My pre-teen daughter pursues it with great zeal whenever we vacation in a place suitable for it. Nevis had lots of conch and sand dollars. The far east coast of Providenciales, Turks & Caicos near Amanyara was relatively unvisited and we found loads of unusual, pristine shells there. Coconuts too. Many of these we use to decorate around the house, in the game room, filler for bookshelves, etc.
I can’t be on a beach and not pick up shells. It’s almost a compulsion, fortunately one share with my wife. Our standard beach visit goes:
- Walk on beach
- Start picking up shells
- Comment “We forgot to bring a bag again!”
- Fill all available pockets with shells
- Repeat 1-4 each day we are there
- Take shells home
- Do nothing with them
That’s how we roll!
I always, without fail, keep a half dozen tough plastic sandwich bags in my wallet for this purpose (well - for impromptu collection of anything - shells, blackberries, chestnuts, leftover buffet food). If you fold the bags double a few times then leave them under a heavy book overnight, they press down to almost no thickness and take up hardly any space in the wallet.
Y’know, it’s almost to the point now that if one of us did remember a bag, the other would be disappointed.
Here are a couple of the things I mentioned above - the skull shaped rock and the geode
Shelling is the greatest pastime there is on earth. I have spent countless hours walking either the high tide line or the wet sand at low tide with my head down on Carolina beaches from Corova, NC to Pawleys Island, SC. The best thing you find is whatever is there…whelks or conchs, a piece of gorgeous old sea glass, a Pawleys shell (google it). I have found Scotch bonnets at Ocracoke (rare to find whole), glass at Oregon Inlet, starfish, sand dollars, olives, hermit crabs. Don’t be afraid to pick up the less than perfect. Whatever is beautiful and makes you reach down is a treasure. January is the best time if you can stand the cold.