Hello Eddie -

Welcome to Conch-L!
My wife and I live in western New York (near Niagara Falls) and we find that Conch-L is a great way to keep up with what's going on in the shell world, especially since the nearest shell club to us is in Philadelphia.
Like you, I started collecting shells young, even though I grew up here in WNY far from the ocean.  I started collecting seriously (and identifying species) when I was 5, and am still collecting almost 50 years later.  It's a great hobby as well as opportunity for research.  I collect just about any kind of shell (the house is almost not big enough for them all now), but these days like to focus on things like volutes, cones, conchs, thorny oysters, and nautiloids (as well as fossil ammonites).  Collecting shells is one of the things (besides studying dinosaurs) that got me interested in going into science (I'm now a geology/paleontology professor at Buffalo State College).  When I grew up here, I didn't know of anyone else around who collected shells, so was totally on my own in my pursuit (now it seems that I am still the only serious shell collector in Western New York).  It wasn't until I got the opportunity to travel and join shell clubs that I was able to get to know others who also collected.  You have a great advantage not only being close to the seashore but in having this list-serve available, so you can get encouragement and up-to-date information from fellow collectors.
I did live a year in Connecticut (New London) so I know you must have some good opportunities to collect there.  We also spend a few months a year in Florida very close to Sanibel Island (have you met the great shell people there?).  Maybe we'll get to meet you at one of the shell shows.
- Dr. Rick Batt

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In a message dated 11/13/2011 12:44:14 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes:
Hello Conch-L,
My name is Eddie and I live in Connecticut. I just joined the list and this
is a brief introduction about myself. I am 14 years old and have been very
interested in shells since I was 8. I enjoy collecting around our home in
Connecticut and try to get to the beach any time I can. I have also
collected on trips to Sanibel Island in Florida and The Florida Keys. I am
interested in just about any type of shell(terrestrial and marine)and I hope
that Conch-L will increase my knowledge shells.

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