast! How awesome are they....just amazing Birds!

 Though I tried to give them plenty of room, they flew off as I slowly walked by...

 I started gathering the Coquinas in about the same area where I had on Sunday....and found this near perfect Flat!

 ...and this one...it's one of the biggest one I have seen....far from perfect, but it came home in my bag anyway!

I found this perfect little Bittersweet and a False Angel Wing....I don't think I've found one here before....that's the thing about this beach...'like a box of chocolates, ya never know what you're gonna get!'

 Once again, I felt like I needed to get back and get ready to head back North....and as I walked across the bridge, there was a huge group of Manatee swimming under the bridge!!!

Just for your imformation.... A group of Manatee are know as an Aggregration!

I was still toying with the idea of spending a little time at Blind pass....but I got in the car and headed back....almost turned around as I passed another entrance to it.....I guess, now I regret it.... Oh well....I will be back, soon, I hope!

I did okay, found more Coquina and Kittens Paws, and don't forget the Flats and another small piece of sea glass....turquoise this time!...in about an hour, not too bad!

I may post again soon....Stay tuned! Now I get to fly home to 55 degrees and rain! :(  I promise I will never complain of the heat!!!

I still wonder....should I have walked Blind pass?????

::Shelllady Hugs::

Hoping for Flats....

I had the best time shelling last night....I didn't get anything extra special, just thoroughly enjoyed the time on the beach....I went to Blind Pass, it was a huge tide with huge waves, but like Obiwan taught me I stepped right in and tried to catch the treasures in the surf....didn't work out this time, I don't believe they were there to be found! Talk about beautiful color water....

I really truly wanted to find some ZigZag Scallops, we call them Flats.  They are beautiful to me, and I have very few. As I'm slowly walking back toward the bridge I look down and Viola!  A Flat!

Don't worry...that 'stuff' will clean off of it (I hope). 

These Ospreys were having their dinner and having a little chat.....as I walked down the beach.... I love the Sanibel Birds!

I crossed over the beach to Captiva ....and decided to just walk down the beach for a while, I had a couple of hours until dark....

I started thinking that this might be a good place to find some more Coquinas for the Sanibel Shell Crafters....so I slowly walked, checking out the small shells...

I've posted about this before, if you take your time, and really look, you will be surprised what you will find! Here is a Chestnut Turban, and a beautiful Lace Murex....just laying there with the minis!

and this is a Shiva Shell, it's actually the Operculum (door) of the Turban, and I have only found one other!

I also found a tiny PERFECT scallop, the picture doesn't do it justice, the color is amazing....and a tiny, though chipped, Orange flat!!

a few more steps, and another flat!....

...all the while I was picking up the biggest and most colorful Coquinas I have seen....and I didn't walk very far!

Here's another...unfortunately it wasn't all there....

 It wasn't long before I had to head back to the car, I didn't want to be out there in the dark....so I walked back toward the bridge to catch the sunset....

I figured, while I watched, I'd sit in a shell pile and see if I could find any treasures....

I headed on back across the bridge....there were dolphins feeding right there.....I never got a very good picture....but it was just an awesome time....and so beautiful!

It just doesn't get any better than this!

I ended up finding quite a few Coquinas for the Shellcrafters, 

and several minis for me...even a small piece of sea glass!!

I hoping for ONE MORE adventure, I'm thinking of getting up early tomorrow and hitting it for a short trip....we'll see how it goes! I fly home tomorrow afternoon. :(

Stay Tuned

::Shelllady Hugs::

Tulip Thursday, Olive Friday

Sorry I have not kept you updated, I only have a few days left here and have been busy working on the house and squeezing in a trip to the beach when I can! The tides are not great, and with it being Turtle season, night shelling is really not an option since you have to use a red light....so I'll just try to make do! ;)

I went to middle gulf on Thursday, the water is looking better and better, it's getting back the tropical green that it had before Irma....

The tidal pools started coming out, and the water was fairly clear so I managed to find a few treasures.... like a tiny Olive....

...and a nice True Tulip....

An Alphabet Cone....woohoo! and of course you know I can't pass up a Shark's eye!

Pretty nice color on these Florida Cones....though not in very good shape!

I found this 'freak' Fighting Conch....(Freak means they have some sort of abnormality in growth)  

Right before dark, I hit an area that was just full of Banded Tulips, I have never seen so many! I finally just stopped picking them up!

This Shark's eye is gorgeous, but look at all those barnacles!!

The birds were out again....I could just watch them for hours....so fun!

It was an okay day for shelling.....but the therapy was Greaat!

Friday I went to Middle Gulf again, but walked a little further....it was much less windy, and the water was much calmer....

The first thing I found was this.....I've browsed through my books, and have no idea what it is! It looks like a pen shell attached to an Ark Shell....but it isn't hard and brittle, it has the texture of leather....Kinda weird, and I opted not to spend a lot of time with it....just put it back after this photo op!

ANOTHER Alphabet Cone!! It's not a great one, but he went into the shell bag anyway!

One of the big changes to this area is that the tidal pool had a bunch of Live King's crowns in it! That's completely different, they generally are in muddy areas, and this are doesn't appear to be muddy....so glad to see SO many live ones!

This one is considered 'live' as well.....

...though it has a Hermit Crab in it....not the original 'snail-like' creature that makes the shell grow!

This is a Live Horse Conch...such beautiful color, underneath that brown coating, (called PERIOSTRACUM). The Animal in it is that vivid Orange color...these are one of my favorites!

And Another live Horse Conch....

 with another Hermit!

It was another beautiful day of beach therapy......

Even the dolphin were out!....

This was Olive day! So many! Hubby and I call these Sheila Shells....not my favorite, but my friend Sheila loves them....so many different sizes and patterns!

I will try to do a short post tomorrow with tonight's finds....

I will be at Shellcrafters tomorrow, so no beach therapy....BUT will get in some Shell therapy!

I fly home, back to real life, on Tuesday night, I'm hoping I will have one more trip to the beach early Tuesday morning! ....Stay tuned!

::Shelllday Hugs::