You'll find this shells everywhere here in Florida. They're quite common. What I like about them is flipping them over to reveal a colorful underside. Colors range in hues of brilliant yellows, purples, and oranges.
 I love these flat, white shells to make a "Martha Stewart Clam Shell Wreath". It's usually in the winter season that I find them in abundance. South Fort Myers Beach near the Holiday Inn is a good spot for beachcombing.  This is a work in progress of a "clam shell wreath" using disc dosinia shells on a straw wreath base..  Here's the completed "Martha Stewart Clam Shell Wreath". I used 200 disc dosinia seashells. .
 Thousands of pen shells washed up on Barefoot Beach and Bonita Beach according to the News-Press in Fort Myers. They line the high tide line for miles. I snapped this photo of a pen shell last week at New Pass Beach in Bonita Springs. People reported that they could hardly walk without crunching them. The article said scientists say it's unusual for pen shells to make it all the way to the beach.
 Just after I replied to the question of "Is finding a double-sided cat's paw rare?", I found the most ever double-sided cat's paws in one location. On Dec., 19, 2010, I shelled at Blind Pass on Sanibel Island and found 40 double-sided cat's paws. Blind Pass is an excellent place for shelling. The toll to get over to Sanibel is $6 and parking is limited at Blind Pass. The fee is $2 / hour to park your car.
 It seems appropriate to feature the angelwing shell for the Christmas holiday season. They are very fragile and care must be taken in handling them. Angelwings break easily. It's a wonder that you can find them intact. Usually just half of the angelwing is found and the typical size is about 2" in length. Pictured is a giant angelwing measuring 4". The best spot that I find them is on Fort Myers Beach, the south end, where the Holiday Inn is located. They're not easily fou
           This awesome event is held every year, the 2nd week in November, on Fort Myers Beach near the Holiday Inn. It's only $5 for viewing and there are a lot of vendors selling food, beer, and crafts.
 When you flip this shell upside-down, you can see why it's affectionately called a "slipper shell".
 These shells look great upside side to show off their orange-yellow underside on a seashell wreath.
 Augers can be found in white, tan, orange, and gray hues on the beach or at the surf line. Check to be sure that there isn't an occupant. If so, toss back into the sea. I love them for wreath-making. They have a nice 3D look when glued and point outward. They're also nice gap-fillers when there's a space between two shells on a wreath and you can fill that tight space.
When I bring augers home from the beach, I boil them atop the stove to rid any sea odor.Then I soak them in a little bleach and water mixture. I only do this step for shells with orifices just to be sure to get any residue out.  Starfish are awesome creatures. To check to make sure they are not alive, pick one up and put it in the palm of your hand. The starfish should be a little stiff. You'll feel an alive starfish on your palm as it tries to suction itself to your palm. The feeling is soft and gentle but you'll want to rescue it and return it to the sea.
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AuthorI've been in love with having sand between my toes since I was a teenager taking the ferry across the bay to arrive at Presque Isle State Park (aka The Peninsula) in Erie, PA. Archives
September 2012
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