Hello Melissa,
 
Welcome to Conch-L. I have been on for about a year now and I think it one
of the best ways to keep up with what is going on in the shell world. You
will find lots of great humour, interesting conversations, scientific
discoveries, and you might even develop some great friendships !
So, enjoy yourself - and we all look forward to your contributions !
 
Best regards,
 
Brian
 
At 04:20 PM 4/13/98 EDT, you wrote:
>My name is Melissa Hamilton, and I'm new to this group (just joined today).
>
>I grew up in Alabama and began collecting shells as a child along the Alabama
>coast, but I saw my first really amazing shells on Botany Island in South
>Carolina,  when I was 19.   I don't know if any of you know that area (near
>Edisto Island, close to Charleston), but it's pretty spectacular, I think, for
>shelling.
>
>I'm 31 now and living in Los Angeles, and I've continued to collect - very
>much an amateur, as I've only begun learning the names of various shells in
>the past few years, but I do love it - I usually plan my vacations around
>shelling.  I didn't know anyone else did this until I read some of this
>group's old messages this morning.:)   How nice to know I'm not alone.
>
>
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