Dear Shellers:
 
A short while ago, there was some commentary asking about shelling on
Sanibel.  I had the opportunity to go there a week ago and was surprised
how many shells there were on the beach as opposed to the small amount
there when many of us were at the COA convention in July.  The shelling
reminded me of Sanibel in the 50's and 60's when I was a kid, with live
shells, shells fresh dead with animal intact and mounds of shells
abundant.  I am curious to know if this is more the typical Sanibel
winter (I had only previously been there in summer) or if it was the
result of the northeast wind and rain event many of us in Florida
suffered through during the second week of December, when many areas got
10-15" of rain?
 
We arrived on Sanibel on the 14th and stayed about a mile down (toward
the west) from the lighthouse. That weekend Sanibel got almost 4" of
rain and the rain was strong enough and the cold wind strong enough the
first day that I could only see three other people on the entire beach.
Monday morning was cold and occasional rain, but a good low tide in the
morning.  The first sandbar exposed with loads of juvenile live and
displaced baby Strombus; and tons of the Pinna's; and that white cased
marine organism which looks like a limp blanched thick spaghetti noodle
were there by the thousands which squished water when you stepped on
them (does anyone know what they are?).  On the bar were many live
Strombus and various Cardiums and lots of Ficus communis.  The second
bar out, which could be reached by wading about knee deep was swept
clean of shells.
 
The next day most of these shells were in wind rows on the beach and
were being covered in some places by sand.
 
There were hundreds of A. gibbus, some dead on the high tide line with
animal attached, others, although stranded, snapping shut if disturbed.
Most were small, but many had good orange or violet coloration.
 
Because of Sanibel's live shelling restriction, it was hard to determine
which of the shells could be taken; and I left many which I knew were
dead but did not want to incur the wrath of the local shell police,
fearing they would shoot first and ask questions afterwards.
 
If you are going to Sanibel in the next few days, you should be able to
find lots of gibbus, strombus and several spp. of cardiums with animals
washed out.  What was saddening is the shelling restriction prohibits
live shelling, but there was no apparent concern for the several crab
traps between low tide and first bar full of dead blue crabs which were
not harvested. What a waste!
 
Other shells:  the normal Epi's in the detritus tide lines with the
other small stuff, tusk shells, bubbles, augers, oyster drills,etc.,
some decent dead small cones, no good alphabet cones; one complete angel
wing (dead and the valves held together by the animal; a few tulips and
whelks (and lots of live small ones), only small live horse conchs.
Lots of channeled duck clams and disk dosinas, and leafy and the other
jewel boxes.
 
Other common sea life (and forgive me not looking up the names of these,
and the shells but I am not a mariner, I'm a freshwater musselhead): sea
urchins, blue crab, flamed box crab, calico crab, stone crab, small crab
which looks like a small stone crab but with harry "legs", Limnia dubia
and a few others; and several horseshoe crabs.
 
Anyway, it was great picking up the dead stuff, and observing the live
stuff.  The predominant language on the beach besides English was
German, I hope they were shellers, as they could have taken home a lot
of nice American shells.
 
A Merry Christmas to all our Christian friends, and to all a Happy New
Year with the hope your shelling is even better in 1998.
 
Alan Gettleman
Merritt Island, FL
 
"Do good always, it will satisfy some; and surprise the rest."
Mark Twain.