If the whelks deposit the egg cases in water deep enough for snorkeling,
the have broken loose in storm and wash up on shore for us to find them.
There is a shelf that extends off this beach a long ways before hitting
shallow water at low tide .... Just past what we call the Grassy Point is a
stretch of beach to the lighthouse at New Point Comfort, which was once the
farthest point of land but is now detached by two channels .... there are
some shallow coves chock full of shells ... many just beautiful fragments!

         I would love to see a mother spin out such an egg case! I've never
snorkeled, tho I enjoy swimming in the bay when the jellies are gone in
August and September ... But early spring would be too much for my ancient
bones ... but perhaps not students ... if they would be so lucky!

                                         Anne

At 03:45 PM 5/16/03 -0400, you wrote:
>Hello Anne,
>     in reply to your son's question, Knobbed Whelks can grow up to 9 inches
>in length.  Channeled Whelks top off around 8 inches.  They represent the
>east coast's largest gastropods (snails). They (and their eggs cases) are
>also fairly common around Cape Cod where I collect them.  I have from time
>to time snorkeled in shallow water and found the large females depositing
>the egg cases in the sand (always a remarkable sight).

Anne Pemberton
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