Shelling

Google “Tides” and the zip code 32561 and you will get a glimpse of when high and low tides in our area occur. At low tide shells are revealed in areas you might need to snorkel, which Ho2 Pensacola Dolphin Tours, Pontoons & More! offers , at a different time of day. It is true that the early bird gets the worm and has the advantage of scooping up the truly unique shells. At that time of the day you may see dolphins, the Pelicans and plenty of other beach birds as they get moving but there is always something to see at Ft. Pickens and Ft. McCree. You may find a significant amount of shells after a storm as storms kick up and bring in new waves of shells to the shore.

If you are visiting the beach at low tide then look in the sand where the waves left a mark at high tide. It could be 20 to 50 feet from where the shore is at the moment. Don’t forget to bring snorkeling equipment for your cruise.

Sometimes the fun shells are waiting for you just beyond the shore. Just keep in mind that shells with living creatures in them should be left where they are.

Your brain is smart. it can tell a circle from a crowd of edges. If you have a particular shell in mind that you are targeting, just relax and let your brain do the work. You can do this with sand dollars and jingle shells. I know my brain will pick out the smooth round sand dollars from any group of shells.

In our area this would apply mainly to lettered olives and coquinas. If you swim out to a sandbar to collect shells, then many more would apply. Coquinas are those cute little shells that wiggle back into the sand as waves retreat. They come in beautiful colors! Make sure you don’t see a creature hiding in its shell before you decide to take them home.

Fighting conchs are the type of conch most commonly found on beaches. While alive, the seashell is a bright orange, but will fade under the bright tropical sunshine. Conch harvesting is now illegal in the state.

This shell is greatly prized for its beauty and apparent rarity by sea shell collectors. Its milky chamber is covered with brown spots on the outside, and the animal that occupies the shell is likewise marked.

Lightning whelks grow up to 16 inches long, and were used by early island natives for both food and tools, most commonly as lamps. This species has a left-handed or sinistral shell.

The distinctive rounded Cockle shell is heart shaped when viewed from the end, and thrives in a sheltered and sandy beach. Smaller cockles are commonly found, but a large intact cockle shell is a prized find.

Banded tulips and their larger, rarer cousins, true tulips, frequently wash up on island shores to the delight of collectors and beach combers who revel in their intriguing patterns and delicately swirling form.

While alive, the sand dollar is thin, flat, brown, and bristled with tiny tubes that permit it to breath, move and camouflage itself. Exposed to the sun, Sand dollars will bleach to a beautifully white textured pattern.

Named for its elongated oval shape, the olive comes in a variety of colors and variations, and often sports a glossy finish. Olive shells will sun-bleached white and rarely grow beyond three inches long.

The Murex or ‘rock snails’ can have various shapes with a long “tail” and spikes or fronds all the way down. They are hard to find in good condition because they are fragile and the surf usually destroys the spikes.

Coquinas are not much bigger than a dime, and come in many colorful patterns, stripes, solids, and even plaids. You will most likely see live coquina’s digging their way into the sand when the waves recede.

The Ceriths found on AMI are also known as horned shells, and are commonly found on sandy bottoms, and beaches and vary in size and ornament, most found are an inch in length. Common varieties: Varicose, Grass, Dark, Stocky, Fly Speck, and West Indian False.

Worm snails are very irregular elongated tubular shells, and look like spaghetti stuck to a rock. Sometimes billions of worm tubes can build an actual reef. A large reef like that forms a barrier to a group of small islands called the Ten Thousand Islands.

Spotted slipper shells are often called “boat” shells. When upside down, it looks like an old sailing ship with a flat deck. After 2 years of floating loose, they will attach themselves to a rock or empty shell.

Limpets there are 35 different species and sub species of Limpets in North America. Keyhole Limpets have an opening in the top of the shell. Limpets shells are conical or cap shaped without spiral whorls.

Turkey wings are easy to identify. Because the shells vaguely look like outstretched bird wings they’re called Turkey Wings. Shell is a little over two inches long, oblong, with one side more or less straight.

Wentletraps, staircase shells, or ladder shells, are notable for their intricately shell structure. Most species of wentletrap are white, and have a porcelain-like appearance. These shells are prized by collectors.

Brightly colored in shades of red and pink, fan-shaped shells of some scallops, with a radiating fluted pattern, are valued by shell collectors. Up to 2 inches in length, patterns on this clam are diverse and beautiful.

About 1-1/2 inches in length, the Florida Spiny Jewel Box is found along the coast of Florida. It is white; the interior may show tinges of pink or red. The shell itself is thick and heavy for its size.

Jingle Shells are wrinkled and polished looking and come in a variety of translucent colors from shades of orange to dark gray, with white and off-white being common as well. They make a jingling sound when shaken.