Dear Jose Eduardo

please send me your private e-mail
Helmut


Helmut "Helix" Nisters
Franz-Fischer-Str. 46
A-6020 Innsbruck / Austria / Innsbruck
phone and fax: 0043 / 512 / 57 32 14
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
web:    www.netwing.at/nisters/
           (please visit it and sign guestbook)

office:
Natural History Department of the
Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum Innsbruck
Feldstrasse 11 a
A-6020 Innsbruck / Austria / Europe
phone: 0043 / 512 / 58 72 86 - 37

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Hi to all Conch-Lers,

After 3 weeks of a dream vacation to Hawaii, American Samoa and Western
Samoa, I'm back to work. Not an easy task! I'd rather be there snorkeling,
collecting shells and dating my wife.

The problem now is to use correctly two verbs: to sleep and to wake up. With
7/8 hours of jet leg, to sleep is a real problem. I still awake at 2:30AM.
When I finally sleep, the problem is to wake up at 7AM to go to work.
Aaaarghhh!!

Packing all the stuff collected was not an easy task. They almost didn't fit
in the luggage I brought, but everything arrived safely here. The funny
thing was dealing with the Brazilian customs. We were selected by the
"random" inspection. After all my luggage had been inspected in the scanning
equipment, only the carry-on with the shells and a package with the frozen
shells were selected for detailed inspection. I started with the smelly
carry-on full of shells. Opening it released a stinking smell that almost
knocked-out the inspector. I told him that the carry-on was filled with
shells and asked which one of those boxes he wanted to be opened. He said
NO, you can go. My wife added an ironic comment to him: now you can imagine
what is the life of a shell collector wife. ;-))

The shell collecting was really amazing, even in Hawaii, despite of what is
said in the HSN section about shell collecting in Hawaii. A large Conus
leopardus was one of my prize there.

I also found an amazing almost black Conus bandanus nigrescens in Apia,
Western Samoa. This shell can be seen in the Conch-L image page
http://www.geocities.com/conchlimages/MOREIRA.html (many thanks Ross!!).

I promise that I'll post a report of the trip will be posted as soon as
possible.

As I told in a previous message, borrowing Don Barclay's e-mail address, I
finally went to Samoa's Sanibel. To those that don't remember, Don Barclay
posted a message, some years ago, telling us about the wonders of Samoa's
Sanibel. Don's description of that paradise was part of my dreams since
then. On May 8th, 808 days, 13 hours and exactly 47 minutes later I went
there. I must recognize that, as my Sanibel experience, it was not that
wonderful. A dead Conus auratinus saved the day and it can also be seen in
the Conch-L image page.

As I already told in that message, as a token of my appreciation to all the
Conch-L contributors, I'd like to donate it to a deserving museum. First
come first served. Helmut sent a message just after it arrived in Conch-L,
but my understanding is that Helmut's message was posted to Don Barclay and
not related with the Conus auratinus donation. So, Helmut, if my
understanding is wrong, tell me ASAP, 'cause as I told you first come first
served.

All the best to all of you,


Eduardo Moreira