Ivan
 
if you would like to exchange some of the shells you collect, let me know
and I'll send you
my trade lists.
 
Cheers
 
Rick Negus
Carlsbad, CA
 
At 06:52 PM 12/10/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Ladies and Gents
>
>    I'm not sure if I'm doing this right, but I imagine I'll soon know
that.  I am new to your list.  I am a Captain of Marines stationed in
Guantanamo Bay Cuba.  I am currently the Company Commander for Rifle
Securtiy Company Windward.  The main reason why I got on this list is that I
am an advid scuba diver and spear fisher.  I have started to collect a shell
or two as well.  There seems to be a great numbe of shells here and I
figured this would be a good place for me to learn some things about these
shells.  I do have one pressing question right now.  I found a large conch,
(don't ask, I have no idea what kind yet) about a foot and a half long, and
was trying to figure out how to clean and preserve the outside.  It has a
layer of tough brown crud which does not come off easily and I'm worried
that if I use something hard like an SOS pad or something I'll ruin the nice
pink shell underneath.  So is there an easy way to get that stuff off or is
it just plain old elbow grease.  Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
>
>Ivan Monclova