Wentletrap: What it means, Where to get one

wentletrap

While going through my shelling guide, I realized that I didn’t have a wentletrap. How can that be? So, taking the advice of the guide, and other shellers, I headed to the Lighthouse on Sanibel. And there she was! Right on the shore on the low tide line. In the photo, she’s laying there right above the drawing of the wentletrap. Cool beans, people!

These are such beautifully detailed shells, don’t you think? I can see why it’s named for a spiral staircase in German. I’m in love. How many do you have? I got a few that morning but this one is my favorite.

My First Junonia, Make That Two

Jill Martin 2 alphies 2 junonias sanibel island
Jill Martin 2 alphies 2 junonias sanibel island

I found my first Junonia this weekend, and it felt as good as I thought it would! My entire family was staying at the West Wind Inn over Thanksgiving and I went for a late-night beach walk and walked right into my first Junonia. It was laying there on the high tide line, still wet. It was 10:43 pm. I cried.

As if I wasn’t already walking on clouds, the next morning we were packing to leave and I walked down to the water one last time to say goodbye to my beloved Sanibel. There were several people on the beach looking for their morning treasures, but I just walked straight to the water to put my feet in one last time. I looked down and BAM! There was a Junonia in about 8″ of water. There was even a guy standing right next me, and he didn’t see it. He was looking out OVER the water, I was looking IN the water!

Pam Rambo of I Love Shelling.com fame took my photo for her blog and it was also published in the Island Sun newspaper that week. How cool is that? I’m still over the moon. Thank you, Pam, for capturing the moment!

Prayers are answered sometimes, this one sure was.

Chicago Beach Glass? Yep.

Oak Street Beach

Wherever I go, I have to go by the water. So, when I had to be in Chicago for work, I found Oak Street Beach on North Lakeshore Drive. At the water’s edge of Lake Michigan, you can’t believe what I found:

beach glass

Oodles of beach glass. Mostly greens and browns but I did find blue, too. It was nicely frosted and I was able to fill up a jar and bring it back to South Florida! I love Chicago!

It’s Golden

Golden olive

Is that pretty or is that pretty? That, my friend, is a GOLDEN OLIVE. She is so shiny and golden! I found it while shelling at Blind Pass in the middle of the day, with lots of other people around. It was in the surf and hard to get with the waves, but I got it with my bare hands. I really should invest in a shell scooper.

array of olives

Here is an array of olives that I found today. All colors and all sizes. Of course, my favorite is Miss Goldie Locks 🙂

Sanibel Shells – Fine Specimens

 

Sanibel favorite shells
Sanibel favorite shells

This morning was worth waking up for. These beautiful specimens were found while walking by the Sanibel Lighthouse, in the water. Lace murex, lightning whelk, shark eye moon, colorful coquina, juvenile horse conch, and an auger.

What did you find today? I hope you got to go to shell!

Sand Sculptures on Sanibel

turtle sand art

My morning walk made me smile more than usual today. There were several sand sculptures for beach combers to find right by Gulf Side Park. It was like Christmas, in March.

dinosaur sand art

I still don’t know who creates these, but I’d love to find out. If it’s you, please introduce yourself to everyone, unless you want to remain the Sand Art Santa.

octopus sand art

Hello, Lion’s Paw

lion's paw

Hello, gorgeous! Today, I found my first lion’s paw on West Gulf Drive, near Access Five. I was just walking along the wrack line and it was completely even with the sand. A little hint of pink caught my eye and BOOM! There it was. Imagine the ride this little guy had — lion’s paw shells are deep water specimens, rarely found onshore. Reminds me of the turtles in Finding Nemo as they are riding the EAC – Eastern Australian Current! Righteous! Righteous!

Have you found one? If so where and when? I’d love to hear!

 

OceanView Inn, Islamorada

OceanView Inn

Not much luck shelling from the shore in Islamorada today, but I did spend a lovely evening at the OceanView Inn (locals call it the OV). This place has a 4.5 star rating on TripAdvisor, although it doesn’t look like much from the road.

Thursday nights are steak night. It’s $18.95 for a New York strip steak with a big ol’ baked potato. Can’t beat it.

OV firepit

This place also has rooms available (hence, the name INN in the name). I haven’t stayed here, but reports are it’s clean. In the meantime, I hope you can go to shell soon!