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::