Dear Conch-L er's who missed the convention:

Early registration began on Thursday evening, July 5 as conventioneers
came in early to participate in the Friday morning field trip to Harbor
Branch Oceangraphic Institute (perhaps someone else can tell about that
field trip since I didn't have time to go)!

Friday more early registrants came drifting in.

Saturday morning was the actual opening of the convention with
registration, sign up for workshops, club sales tables, sales of COA
T-shirts in shades of turquoise, white, maroon and royal blue with the
COA logo on them.....classy shirts with collars and pockets.    An
information table was available with a message board and information on
all the local restaurants and places to go, to see and to do.

Special interest exhibits included Bailey-Mathews Shell Museum, NASA,
Sea Beaners of Brevard, and Turtle Preservation.

Raffle items included:  Set of three wooden  Lambis carved and donated
by Michael Henry of Tropical Art Designs, Perotrochus vicdani donated by
Donald Dan, Sailor's Valentine created and donated by Jane Santini,
Conus milneedwardsii donated by Larry Strange, Shell afghan created and
conated by Bobbi Cordy, and "She'll love it" a huge shell filled with
things to pamper her created and donated by Carol and Art Haugh.
Winners of these items in order were:
Maxine Haun, Carol Bodine, Carl Slotnick, Stanley Francis, Eloise Bosch
and Cindy Bolton  ..... tickets were drawn at the banquet on the last
night.

The Opening ceremony was at 1:30 p.m. with the Coast Guard of Port
Canaveral color guard and Sandra Creighton singing the National Anthem
with her beautiful clear soprano voice.

Jim Cordy, President of the Astronaut Trail Shell Club then welcomed
everyone along with Betty Lipe, President of COA.

This followed by the theme music of 2001 Space Odyssey.....and the
entrance of astronaut Alan Gettleman who would be the MC for the
week.    Alan introduced the convention with the wonderful relationship
of it with the Space Industry.   He also gave us daily up-dates on the
launch of the shuttle on July 12.

The first program was presented by Richard Goldbert entitled
"Terrestrial Meanderings: Discovering a World of Exotic Landshells"
with gorgeous slides of the shells and the animals and their various
shapes and colors.

Second program was done by Marlene Schutte: "Endangered Sea Turtles"
with photos of the different species who come ashore on the East Florida
Coast along with photos of them laying eggs and the hatchlings making
their way back to the ocean.    Two evening field trips to observe this
site was conducted at the convention.

At 6:30 p.m. the doors to the Caribbean Ball Room opened with the sound
of a live Steel Drum Band from Westside Elementary School in Palm Bay.
They entertained us as we gorged ourselves on conch fritters, coconut
shrimp, chicken tenders, veges, fruit, cheese, roast beef and ham sliced
by the chefs and a punch bowl and cash bar.

The guest game-show host Regis philbertia alias Jim Cordy was introduced
by hostess Bobbi Cordy.    Numbers were drawn to bring up contestants as
they tried to answer the questions flashed on the screen for "Who Wants
to be a Conchologist?"   A shell was awarded for each question
answered.   To be a Conchologist....you must answer 10 questions.
Helen Kwiat from Orlando got up to 8 questions and left the stage
struggling to hold her 8 winners.   The closest winner was Michael Small
with 9 questions answered successfully and he was crowned with a gold
crown covered with seashells and as being the Conchologist for the
week.    The Cypraea aurantium was left on the stage....and used as a
silent auction item later in the week.

Sunday morning began again with the club sales tables and raffle tickets
being sold furiously.

Program 1:   "The Mystery of Nerites" by Tom Eichorst with again some
awesome photos.

Program #2:  "Shelling the Far Out Islands of the Bahamas" by Jim
VunKannon .....leaving us  all wanting to leave for the Bahamas to
collect immediately.

Program #3  "Water:  The Wonderful Stuff Most Mollusks Hang Out In" by
Hank Foglino   -    A chemistry lesson in itself with great
illustrations.

Lunch break - the hotel offered wonderful luncheon specials each day
with a buffet for only $6.95!

Program #4: "Here's Looking at You...or Face to Face With Mollusks" by
Dr. Henry Cheney from Santa Barbara.

Wonderful photos of the live animals and their coloration and faces.

Program #5: "The Indo Pacific on the Internet:  How to Catalog 30,000
species"   Dr. Gary Rosenberg

An update on the process it will take to make available to all museums
and institutes a cataloging of species....Gary said about 9 species a
day can be cataloged......an awesome undertaking for sure.

Program #6:   "From the Beginning and Into the New Millenium with Shell
Coins and Stamps" by Ruth Abramson.

An area that is practically untouched by shell collectors was presented
showing shell stamps and coins from all over the world.

The evening included various workshops....which were VERY interesting
and VERY educational.    There was only time to attend two......everyone
said they wanted to go to them all.    This was really enjoyed by all.
The workshops were held in the grand ballroom.....they were scattered
all over the room in small groups.  What a great opportunity to meet
others with the same interests...such as photography.   Workshops
included:

"Care and Feeding of Shell Stamps and Coins" by Ruth Abramson
"Cleaning Shells With Admirable Results" by Jim Cordy
"How to Curate and Store Your Shell Collection" by Homer Rhode
"I. D. Workshop for Land Shells"  by  Richard Goldberg
"I.D. Workshop for Marine Shells" by Gary  Rosenberg and Kevan
Sunderland
"Macrophotography of Live Mollusks" by Charlotte Lloyd
"Outfitting for Shell Collecting Trips: Gadgets, Gizmos and Techniques"
by Peggy Williams
"Shell Show Exhibiting, Philosophy and Hands-on Solutions" by Gene
Everson
"Tips for Shell Photography:  A traditional approach using 35mm camera"
by Alice Monroe

The evening ended at 9:30 p.m. with many headed to the Flamingo Room and
Tiki room for a night cap.

Monday morning the mini-shell show with wonderful single specimen
entries was set up.
Judged at 11 a.m. by Homer Rhode and Chris Takahashi

Program #1: "Caribbean Dive Destinations"  Wayne Harland
with some wonderful slides.....again leaving us with wanting to go!

Program #2:  Olivellidae of the Western Atlantic" by Dr. Harry Lee
Giving us a wonderful education (as only Harry can do) of this small
family of shells.

Lunch break and set up for the Oral Auction!

Auctioneers Charlotte Lloyd and Harry Lee did a magnificent job bringing
in the most on over 125 lots of shells.   Bringing in a total $12,
614.00.

Viewing of the single specimen entries with their gorgeous teal and pink
ribbons followed.

Evening gathering of Conch-Lers was hosted by Tom Eichhorst.   Lots of
talk about how to handle messages on our computers,etc. and the rules of
the site.

Tuesday morning was the presention of the 2002 Convention Site in
Sarasota with slides of the area.  "Circus of Shells".

This was followed by a business meeting with election of current
officers to serve for another year.

The bourse with 100 tables and 37 dealers was then set up.....in smooth
fashion and in a short time period with much success.

As the doors to the bourse were open to the waiting crowd......the room
filled to capacity with shoppers.     Talk about a candy shop???

A convenient snack bar and cash bar was set up near by with a lobby area
with round tables to relax, eat and show'n tell purchases made.     The
room was packed from 4-10 p.m. with shoppers, admirers and oooohs and
aaaws.

At 9 p.m. another van load left to watch turtles on the beach.

Wednesday morning the bourse opened at an early 8 a.m. to catch last
minute shoppers who left on the 9 a.m. bus to the Kennedy Space Center.

Another bus left at 11:00 a.m. to take conventioneers on a paddle wheel
river boat ride with a buffet luncheon to see manatees and dolphins in
the local river.

The bourse collapsed quite quickly.....with the quick removal of 100
tables and set up for the lovely banquet.

The banquet room (dimly lit) with sparkling lites and pink/teal balloons
in the figus trees, and lovely shell arrangements of pink/teal on each
table.   Goody bags (net shell collecting bags) were hung on each chair
full of candy and a poem to compliment us all on our help in making the
COA Grants possible.
The menu included prime rib, chicken and lemon grouper......in large
size portions.   Dessert included white chocolate mousse.

The evening concluded with speaker S. Peter Dance.....talking on "A
Bountiful Half Century" and showing how volute discoveries have
increased as man has been able to explore more of our seas.

The Radisson Resort at the Port proved to be a wonderful convention
center with so many details handled by the staff there.    The hotel
staff could not do enough to make us all happy!

Wow....what a week.  AND now that I have had time to put my feet up and
relax and clean up the mess......I'm now working on the 2002 Space Coast
Shell Festival .....entry forms will be available soon!

Thanks for the privilege of hosting this great event.   Our club had a
wonderful time doing it.....but at the moment we are "glad it's
over"!!!!

Shellingly, Bobbi





--
Jim and Bobbi Cordy
Specializing in Self Collected Caribbean Species
Merritt Island Florida

SPACE COAST SHELL FESTIVAL
"King Neptunes Shell Palace"
January 18-20,2002