shells
Neapolitans are used to picking up shells from our beautiful beaches. But do you know anything about those pretty shells? A shell hunting expedition could be just the thing to add some extra fun to a spring break day off of school.
In general, an hour before and after low tide is the best time to find shells. A full moon or new moon offers the most extreme tides, making it a great time to go shelling.
Most shells found on local beaches are mollusks meaning the skeleton is on the outside of the body for protection. That outside skeleton or shell is made of hard calcium. Inside the shell lives the soft fleshy slug-like creatures.
You’ll want to give each child a bucket, shovel, and small net. Be sure they understand the rules, the most important of which is that taking shells with live inhabitants is prohibited. Show them what to look for so they can see where the creature lives inside the shell.
In addition to shells, you may find sand dollars (they usually wash up on beaches in May/June). The sand dollar has no arms or legs and moves by tiny spines on their body. If the sand dollar still has it spines, it’s alive and should be left alone.
Sea stars (what we used to call starfish) also are popular on Naples beaches, especially after big storms and choppier waves. Sea stars are not fish, but animals. If they are moving, leave them be. Once they’ve washed up on shore and have hardened they are no longer alive and okay to pick up.
When you get your shells home, you’ll want to clean them carefully. For most shells, boiling in a 50/50 solution of bleach and water will be effective. Once you pull from the water, lay them in the sun on paper towels until they are thoroughly dry.
To clean sand dollars, soak in fresh water, changing it when it begins to brown. After they have soaked for a few hours you can use the 50/50 bleach solution for 5-10 minutes. Be sure you rinse them thoroughly and let them dry. Sand dollars will crumble if left in bleach for more than a few minutes so watch them carefully and remove sooner rather than later.
Sea stars can be cleaned by soaking them in isopropyl alcohol for 12-24 hours. Let them dry completely in the sun.
Once the kids have their shells all cleaned, check out the identification chart at http://www.seashells.org to see if you can figure out what shells you have. You can then label them, place in a pretty bowl or vase, or use in a variety of fun crafts projects.
Where to do your shelling:
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park Beach. Located at 11135 Gulfshore Dr. in Naples, Delnor-Wiggins Pass Beach is consistently named one of the 10 best beaches in America. The entry fee is $6 per car and there is plenty of parking plus concessions and bathrooms. Park at either end and walk the one-mile length.
Barefoot Beach. The best place to focus your efforts is on the southern end of the beach. Sand dollars especially are plentiful and there are many reports of shark’s teeth being found. If you have a Collier beach permit, there is no parking fee. Located at 505 Barefoot Beach Blvd., Bonita Springs.
Tigertail Beach, Marco Island. The northern part of Tigertail Beach offers excellent shelling. Check out Sand Dollar Island, a sandbar off Tigertail, for plentiful sand dollars. Located at 400 Hernando Drive, Marco Island.
Captiva Island and Sanibel Island. Sanibel Island and Captiva Island are shelling destinations known for larger conch, cockle, and scallop shells. The north end of Captiva, including Captiva Beach and Turner Beach, is a great place to start. Conch, clam, whelk and scallop shells are common at the Sanibel beaches. Lighthouse Beach is a great destination for smaller shell varieties.
Sweet Liberty Beach Island Shelling Cruise. If you’d like an expert guide, check out the catamaran cruises that leave daily at 9:00 a.m. and drop you on remote Keewaydin Island for an hour of shelling. Cruises are $40 per person. Check www.sweetliberty.com for additional info.