Seashell Collecting in Southern Florida

This is a picture of a Florida fighting conch seashellIf you're planning a trip to sunny Florida and would like mementos of your trip, seashells are free souvenirs! Or, if you live in Florida, seashell collecting is an inexpensive hobby that gives you something else to do at the beach when the weather is not so sunny. Here are three great places to find seashells:
Sanibel Island on the West Coast is the first place to start. I recommend Bowman's Beach at mile marker five. A hike westward, away from the main boardwalk, will reward you with privacy and a larger selection of shells that have washed up and been trapped among fallen trees. Be aware, however, that all that privacy encourages some sunbathers to shed their suits (even though it is prohibited).

Taking live shells is against the law on Sanibel. Another good reason for not doing so is the overpowering smell when the occupants die. Besides, can you really enjoy the beauty of a shell knowing you killed its owner? I can't, and there are thousands of empty shells to pick from (if you're interested in sand dollars, the white ones are dead and usually washed up on shore, and the fuzzy green ones are still very much alive).

A second place to visit is Bahia Honda State Park in the Lower Keys. There's great snorkeling here, and during the summer months you can see the spectacular queen conch shells. While it's almost impossible to find this shell empty (unless you cheat and buy it in a store) there are many other smaller, colorful shells to collect. Don't even think about touching the live queen conchs; they are protected species and there is a hefty fine. You may find hermit crabs hiding in the smaller shells.

A final place to check out is two adjoining parks on the East Coast, Coral Cove Park and Blowing Rocks Preserve. You'll find the most shells by snorkeling (which enables you to find some rather large ones) but you can also find many smaller, delicate shells just by strolling the beach.

While you're collecting, simply take whatever grabs your interest at the moment. Some shells dry out and don't look so good once you get them home. Others may look so-so on the beach but turn out to be beautiful after they're cleaned up a bit. You'll find you get more selective with every trip back to the beach. If you're interested in identifying your shells, or seeing which ones you lack in your collection, I recommend Florida's Fabulous Seashells by World Publications in Tampa.
This is a drawing of an ocean floorThis page was created December 3, 1998 toward course requirements for "Internet Resources" offered at the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida. E-mail questions or comments to the author at [email protected]. Graphics courtesy of The Design Shoppe andYahoo.