My first trip to the islands was in 2003 (with family) and we stayed on Captiva at the South Seas Resort. We walked and shopped and had a great time - it is a beautiful area and lots of fun. Found lots of shells including my first tiny, baby horse conch. I've been back, but on Sanibel, every year since (except one plus last year due to the pandemic) and I love shelling on Sanibel. While there in 2006 during Tropical Storm Alberto, I found a horse conch (about 12 inches in length) that had just washed up on the beach during an early morning shelling excursion. I will say a little prayer that you find a horse conch of your own soon. I love your videos so much - it is the closest thing to real shelling I can get these days - and I think you deserve a huge reward from the shell gods for making so many people happy!
I think the shell gods treat me pretty well every single time I go out there :) Well, with the exception of my horse conch that is - LOL! All things considered I certainly can't complain. I'm very lucky to live where I do and be able to share my treasures with others to enjoy. Thanks so much for coming along with me on my beach walks!
I grew up in Florida, collecting shells on the east coast as a kid, but have NEVER been to Sanibel. I’m excited to make it over there this weekend for my birthday. As simple as it sounds, I just want to find pretty shells and watch the sunset. I’m so glad your video popped up!
Oh you'll like Sanibel! It's not built up at all and still has an old Florida island feel. Sunsets there are beautiful - watching the sun dip over the horizon is always an event. I hope you have a wonderful birthday! Thank you for watching!
We are headed home today 🙁. What a great time on Sanibel! It was chilly but the shelling was awesome! I tried walking by Silver key and there were absolutely no shells at all. However, Turner beach at low tide Monday night was incredible...cold and I was In the water with the wind and monstrous waves but it was worth it. I’m from the north so the blood is pretty thick but I was frozen. Yesterday morning at low tide there were tons of live goodies on the beach by our resort including an octopus. And did I find the angel wings!! Huge empty Horsey and a little of everything. I even found a golden olive on Blind Pass. Great trip!
Well that sure sounds like an AMAZING trip! I’m glad you were rewarded for braving the cold. I’m so jealous you saw an octopus. I’m dying to see one “in the wild.” I’m so happy you had such a good time at Sanibel and it sounds like you have a few awesome souvenirs to remember your trip by! Congrats!
Isn't that insane?! We went and I paid the $40 one day and when I left that lot was full! I did however find a massive whelk and some other outstanding shells so for me, it was worth it. Thank you for watching!
I truly enjoy your videos. I have been going to Sanibel for 11 years now. It is my favorite place to go. I always try to get to Captiva as I love the Calico Clam shells. I might find one or two on Sanibel but nothing like I find on Captiva. I think they are on my top 5 shells to find. Thanks for bringing happiness into my day.
I seem to find TONS of those calico scallops over on Sanibel too. Not so much Fort Myers Beach, but Sanibel always gives me pretty scallops. That's amazing you've been coming here for 11 years. I am only living here almost a year and a half and I've already seen how much the beaches can change so quickly! I'm glad I could bring you some happiness - thank you so much for watching!
That one live critter on the back of a shell ... so strange. It's shaped like half a clam or oyster shell, but it's what the snail lives in? Who knew! Thanks for taking us along!
Yes, those slipper snails are actually gastropods, but they only have that one piece of shell. They usually pile up on top of other shells or each other! Interesting little guys. Thanks so much for coming along with me!
I look forward to your videos every week. Sometimes my 13 year old granddaughter watches with me, she calls you “the scallop lady”. She is a great shelter. I’ve gone on three vacations to Sanibel with her and the rest of my son’s family she always finds something the rest of us don’t! When we went last Thanksgiving we stayed on Sanibel at the Sundial. There is a nice sandbar off the beach there. We also shelled at the lighthouse, Turner, Blind Pass and the one on Captiva with expensive parking. One day we ate at the Mucky Duck on Captiva and had to wait for a table so we went shelling there also. We took the ferry from Captiva to Costa Cayo and found lots of shells including tons of olives in water as it rolls up on the beach. I’ve already told you this but my favorite day is when we spent 5 hours on Kice Island down by Marco. I picked up 59 Florida Fighting Conchs (and could have gotten more) and a bunch of juveniles. Lots of others also.
59 Florida Fighting Conchs must have been one heavy bag! Those little guys can get quite heavy after picking up a few. Sounds like it was an amazing trip! I want to try all of the boat trips but they're a little pricey. I'll have to see if the pricing comes down in the summer when it's "off season" down here. I'd love to explore Costa Coya! We also have a friend with a boat. Maybe I can convince them to drop me off for a few hours :) Thank you so much for coming along with me and telling me about your previous trips! Please tell your granddaughter the "Scallop lady" says hi!
ugh i’m such a sucker for those scallops and jewelboxes (even if they’re lumpy) lol thanks for bringing us along and for the wonderful video, i hope you have a wonderful week & i already can’t wait for next weeks walk! 😊
Thank you so much for coming along with me week to week! Next Sunday we find a bunch of cool critters I've never found before! Hope you have a great week too!
I picked up so many spiny jewel boxes in Panama City Beach, but rarely found any with their full spikes in tact. The Gulf stole them before they washed up! Lol But they are in pretty good shape and some huge. I even made a framed wall hanging with some, glued on the backing, starting with the larger ones at the bottom working up the rows to smaller shells. Then I did the same with Calico Scallops. So pretty on my bathroom wall.
We stay on Andy Rosse in Captiva every year. Perfect spot. Micky Duck one one end, the Bubble Room and the dock at the other. My favorite is always the Florida Fighting Conch and I want every one you leave behind!
The Bubble Room Gift Shop is SO FUN! It's such a quaint area and I can see why you stay there. I'll be sure to leave a couple of those conchs behind for you! 😅
I love your videos. Up here in the Northeast we’ve been below zero most of the weekend and now we’re expecting over a foot of snow. So I am living vicariously through your videos. Keep them coming.
And that weather description is why I moved to Florida! Sure, the whole hurricane thing is not fun but if I can avoid the freezing cold and snow and have palm trees all year I'll take it! That being said, I did love snow days. I hope your'e safe with whatever weather you're dealing with!
Something fascinating I learned about the ponderous arc is that when they are alive they are brown and furry like the hairy Triton. I knew I liked them for a good reason LOL who wouldn't like a furry shell!
Again a lovely beach walk with beautiful shells. Those kitten paws are so cute! I've a real kitten in the house and the paw really looks a bit like the shell. Can't wait for the next beach walk. It's so lovely to go "outdoors" in other countries. Stay safe and have a nice week! Saying hi from the very cold and icy Netherlands 🤗
Hello icy Netherlands! I was just saying the other day it felt like Spring in the North, but it's only January here! I'm so, so lucky! I have 2 cats of my own and they are awesome! Next week we find some shells and some really cool critters - see you then! xoxo
I love the colors of the scallops and the calico clams. Even among the broken shells you always seem to find good ones. Thank you for another wonderful trip down the beach looking for shells.
You are so very welcome! Sometimes it works out to be a little bit of a "slow" shelling day as I tend to pay attention to things I might otherwise would have passed up. Thank you for coming along with me!
Cool finds! Captiva has all of the scallops. I always seem to find really pretty calico and rough scallops there and flats! Sometimes I find nice chunks of lion's paw there if I'm lucky. The giant bittersweets are so cool. We don't get them often but the colors and patterns are really cool.
The best Lion's Paw I ever found was on Captiva. As was my one and only giant whelk. It's so unaccessible but I guess that' part of it's charm too :) It was nice to see a bittersweet and that Lady in waiting Venus clam. That's the good thing about not finding great shells right away, I start really picking through what's on the beach and I tend to find new stuff :)
@@SWFBeachLife Yeah, some of the shells not everyone pays attention are nice too. Don't know why but I find those cut-ribbed ark guys really cool, the texture just feels different than the other ones. Did you go out this morning, and if so, any luck? Pretty sure this weather should bring in lots of great shells. Wouldn't be too surprised if you found a giant, or even multiple! One time when we had very high winds on Sanibel, the waves washed in a bunch of huge whelks and horse conchs. Got totally soaked, because again it was a really rough storm but it was worth it!
Howdy Beach Friend...you make even finding a common scallop so much fun! I love all the different colors and designs on them. (Like snowflakes). When do you start your shell classes, you are already so informative!!🥰
Thanks for coming with me once again Pat! I have so much more to learn about shells and birds and critters that I find down here. I'm glad I can help others learn with me along the way! Maybe one day I could have tours and classes - hey, a girl can dream right?
I think it's cool that the realtor company let you park at one of their properties. I love colorful buildings. I hope to paint my house in my fave colors. You got some decent shells this time. I've been to captiva but only that that public beach by the bridge.
Turner Beach is the one by the bridge and still a little pricey at $5 per hour! I'm happy I've made a partnership so I can have access to other places on Captiva and Sanibel. I wish I could of had a repeat of the time I found a big whelk but not this time unfortunately.
Beautiful scallops! Love your shelling Beach tours! Thanks for the great info regarding Captiva Island parking. I was only aware of parking at Turner Beach. Thanks again! See you in April Captiva and Sanibel!🐚🏖💖🐚
Thank you for taking me with you on your walk. I can’t think of anything I would love to do more. You had a really lovely day. Can’t wait until your next walk. Love your videos. Take care❤️
Thank you so much for coming along with me! I have no way of knowing what I'm going to find each week but it's so much fun finding out :) Hope you have a lovely week!
I think the scallops that are white or tan with brown markings along the bottom, MAY, may be the bottom of a zigzag scallop, the one’s with the flat tops. I’m not sure about that, but I think you could check it out with the shell museum.
I've often wondered what the top of one of the flats/zig zags look like. The example on the shell museum website isn't great but I'll keep looking until I figure it out!
@@SWFBeachLife Please let me know what you find out. I too have a couple of scallops that aren’t the normal colors for bays or calicos, but came from swfl beaches.
I wish I could find the secret beach spot that always had shells, but apparently it just doesn't work like that! I was in the Tween Waters area and it was tough finding goodies. I hope when you visit you have much better luck!
I dont mean to be so offtopic but does someone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account..? I somehow forgot my account password. I would love any tricks you can offer me.
@Anders Lian Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm trying it out atm. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
Oh you and me both! My husband found one not too long ago and I think I find one about every year. I promise I'll be on the lookout! Along with my wentletrap and scotch bonnet!
Great negotiating on the parking! The white scallop with the brown accents we see a lot of here. I call them "Siamese scallops"😁. "Lumpy" jewelbox could be a new species! Just kidding... Some of the calico clams had some really nice patterns. And, as usual, some beautiful calico scallops! Did you soak the scallop in bleach after trying to clean it? I find that my little screw driver gets most unwanted stuff off after soaking. Thanks Sharmon!
No, I didn't soak that shell before I tried to get the white stuff off but next time I'll give that a whirl to see if it helps. I've never heard of siamese scallops, but I like it! Those calico scallops really like Sanibel/Captiva for some reason - I know, they like it because they don't have to pay for parking - LOL! Thanks for coming along with me once again Ginger! xoxo
@@SWFBeachLife lol. I inherited a Siamese cat when my best friend passed. When he was a baby he was mostly white with brown just on his nose and ear tips. That's what those scallops remind me of. He's much darker now. I always enjoy your videos and sense of humor. Xxoo
@@gingermackeen5741 I'm so glad you have a kitty as a reminder :) My daughter has a brown seal point siamese. She too was mostly white except for the little brown on the nose, ears and feet. They are such beautiful cats and her face is now almost completely brown. I have a very dry sense of humor. I'm starting to get a little comfortable and let a little more of my weirdness come through :) xoxo
Love the bubble Room! I like having the beach to myself also, which is rare for me. Was this in the morning? Sorry about the Horse Conch, you'll find it before long, keep my fingers crossed!
Yes, this was in the morning and I threw that Bubble Room shot in for those who are familiar with it :) I got on the beach this day before 8am. It's not great in the winter as sometimes it's a little chilly but it's really a blessing in the summer. Plus we're just not fans of traffic and crowds, etc. so we like to get out on the beach early and beat the rush :) Thanks so much for coming along with me! I'll get my horse conch one day!
The little ones are normally mixed together with the bigger shells in the dry shell piles or at the waters edge. If you're looking for tinies I would just find a shell pile and start sifting! Thank you so much for watching!
😭😭 the bubble room. My BFF/sister from another mother Jody, we used to go to Captiva and Sanibel all the time and go to the bubble room. She passed away in August 2022 from cancer. And I wondered how the bubble room was doing after the hurricane?
I'm so sorry to hear about Jody. ❤️ I have not been back up that way on Captiva (But I think I will visit soon!) and the Bubble Room is not open back up yet. They have a little dessert location that is open. Lots of places are still working really hard to reopen.
Can you please explain why Sanibel has so many shells while on the east coast we don’t have a beach like y’all have. New subscriber here in West Palm Beach.
I think it's the beach profiles. The gulf waters are much more calm over here on the West Coast than the East Coast and we have a nice, gentle incline to our beaches so the shells and critters can actually get on to the beach. The East Coast has much rougher waters and a steeper beach incline (at some beaches) which makes it harder for the intact shells to make it onto the beach. I loved my shelling trips on the East Coast!
I have a weird question for you, but what do you guys eat for breakfast before shelling? Do you bring any food with you to keep energy up? I usually don’t eat in the mornings but I need to for shelling lol
Not weird at all! We buy breakfast sandwiches at the store and heat them up at home and wrap them in foil and they go in our backpacks to eat once we get hungry. If I'm feeling healthy, I'll just throw two hard boiled eggs in a sandwich bag and in my backpack it goes. Depending on how long we plan on being at the beach, we'll pack a cooler with sandwiches and cold waters, etc. for lunch too. We normally freeze water bottles and use them in our cooler to keep everything cold and we walk with the frozen bottles in the hot weather so we always have cool/cold water on us. We've got quite a system now that we've been at it so long! I've been thinking beef jerky or some granola bars that don't have ingredients that melt would be good too!
I wondered about that repaired one. I have one that repaired half his shell in white and has pretty colors underneath and at the top. Any reason they may use white as a repair color?
I'd have to see the shell to try to guess why it repaired itself the way it did. Most of the time the shells will have the same pattern/color but I suppose it's always possible that Mother Nature had something different in mind!
You might be able to, but I suspect the emery board wouldn't be rough enough to file down a shell. A grinder might work, but you run the risk of breaking the shell. Luckily there are tons of scallops down here so it would be easy enough to find one that isn't chipped or broken :)
That is a great question! I don't know how well they can see. I know they try to adhere themselves to something solid but not sure if they pick anything based on color.
I keep some, I put some to the side to sell (if I ever get around to getting them on my website) and some I put in a shell bed in my yard. I try to stay on top of them each time I bring them home. The last time I had to organize them it took an entire day!
The glass fillable lamps are great to make and they use up a lot of shells. I place the prettier ones along the sides and use chop sticks to place them perfectly.
@@deedeevee4254 OOhh chop sticks are a great idea! I inherited 2 shell filled lamps when I moved to FL. I always wanted to make one and now I don't have to!
Yes, their website is www.breakawayvacationproperties.com You can take a look at their properties and rates. If you call please tell them SWF Beach Life recommended them :)
i know i'm late to the party here but i stayed at one of their properties last january and was really pleased wth the property and the whole rental experience. i'm booked with them again for next january. highly recommend!!
It's not illegal to collect shells in Florida, but the shells have to be empty. It is illegal to collect shells if the snail is still alive. Same applies for star fish or other living creatures - its illegal to take living creatures from the beach. There are also some protected areas where you are not allowed to take any shells but down here in SWFL if the shell is empty, it's okay to keep.
Captiva and Sanibel Islands think they are beautiful like Bora Bora, the Caribbean etc. Just typical gulf Coast beaches way over priced for what they have to offer. Not that scenic. Nothing special.
@@SWFBeachLife I love Sanibel even though I have never been there before last weekend. I come from a country with some of the best beaches in the world but I still think that Sanibel and Captiva are really special and charming in their own right.
I like these islands because there is so much undeveloped land. They take conservation very seriously and it gives the islands a really natural feel. I hope you enjoyed your time there and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
My first trip to the islands was in 2003 (with family) and we stayed on Captiva at the South Seas Resort. We walked and shopped and had a great time - it is a beautiful area and lots of fun. Found lots of shells including my first tiny, baby horse conch. I've been back, but on Sanibel, every year since (except one plus last year due to the pandemic) and I love shelling on Sanibel. While there in 2006 during Tropical Storm Alberto, I found a horse conch (about 12 inches in length) that had just washed up on the beach during an early morning shelling excursion. I will say a little prayer that you find a horse conch of your own soon. I love your videos so much - it is the closest thing to real shelling I can get these days - and I think you deserve a huge reward from the shell gods for making so many people happy!
I think the shell gods treat me pretty well every single time I go out there :) Well, with the exception of my horse conch that is - LOL! All things considered I certainly can't complain. I'm very lucky to live where I do and be able to share my treasures with others to enjoy. Thanks so much for coming along with me on my beach walks!
I miss Florida. God willing we will be able to visit this summer. 🙏 My favorite beach area is Ft Pickens.
I hope you get to visit this summer too! I've never been to Ft Pickens but there's no such thing as a bad beach! Thank you for watching!
I can hardly wait for your Sunday video! Thank you for what you do. ❤️
You are so welcome! Thank you so much for watching!!
I’ve collected a few of those Giant Bittersweets along the shore in Panama City Beach. So pretty!
I always think i know so much about shells then i watch your vids and learn some more! Beautiful shells, as always 🧡
Aww - thank you so much for watching! I'm glad we can learn about shells together!
I grew up in Florida, collecting shells on the east coast as a kid, but have NEVER been to Sanibel. I’m excited to make it over there this weekend for my birthday. As simple as it sounds, I just want to find pretty shells and watch the sunset. I’m so glad your video popped up!
Oh you'll like Sanibel! It's not built up at all and still has an old Florida island feel. Sunsets there are beautiful - watching the sun dip over the horizon is always an event. I hope you have a wonderful birthday! Thank you for watching!
i love your voice its so calming and the way you present your video its like i am walking with you on that beach. subscribed
Thanks for subbing! I really appreciate it! I bring you to the beach every weekend!
We are headed home today 🙁. What a great time on Sanibel! It was chilly but the shelling was awesome! I tried walking by Silver key and there were absolutely no shells at all. However, Turner beach at low tide Monday night was incredible...cold and I was In the water with the wind and monstrous waves but it was worth it. I’m from the north so the blood is pretty thick but I was frozen. Yesterday morning at low tide there were tons of live goodies on the beach by our resort including an octopus. And did I find the angel wings!! Huge empty Horsey and a little of everything. I even found a golden olive on Blind Pass. Great trip!
Well that sure sounds like an AMAZING trip! I’m glad you were rewarded for braving the cold. I’m so jealous you saw an octopus. I’m dying to see one “in the wild.” I’m so happy you had such a good time at Sanibel and it sounds like you have a few awesome souvenirs to remember your trip by! Congrats!
Yeesh! $25 for 2 hours!? That’s insane. I thought it was high here in Cali! I love seeing all the stuff down there!
Isn't that insane?! We went and I paid the $40 one day and when I left that lot was full! I did however find a massive whelk and some other outstanding shells so for me, it was worth it. Thank you for watching!
I truly enjoy your videos. I have been going to Sanibel for 11 years now. It is my favorite place to go. I always try to get to Captiva as I love the Calico Clam shells. I might find one or two on Sanibel but nothing like I find on Captiva. I think they are on my top 5 shells to find.
Thanks for bringing happiness into my day.
I seem to find TONS of those calico scallops over on Sanibel too. Not so much Fort Myers Beach, but Sanibel always gives me pretty scallops. That's amazing you've been coming here for 11 years. I am only living here almost a year and a half and I've already seen how much the beaches can change so quickly! I'm glad I could bring you some happiness - thank you so much for watching!
That one live critter on the back of a shell ... so strange. It's shaped like half a clam or oyster shell, but it's what the snail lives in? Who knew! Thanks for taking us along!
Yes, those slipper snails are actually gastropods, but they only have that one piece of shell. They usually pile up on top of other shells or each other! Interesting little guys. Thanks so much for coming along with me!
I look forward to your videos every week. Sometimes my 13 year old granddaughter watches with me, she calls you “the scallop lady”. She is a great shelter. I’ve gone on three vacations to Sanibel with her and the rest of my son’s family she always finds something the rest of us don’t! When we went last Thanksgiving we stayed on Sanibel at the Sundial. There is a nice sandbar off the beach there. We also shelled at the lighthouse, Turner, Blind Pass and the one on Captiva with expensive parking. One day we ate at the Mucky Duck on Captiva and had to wait for a table so we went shelling there also. We took the ferry from Captiva to Costa Cayo and found lots of shells including tons of olives in water as it rolls up on the beach. I’ve already told you this but my favorite day is when we spent 5 hours on Kice Island down by Marco. I picked up 59 Florida Fighting Conchs (and could have gotten more) and a bunch of juveniles. Lots of others also.
59 Florida Fighting Conchs must have been one heavy bag! Those little guys can get quite heavy after picking up a few. Sounds like it was an amazing trip! I want to try all of the boat trips but they're a little pricey. I'll have to see if the pricing comes down in the summer when it's "off season" down here. I'd love to explore Costa Coya! We also have a friend with a boat. Maybe I can convince them to drop me off for a few hours :) Thank you so much for coming along with me and telling me about your previous trips! Please tell your granddaughter the "Scallop lady" says hi!
ugh i’m such a sucker for those scallops and jewelboxes (even if they’re lumpy) lol
thanks for bringing us along and for the wonderful video, i hope you have a wonderful week & i already can’t wait for next weeks walk! 😊
Thank you so much for coming along with me week to week! Next Sunday we find a bunch of cool critters I've never found before! Hope you have a great week too!
I picked up so many spiny jewel boxes in Panama City Beach, but rarely found any with their full spikes in tact. The Gulf stole them before they washed up! Lol But they are in pretty good shape and some huge. I even made a framed wall hanging with some, glued on the backing, starting with the larger ones at the bottom working up the rows to smaller shells. Then I did the same with Calico Scallops. So pretty on my bathroom wall.
Even the worn down shells can be super pretty. I don't think I've ever met a shell I didn't like 😂
Mother nature is cool! 🤗 Thank u 4 sharing, takin us along.
It really is! Thank you so much for watching!
We stay on Andy Rosse in Captiva every year. Perfect spot. Micky Duck one one end, the Bubble Room and the dock at the other. My favorite is always the Florida Fighting Conch and I want every one you leave behind!
The Bubble Room Gift Shop is SO FUN! It's such a quaint area and I can see why you stay there. I'll be sure to leave a couple of those conchs behind for you! 😅
@@SWFBeachLife haha! I called it Mickey Duck instead of Mucky! Disney-fying it. Funny.
As the snow falls here in Virginia, I live for your videos every Sunday!
Yes, I've heard some of my northern friends are getting snow. Please be safe! Thanks for coming along on my Sunday beach walks!
Hi, I moved to Florida because of working my summers in OC, NJ, and falling in love with the beach there.
I had only been to OC NJ once, but I've been to OC MD tons. I hope you live close to a couple of beaches here in FL!
I love your videos. Up here in the Northeast we’ve been below zero most of the weekend and now we’re expecting over a foot of snow. So I am living vicariously through your videos. Keep them coming.
And that weather description is why I moved to Florida! Sure, the whole hurricane thing is not fun but if I can avoid the freezing cold and snow and have palm trees all year I'll take it! That being said, I did love snow days. I hope your'e safe with whatever weather you're dealing with!
Something fascinating I learned about the ponderous arc is that when they are alive they are brown and furry like the hairy Triton. I knew I liked them for a good reason LOL who wouldn't like a furry shell!
TOTALLY! I wish I could find a live furry one. Hopefully one day I will! I didn't know that - cool info!
Again a lovely beach walk with beautiful shells.
Those kitten paws are so cute! I've a real kitten in the house and the paw really looks a bit like the shell.
Can't wait for the next beach walk. It's so lovely to go "outdoors" in other countries.
Stay safe and have a nice week!
Saying hi from the very cold and icy Netherlands 🤗
Hello icy Netherlands! I was just saying the other day it felt like Spring in the North, but it's only January here! I'm so, so lucky! I have 2 cats of my own and they are awesome! Next week we find some shells and some really cool critters - see you then! xoxo
I wait for Sundays to watch your videos 💕
Snowy, cold, no ocean and a travel ban here in Canada 😔 Thank you, best videos!!
Oh dear - that's a whole lot of unbeachyness going on. I hope you stay warm and you get an early Spring!
I love the colors of the scallops and the calico clams. Even among the broken shells you always seem to find good ones. Thank you for another wonderful trip down the beach looking for shells.
You are so very welcome! Sometimes it works out to be a little bit of a "slow" shelling day as I tend to pay attention to things I might otherwise would have passed up. Thank you for coming along with me!
Great beach walk and beach finds.
Only 20 days!!!
YAY! I hope it goes quick for you! Thanks for coming along with me to Captiva!
Your so lucky to be there, here in lower Michigan its only 18° with more snow.
I am VERY lucky to live where I do. Our move was done with much thought and intention. I don't ever want to have to shovel snow ever again!
Your videos always brighten my day. Thank you for taking me shelling when I can’t.
You are so very welcome! I appreciate you watching my beach walks!
Cool finds! Captiva has all of the scallops. I always seem to find really pretty calico and rough scallops there and flats! Sometimes I find nice chunks of lion's paw there if I'm lucky. The giant bittersweets are so cool. We don't get them often but the colors and patterns are really cool.
The best Lion's Paw I ever found was on Captiva. As was my one and only giant whelk. It's so unaccessible but I guess that' part of it's charm too :) It was nice to see a bittersweet and that Lady in waiting Venus clam. That's the good thing about not finding great shells right away, I start really picking through what's on the beach and I tend to find new stuff :)
@@SWFBeachLife Yeah, some of the shells not everyone pays attention are nice too. Don't know why but I find those cut-ribbed ark guys really cool, the texture just feels different than the other ones. Did you go out this morning, and if so, any luck? Pretty sure this weather should bring in lots of great shells. Wouldn't be too surprised if you found a giant, or even multiple! One time when we had very high winds on Sanibel, the waves washed in a bunch of huge whelks and horse conchs. Got totally soaked, because again it was a really rough storm but it was worth it!
Thank you for identifying the more common shells. Enjoy your videos.
Thank you so much!
Lovely variety!😎👍
Pretty pretty! I love the calico scallops.
Thank you - me too! 😊Thank you for watching!
Howdy Beach Friend...you make even finding a common scallop so much fun! I love all the different colors and designs on them. (Like snowflakes). When do you start your shell classes, you are already so informative!!🥰
Thanks for coming with me once again Pat! I have so much more to learn about shells and birds and critters that I find down here. I'm glad I can help others learn with me along the way! Maybe one day I could have tours and classes - hey, a girl can dream right?
It's a semi-spiny jewel box !!! Thanks for the walk on the beach!
Thanks for coming with me Annie!
Thanks for another great walk....count down started!
Yay! And thanks so much for coming along with me!
I think it's cool that the realtor company let you park at one of their properties. I love colorful buildings. I hope to paint my house in my fave colors. You got some decent shells this time. I've been to captiva but only that that public beach by the bridge.
Turner Beach is the one by the bridge and still a little pricey at $5 per hour! I'm happy I've made a partnership so I can have access to other places on Captiva and Sanibel. I wish I could of had a repeat of the time I found a big whelk but not this time unfortunately.
Beautiful shelling.. thanks💜
You are so welcome! Thank you for watching!
Beautiful scallops! Love your shelling Beach tours! Thanks for the great info regarding Captiva Island parking. I was only aware of parking at Turner Beach. Thanks again! See you in April Captiva and Sanibel!🐚🏖💖🐚
Yay! Your vacation will be here before you know it! Thanks for coming along with me!
Thank you so much for your trip this week 🐚🐚🐚😄🤩
You are so very welcome! I hope you have a good week!
Another great video, thanks for taking us all to the beach with you. You are the Best!!!!! ❤️
Awww - my subscribers are the best! Thank you for being awesome!
Thank you for taking me with you on your walk. I can’t think of anything I would love to do more. You had a really lovely day. Can’t wait until your next walk. Love your videos. Take care❤️
Thank you so much for coming along with me! I have no way of knowing what I'm going to find each week but it's so much fun finding out :) Hope you have a lovely week!
Beautiful finds!
Thank you!!
The perfect way to end my Sunday! It was a great virtual walk along the beach! Thank you
I'm glad you enjoyed it! There's always something interesting to talk about at the beach :)
I am a very new sheller and am really fascinated by how you remember the names of all the shells.
I am kind of a nerd and I like learning things so I would just teach myself shell by shell. I don't always get them all right - I'm still learning!
@@SWFBeachLife I sure learned a lot just watching your videos.
If you can handle the chill, tomorrow should be epic with all this wind and water ripping!
And that my friend is exactly my plan!! It's going to be cold but I hope it's worth it!
@@SWFBeachLife I'm sending you shell luck! I've been down here too long, my blood is too thin for going out there!😂
@@deedeevee4254 Thank you! Seems like a good idea now - we shall see how I feel about it once I’m out there! 🤣
Maybe it wasn't the best of days but the scallops were pretty...♥️
Agreed. When it gets slow I really have to hunt to find things but I'm always happy to be at the beach xoxo
I think the scallops that are white or tan with brown markings along the bottom, MAY, may be the bottom of a zigzag scallop, the one’s with the flat tops. I’m not sure about that, but I think you could check it out with the shell museum.
I've often wondered what the top of one of the flats/zig zags look like. The example on the shell museum website isn't great but I'll keep looking until I figure it out!
@@SWFBeachLife Please let me know what you find out. I too have a couple of scallops that aren’t the normal colors for bays or calicos, but came from swfl beaches.
When visiting, we usually stay at Tween Waters. We noticed that when they replenished the beach , shelling wasn’t so great. It’s getting better
I wish I could find the secret beach spot that always had shells, but apparently it just doesn't work like that! I was in the Tween Waters area and it was tough finding goodies. I hope when you visit you have much better luck!
I dont mean to be so offtopic but does someone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account..?
I somehow forgot my account password. I would love any tricks you can offer me.
@Konnor Colten instablaster =)
@Anders Lian Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm trying it out atm.
Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
@Anders Lian it did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thanks so much, you saved my ass :D
Nice finds!! I wish, just once, you'd find a limpet for me! We don't get to come back till July, and I need my LIMPET FIX!😂 Thanks
Oh you and me both! My husband found one not too long ago and I think I find one about every year. I promise I'll be on the lookout! Along with my wentletrap and scotch bonnet!
If you put some mineral oil on the shell and leave it sit for awhile it will loosen that stuff up and you can remove it completely
I'll have to keep that in mind for any of the "stuff" I can't seem to get off with my other cleaning methods. Thanks so much for the tip!
Great negotiating on the parking! The white scallop with the brown accents we see a lot of here. I call them "Siamese scallops"😁. "Lumpy" jewelbox could be a new species! Just kidding... Some of the calico clams had some really nice patterns. And, as usual, some beautiful calico scallops! Did you soak the scallop in bleach after trying to clean it? I find that my little screw driver gets most unwanted stuff off after soaking. Thanks Sharmon!
No, I didn't soak that shell before I tried to get the white stuff off but next time I'll give that a whirl to see if it helps. I've never heard of siamese scallops, but I like it! Those calico scallops really like Sanibel/Captiva for some reason - I know, they like it because they don't have to pay for parking - LOL! Thanks for coming along with me once again Ginger! xoxo
@@SWFBeachLife lol. I inherited a Siamese cat when my best friend passed. When he was a baby he was mostly white with brown just on his nose and ear tips. That's what those scallops remind me of. He's much darker now. I always enjoy your videos and sense of humor. Xxoo
@@gingermackeen5741 I'm so glad you have a kitty as a reminder :) My daughter has a brown seal point siamese. She too was mostly white except for the little brown on the nose, ears and feet. They are such beautiful cats and her face is now almost completely brown. I have a very dry sense of humor. I'm starting to get a little comfortable and let a little more of my weirdness come through :) xoxo
So different 40 years ago when my son and I vacationed.
I've heard the shelling was much better years ago. I wish I'd been able to see it!
Love the bubble Room! I like having the beach to myself also, which is rare for me. Was this in the morning? Sorry about the Horse Conch, you'll find it before long, keep my fingers crossed!
Yes, this was in the morning and I threw that Bubble Room shot in for those who are familiar with it :) I got on the beach this day before 8am. It's not great in the winter as sometimes it's a little chilly but it's really a blessing in the summer. Plus we're just not fans of traffic and crowds, etc. so we like to get out on the beach early and beat the rush :) Thanks so much for coming along with me! I'll get my horse conch one day!
love your videos! Do you happen to have any tips for finding nice baby shells? ❤️
The little ones are normally mixed together with the bigger shells in the dry shell piles or at the waters edge. If you're looking for tinies I would just find a shell pile and start sifting! Thank you so much for watching!
@@SWFBeachLife Oh awesome that makes sense! Thank you! 🥰
😭😭 the bubble room. My BFF/sister from another mother Jody, we used to go to Captiva and Sanibel all the time and go to the bubble room. She passed away in August 2022 from cancer. And I wondered how the bubble room was doing after the hurricane?
I'm so sorry to hear about Jody. ❤️
I have not been back up that way on Captiva (But I think I will visit soon!) and the Bubble Room is not open back up yet. They have a little dessert location that is open. Lots of places are still working really hard to reopen.
Thank you Sharmon.
Can you please explain why Sanibel has so many shells while on the east coast we don’t have a beach like y’all have. New subscriber here in West Palm Beach.
I think it's the beach profiles. The gulf waters are much more calm over here on the West Coast than the East Coast and we have a nice, gentle incline to our beaches so the shells and critters can actually get on to the beach. The East Coast has much rougher waters and a steeper beach incline (at some beaches) which makes it harder for the intact shells to make it onto the beach. I loved my shelling trips on the East Coast!
You should make the smaller pieces of horse conch into jewellery
I should! I've held onto to them and maybe one day I'll find the time :) Good idea!
I have a weird question for you, but what do you guys eat for breakfast before shelling? Do you bring any food with you to keep energy up? I usually don’t eat in the mornings but I need to for shelling lol
Not weird at all! We buy breakfast sandwiches at the store and heat them up at home and wrap them in foil and they go in our backpacks to eat once we get hungry. If I'm feeling healthy, I'll just throw two hard boiled eggs in a sandwich bag and in my backpack it goes. Depending on how long we plan on being at the beach, we'll pack a cooler with sandwiches and cold waters, etc. for lunch too. We normally freeze water bottles and use them in our cooler to keep everything cold and we walk with the frozen bottles in the hot weather so we always have cool/cold water on us. We've got quite a system now that we've been at it so long! I've been thinking beef jerky or some granola bars that don't have ingredients that melt would be good too!
I wondered about that repaired one. I have one that repaired half his shell in white and has pretty colors underneath and at the top. Any reason they may use white as a repair color?
I'd have to see the shell to try to guess why it repaired itself the way it did. Most of the time the shells will have the same pattern/color but I suppose it's always possible that Mother Nature had something different in mind!
Could you use an emery board and gently file on the pink scallop?
You might be able to, but I suspect the emery board wouldn't be rough enough to file down a shell. A grinder might work, but you run the risk of breaking the shell. Luckily there are tons of scallops down here so it would be easy enough to find one that isn't chipped or broken :)
@@SWFBeachLife 😆I suspect so. They seem so delicate, I worksheets never thought a grinder.
Why and how do the barnacles pick up the color of the shell they've attached to?
That is a great question! I don't know how well they can see. I know they try to adhere themselves to something solid but not sure if they pick anything based on color.
Ops sorry im late for my new video and your shelling
$40/day to park on Captiva is a bit much. Looks like you had a nice day!
Oh it sure is - and there's no guarantee there would be any shells to boot! I got lucky and didn't get rained out. Hope you have a great week!
What do you do with all those shells?
I keep some, I put some to the side to sell (if I ever get around to getting them on my website) and some I put in a shell bed in my yard. I try to stay on top of them each time I bring them home. The last time I had to organize them it took an entire day!
The glass fillable lamps are great to make and they use up a lot of shells. I place the prettier ones along the sides and use chop sticks to place them perfectly.
@@deedeevee4254 OOhh chop sticks are a great idea! I inherited 2 shell filled lamps when I moved to FL. I always wanted to make one and now I don't have to!
Did you have the info about the rental company ? Thank you.
Yes, their website is www.breakawayvacationproperties.com
You can take a look at their properties and rates. If you call please tell them SWF Beach Life recommended them :)
@@SWFBeachLife thank you !
i know i'm late to the party here but i stayed at one of their properties last january and was really pleased wth the property and the whole rental experience. i'm booked with them again for next january. highly recommend!!
it's not illegal to collect shells in florida?
It's not illegal to collect shells in Florida, but the shells have to be empty. It is illegal to collect shells if the snail is still alive. Same applies for star fish or other living creatures - its illegal to take living creatures from the beach. There are also some protected areas where you are not allowed to take any shells but down here in SWFL if the shell is empty, it's okay to keep.
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Do you come across any nudists on the beaches in captiva?
I have not. Yet. 🤣 There’s actually no nudist beaches on Captiva. So anyone running around with no clothes is just having themselves a grand old time!
@@SWFBeachLife hopefully I will have a grand ole time soon!! Going in a few weeks
Captiva and Sanibel Islands think they are beautiful like Bora Bora, the Caribbean etc. Just typical gulf Coast beaches way over priced for what they have to offer. Not that scenic. Nothing special.
Well you must have seen some amazing islands if you think that Captiva and Sanibel are nothing special. What's the prettiest island you've been to?
@@SWFBeachLife I love Sanibel even though I have never been there before last weekend. I come from a country with some of the best beaches in the world but I still think that Sanibel and Captiva are really special and charming in their own right.
I like these islands because there is so much undeveloped land. They take conservation very seriously and it gives the islands a really natural feel. I hope you enjoyed your time there and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!