Low Tide Beach Therapy

 I've been on several trips to the beach the last few days, I haven't found anything special, was chased out a few times by rain and/or thunderstorms or the dreaded "Noseeums"! For those of you who are not familiar with them, they are tiny little gnat like bugs that like to bite, some, like me, not usually. I know I'm blessed, but sometimes they're bad for everyone! I understand they seem much worse since Ian came through, hopefully they will go back where they came from when things dry out and cool off in the fall! 

Jolene and I decided to try Fort Myers Beach again, as we didn't have much luck on Sanibel the last couple trips. Low tide was to be at 10 am, so we got there before 9, there was a slight breeze, (which helps keep the noseeums away) and it was a bit overcast...Perfect!! The entrance to the beach from the parking lot looked like a post card!!

How inviting is that??!

It was a nice quiet beach, and the sand bars were already coming out!

We both instantly had a good feeling about it! Even if we don't find any treasures, how nice a walk it will be! Right?!

The starfish were just laying around enjoying the gulf like we were!

This one was on the beach out of the water, I'm not sure he was enjoying it so much, so I gave him a lift to the tidal pool after his photo op!

This is the 'bone' (inside spiral) of  a Horse Conch... Maybe, I think, Look at the size of this! 

There were so many of these Jewel Box pairs....I passed by so many, I finally decided to pick up some as I could probably use them in a craft that I've been doing in Shellcrafters....

Some of them have a beautiful pink inside too....like these, (along with a Lettered Olive in this pic)

Wouldn't they look good on something like one of these?

So I kept several....

I found this unusual colored Lightning Whelk and a True Tulip, which is one of my favorites....

Jolene was doing well also, she picked up a couple Horse Conchs....

and some Alphabet Cones! Which we haven't found here before!!

After snapping this pick, I turned around and this beautiful Alphabet cone rolled up in a wave! SCORE!

Check out the size of this Lettered Olive! It's perfect!(Notice the Sand dollar also)

Jolene got one too....and a Sand Dollar!

Another Lightning Whelk, a Fall colored Nutmeg and another Cone for me!

This is a bit of an unusual find, we call them Freak shells (out of the ordinary) This is a knobless Fighting Conch...(sorry it's out of focus!) in the picture below it is a 'standard' Fighting Conch'

Do you see the difference?!

I found what I thought was a nice True Tulip, but he was home and connected to this live Banded Tulip....See the differences in the two shells?

The True Tulip is the one in my hand (bottom), the Banded Tulip is on the Top, between them is the 'door' or operculum that is connected to the snails body and used to close them in the shell for protection. No comment on what is going on here, not sure if it's dinner time or porn time!! :)

I walked back up the beach to pick up something we left down there, and Jolene picked me up further down, this is the view from that parking area! So Pretty! 

Like Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach was hit so hard, and they are working so hard to get back to the new Normal. There are big improvements in both places every where you look, but you can also still see a lot of destruction. Many prayers to all!!

This was my take home for the day....Not bad for a couple hours of beach therapy!

Stay Tuned for more Adventures!

::Shelllady Hugs::

Morning Low Tide Fort Myers Beach, Evening Low tide Sanibel! I'm loving this!

Jolene came down from her other home, and had heard how well another friend of hers and I had done at Fort Myers Beach, so we decided to try it again during the morning Low tide!

It was a beautiful morning and the water was nice and calm, perfect for some beach therapy! 

Jolene on the hunt!!

Fort Myers Beach is right across the entrance to San Carlos Bay from Sanibel, in fact I took this pic of Sanibel while we were there!

The first thing I found when we got there was a beautiful True Tulip!

After that, the shells seemed few and far between, but the walk was very nice!

I did find this Old Gnarly Horse Conch....

He was occupied by a fairly shy, but very large hermit crab...(I didn't name this one!)

There was another Horse Conch, but it was also alive, this time with the 'snail' that it came with, we decided not to disturb him!

After a LONG walk up the beach, we decided to head back in, and this huge, beautiful dragonfly decided to hitch a ride on Jolene's shell bag!

He stayed there for a very long time, Jolene forgot about him, and accidentally touched him with her net so he flew off and onto my backpack!

 He must have flown off at some point after that because when we got back to the car he was gone! I found quite a few shells, not as plentiful as my previous trip but nothing to complain about!

Cheri and I decided to head out that same day, for the evening Low tide! This time on Sanibel!!!

It was still a beautiful day, the Terns thought so too, they were lined up along the Gulf!

a couple flew off as we approached them, and circled around to rejoin the group, I got lucky and got this shot!

Unlike the beach at Fort Myers, Sanibel had LOTS of shells washing around in the surf!

the problem I had was that the waves were too close together and you didn't have time to see them, by the time my brain could react, a wave would hit and they were covered up by waves, or other shells!

Cheri is really good with a shell scoop and stayed out there for a long time finding nice shells....

I did much better up on the beach, I found this beautiful Purple Apple Murex! It was so vivid, I couldn't believe it! (sorry, pic is out of focus!)

We both found lots of Mussels, we found tiny ones to med/large ones!

I use them a lot crafting...believe it or not, to make butterflies!

I was excited to find a nice piece of a Junonia! Look at that color! 

I have yet to find one in the 25+ years I've been coming to Sanibel! My Hubby has even found one! They say they will find you, I'm still putting myself out there, waiting to be found!! ;)

I was finding treasures though! There were lots of shells washing up on the beach!

A Florida Cone

A complete Alternate Tellin pair and a nice Gaudy Nautica

Many BEAUTIFUL Scallops!

Cheri continued in the surf, I thought I heard her say....'Junonia' I asked her what she said to be sure, and as I walked up to her she scooped again....and YEP!

JUNONIA! Just like that!

....and she gave it to me!!! It's not perfect, but much more perfect than the scraps and cobs that I have found! 

In a little while, she handed me back my shell scoop and left these in it for me!!

a Lightning Whelk, Beautiful orange Horse Conch, Florida Cone and an Alphabet Cone!!

I found a whole lot more during the evening low tide!!!

It was time for me to get busy cleaning shells!!! 

Unfortunately, during my first trip the Fort Myers beach, I had bought some cheap water shoes, they blistered my feet, the next trip out with Jolene I wore my scuba boots, hoping to not have a problem, but I did, and this trip just magnified it! So I have spent the last 4 days at home, away from the water waiting for my feet to heal!!! It was worth it though!! 

Cheri went out the next day and found ANOTHER Junonia in the surf!!!

2 in 2 days!! 

So stay tuned! I plan on going out and 'being found' by my Junonia any day now! :)

::Shelllady Hugs::