Sanibel island why so many shells

I still can believe I found one, and that was 20 years ago in the middle of summer. At the time, I had no idea finding one was so rare. I knew it was prized, but not rare, and I never even called the local paper to come have a look and get my picture in the newspaper! Getting to Sanibel and Captiva island is easy. Myers, where the Caloosahatchee River meets the Gulf of Mexico and millions of pretty Sanibel shells wash up against the ankles of hopeful beachcombers anticipating that one perfect gift from the sea.

Myers, Pine Island and Ft. Myers Beach. But where do you find the best beaches for shelling on Sanibel Island? If you've ever wondered why Sanibel has the best shelling in the world, take a look at the island on a map. It literally looks like a dolphin diving toward Ft. Myers Beach, with the historic Sanibel Lighthouse as its nose.

The island's curved geography runs perpendicular to mainland southwest Florida and its gentle, gradual slope runs for miles and miles out into the Gulf of Mexico. Together with the strong Gulf of Mexico currents and a wide sloping shelf make the Sanibel Island geography perfect for receiving an abundance of seashells.

It's not uncommon to feel them gently tapping your feet and ankles as you wade near the shore. This post contains affiliate links: if you make a purchase through our links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Everyone loves seashells and hunting for those beautiful gifts from the sea. They're so much fun to find and they make the best souvenirs from your trip to paradise. If you've been to Sanibel or southwest Florida before, you know just what I'm talking about.

But if you've never been here before, all I can say is To be. It's almost crazy how many Sanibel shells you'll find. You'll be scooping them up by the handful, keeping them all at first, only to discard the broken and imperfect ones later on when you find others more perfect and beautiful than the last. Then you'll haul the day's booty back to your room and admire them laid out on your beach towel, and continue the hunt the next day!

The shelling here is so good that the most common posture among beachcombers and shellers is often called the Sanibel Stoop , for obvious reasons. If you're not underwater, you'll spend most of your time hunched over hunting for those shells. If you're staying overnight on the island, there's a good chance your accommodations will be located along the island's south coast the dolphin's belly , making your chances of gathering good shells that much better if you're an early riser.

But day trippers will find their fill of gorgeous seashells too if they just know where to go. The island's most pronounced arch is where you'll find two of the best shelling beaches, with the third beach on the easternmost tip of the island. Located at the western end of Sanibel, Bowman's Beach is one of the premier beaches to find good shells on Sanibel. Drive through the main shopping district in Sanibel, turn right, then left, and drive about 6 miles before you see the sign for Bowman's Beach.

Watch your speed if you're driving -- the speed limit is low and heavily enforced. There's a large lot with ample parking, and a machine to pay the parking fee. Changing areas and restrooms can be found on the walk toward the beach.

There's a longer-than-average walk to the beach through several protected mangroves. The tiny inlet that separates Sanibel from Captiva island is barely discernable from all the blue around you, and you may not realize you've left one for the other if you don't see the bridge.

The divide here was created by a hurricane in which created the new channel and separated the two islands. You'll find better shelling on the Sanibel side of the bridge, but be mindful of the strong current in the Pass.

This type of shell houses animals in the snail family. This species comes in all shapes, colors and sizes, and their shell is usually conical, spiral and pointed at both ends with an opening along the side. Keep in mind live shelling is prohibited on Sanibel and Captiva, as sometimes this type of shell still holds its resident. An elusive shell which is the golden ticket for Sanibel Island shell-seekers. Measuring up to about 6 inches in length, it has a conical, smooth body with about 5 swirled rows at the top.

It is a pretty shell, patterned by white rows spotted with brownish squares. If you find one, send your picture to one of the local papers for publication!

A commonly found shell comes in many sizes, up to about 15 inches. Usually light tan and creamy white, this pretty shell has a pointed top spiraling toward a shouldered ridge with small knobs. From there, the shell tapers to a slender bottom with a pointy end.

These shells often get washed up after a storm. The common cockle shell comes in a variety of sizes and colors. Usually only half of this bivalve is found, but occasionally this hinged shell can be found intact. They measure up to around 6 inches. Tulip shells can be found in shell banks and along breaking surf during low tide. They measure up to about 7 inches and have distinctive, colorful bands of stripes or similar patterns starting at a pointy top and spiraling down in a circular, sloping body to a pointy end.

Examples include the Banded Tulip and True Tulip. Not technically a shell, the sand dollar is in the sea urchin family. They can mostly be found under water, along the sandy or muddy bottom. They have a five-pointed star pattern surrounded by rounded body.

While keeping a live sand dollar is illegal on the islands, occasionally you can find a dried skeleton along the beach, although it is rare to find one intact as they are very fragile.

This shell species is aptly named, as it looks almost like a long olive. They are usually tan or brown and white in pattern. Previous Next. STEP 1 Arm yourself with sunblock , a hat , a shelling sifter or scoop , a bucket or bag , and a strong back.

STEP 2 Look for banks of shells as you walk along the beach. Lovely tourists from all over America can pack up their picnic baskets, drive up, parking in the public parking and vacuum up the beach.

This usually begins just before daylight with flashlights, what a wonderful opportunity for beginner shellers to walk the beach and begin their fantastic hobby of collecting. We offer shelling tours on Marco Island , so you can visit barren beaches void of people, laden with fantastic shells. Here are a couple of advantages of why Marco Island has become better for shelling on Sanibel Island:.

This is based on solely the success for the customers. There are a few tour companies that provide a somewhat similar service but are less successful. You would not want us picking up valuable sought after shells just ahead of your beach walk. What we do is offer advice, a quick minute shelling lesson will increase your success rate.