Frank,
I, for one, I doing my best to perpetuate the shelling hobby! Sent my son to
Sea camp last summer to learn to dive and to try to infect him with the
marine biology bug. Been bringing my girlfriend's 11 year old to snorkeling
classes and drilling her 6 yr old in the bathtub with his mask and assorted
shells. ("Okay Bryan, now find the hawkwing conch!") We're taking all three
of them to Exuma in July.
Good luck with your surgery!
Ellen