We took a lot of pictures, and even though I've cut them back, there are still so many... so I'll keep the chit chat to a minimum....
This is Donnie, the originator of the Shellinators...THE Shellinator, and his Fiance', Christine, The Shellinatriss...Donnie very recently proposed to her on a shelling trip, hid the ring in a shell pair, and when she turned around, he was on one knee!!! How cool is that!
We started out at Cayo Costa, an island only accessible by boat that has a state park. Four of us, Cindy, Christine, Cheri and myself walked the beach,
while Donnie went to the water for some free diving, all looking for shells....we covered ALL the territory!
Donnie found a few live Horse Conchs, Olives and Whelks....but almost nothing to take home...
We found very little to nothing!
We did find a gator!
I couldn't resist taking a picture of these guys fishing....does this seem strange to anyone else?
We decided to move on to a sand bar that our guide Randy had suggested....the water was crystal clear, though the tide was coming in so the current was fairly strong....
Christine joined Donnie in the water...
While Cheri and I walked around the bar itself...
Cheri immediately found some Sea Hare...that were washing up onto the sand of the bar...The biggest ones we had ever seen!!! The ones I'm used to seeing on Sanibel fit in your hand!
the Sea Stars were also washing up on the sand....
so we spent a lot of time saving lives! ;) . She also found some kind of huge worm out there....this one Cheri didn't touch!!
Donnie and Christine found a few things on their dive...
and Cheri picked up some awesome coral pieces...
It was really nice being out in the water...we spent quite a while looking....
We looked around for a few other places to shell, but decided instead to head to Cabbage Key for lunch...I had never been!
Cabbage key and the restaurant are only accessible by boat and it is really a booming place!
You may have heard of it, the bar in the restaurant, has $1 bills that are signed and placed all over the walls and ceiling! Cindy signed one...
Christine did too....
and of course, I had to join in...
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| 5 of 9 of us! From L: Cindy, Me, Cheri, Christine and Donnie |
Outside the restaurant there are Gopher Tortoise that are free to roam and have there dens protected....they are named after the teenage mutant ninja turtles!
In the canal on the way back to the boat, we saw these Mallards....we were told that they are not native to this part of Florida and were brought here as ducklings....
They are very talkative and seem very content...
On the way back in we did see one Dolphin, he was a bit sluggish and not interesting in playing, but I did manage to snap a couple of pics....
We have had so many groups of admins together, since not all of us live here it's been difficult....the biggest group was a couple of years ago....8 got together for lunch....I was the only one missing! :( One day I hope all of us will meet in person...and have an adventure together...most of us 'talk' daily...online!
Stay tuned...
::Shelllady Hugs::
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