Is this the Most Incredible Shelling in the World?
Shelling on Sanibel Island (Photo: Morgan Korn)
I slipped on my sneakers and grabbed a plastic bag, quietly closing the door behind me as I headed into darkness. The resort where I was staying on Sanibel Island, Florida, was eerily deserted at 5:30 a.m. Standing about a foot away from the crashing surf, I started to regret my decision: waking up before sunrise to scout Sanibel’s famous beaches for shells. As much as I love collecting shells from various beach destinations across the country, my lack of planning proved that I was an inexperienced hunter: I neglected to bring a flashlight and seashell scoop to dig through the thick, wet sand.
Sanibel shells (Photo: Flikr/Jeff Cooney)
Sanibel Island, located on the Gulf of Mexico, draws shell seekers from around the globe; the tiny island swells from 6,500 permanent residents to nearly 30,000 in peak season (February to April). Visitors spend hours combing through Sanibel’s 15 miles of beaches for rare junonias (olive-shaped mollusks) and other sea treasures: cockles, sand dollars, conchs, and scallops. More than 250 types of shells can be found on Sanibel, making it a prime destination for serious and casual shell hobbyists.
The author, hunting for shells on Sanibel (Photo: Morgan Korn)
“It’s really an obsession,” says Dorrie Hipschman, executive director of the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum on Sanibel. “It’s a competitive sport for some.”
Shell fanatics will go to extreme lengths to find perfect shells, according to Sanibel resident Mary Beth Greenplate. Her family owns Sanibel Seashell Industries, the oldest shell shop on the island. Visitors and seasoned collectors seek out Greenplate for her shelling knowledge and expertise.
A serious sheller on Sanibel (Photo: Morgan Korn)
“People will call us after storms before driving to Sanibel from all over the country,” she says. “I’ve seen people fight over shells.
“Going outside with a flashlight [to shell] is normal for us,” she explains. “People do plan their vacations to Sanibel by tides.” (Low tide provides better shelling opportunities.)
Greenplate acknowledges that Sanibel’s shelling culture can come across as quirky to strangers.
Morgan Korn, in shell heaven (Photo: Morgan Korn)
My shelling experience on Sanibel was interesting — and slightly disheartening. I picked up about 20 shells that early morning, but many showed signs of wear and tear: several holes and cracks. Tom Eichhorst, editor of American Conchologist, describes these shells as “beach garbage.” They’re worthless to longtime collectors like himself. The most valuable shells require lots of patience and effort, he says, and few people are willing to go out at night or stand several feet offshore to dig them up.
Greenplate says many first-time visitors can have unrealistic expectations about what they’ll find on the beach. “So much is luck of the draw and what the currents are doing,” she adds.
Sanibel — a shelling-friendly destination (Photo: Morgan Korn)
The fellow shell seekers I talked to during my stay seemed to share my disappointment with the week’s catch: One father and son said it was the worst shelling season they had experienced in the past 10 years. Yet for those who simply enjoy the adventure of discovering a new shell, Sanibel will not disappoint; shells of all shapes, colors, and sizes abound. Even my boyfriend could not help but pick up a few shells during our trip.
I may have failed to discover a precious junonia or one of those beautiful pink conchs that always catch my attention in the Caribbean, but I left Sanibel with a suitcase full of shells and a rounded back (a case of the “Sanibel Stoop”). Next time I’ll be sure to pack a headlamp and set the alarm even earlier.
The shells of Sanibel (Photo: Morgan Korn)
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