I am the "54yr old Englishman" collecting shells in Mindanao, whom Simon
Aiken met last weekend. Actually, I'm 58 but I don't expect a fellow
shell collector to get his data right any more than I do.
 
In case you have already got the wrong idea about me and 18 year old
Filipinas, let me make it clear that it was SHE who invited ME to be her
"Valentino".
 
Simon is a good chap and a very good shelling companion, but I regret he
didn't have enough stamina to spend a full day snorkelling around a
couple of islands, go to the town nightclub for the evening, and then go
on to the disco as well until 3 am.
 
And I didn't have the stamina the next morning to do anything more than
watch Simon while he threshed away in the surf on the reef opposite the
town cemetery. I just sat on a rock with a pounding headache, and
collected a few of theose naticas or nassarias or nauseas, or whatever
those little black things that crawl around on rocks are called.
 
More seriously, I am currently a full time beach bum in Siargao Island,
and would appreciate some help from time to time in identifying some of
the more unusual things I find. Also, if anyone particularly wants
anything from here, perhaps I can help.
 
As Simon says, the crossing Siargao to the main island here is perfectly
'orrible, so I only do it about once a fortnight, and pick up my E-mails
then. Please don't expect any quick replies.
 
SHELL CLEANING: Can anyone tell me what sulphate of chloride of magnesia
is ? I came across it in an ancient shell-collecting book. It is
supposed to make the animal swell up and go comatose if you put it into
seawater with the shells. Then they don't coil up tightly inside so you
can't get them out. If anybody knows it's common name, please let me
know.
 
Richard Parker
 
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