Negative Lows at the Lighthouse!

 Today was the lowest tide this cycle and I couldn't resist the opportunity to head out before the low just to see the sunrise....

There's nothing like a Sanibel Sunrise....or Sunset for that matter. My trip is quickly coming to an end, and these last few days always seem to fly by. Have I mentioned that I love this place?! It's so beautiful, and a bit of a chill in the air....so 'Fallish'...Perfect for some Therapy!

This guy greeted me first thing!! He was extremely protective of his rock!

I can't visit without taking at least a few pictures of this special Lighthouse....

This morning was a little different shelling, but as always.... very fun!

As I mentioned, it was a really low tide....

There was an area where the tidal pool was draining into the gulf..

..I strolled up on where the two met and started picking up a few little treasures... Like this BEAUTIFUL True Tulip....

Then I found this Gaudy Nautica, 2 Nutmegs, a nice Olive for Sheila...and a Huge Shark's eye from Dad!!

I walked up the stream of water to the top at the tidal pool

and found a few more...like this live Spiny Jewelbox

The water was rushing through this stream so fast it would slowly wash away the sand along the edge, and more treasures would be uncovered....I couldn't resist several of these Lightning Whelks....

and quite a few more Olives for Sheila!

As I was walking back and forth along this stream, I met Sue from Minnesota....she was also following along looking for treasures....I continued on down along the shoreline and was on my way back when Sue came up to me with the biggest smile on her face....the stream had uncovered this amazing beauty....a PERFECT Horse Conch!

 Look at that beautiful orange shining thruough!! I had to get the lighthouse in the background!

She was very Happy with her capture!!...and I was so happy for her!!

I saw a little boy....about 6 or 7 years old snag a nice Alphabet Cone out of the stream also....I could of stayed there all day....Banded Tulips, Olives, and of course Fighting Conchs galore!! I've gotten kinda so I won't pick up everything....I already have too many....but what fun!!

Hopefully I will have another trip or two before we leave....

Stay Tuned!

::Shelllady Hugs:

Post Eta Shelling, A Better Day, the Eyes have it!

 The shelling on my trip yesterday was ok, not great, it is always a great walk, no matter how early it is! As I've said a million times, and will continue to say, the therapy is amazing! My time is quickly growing to a close so I plan on savoring every moment!

I did find a couple of True Tulip beauties just waiting for me to pick them up!

I will always pick up a pair of Sunray Venus!

I was fascinated by these Sea Anemones that had created a little garden in the middle of the tidal pool among the parchment worms and Dosinia pairs...

Look at all of them!

That was yesterday, today was different.....I was greeted by more signs of life....which I love...

I picked this Orange Ridged Sea star up and carefully placed him in the Gulf...

along with several of these Live Cockles...

I saw several of these Live Lightning Whelks, nice sized ones like these two...

I slowly walked along the tidal pool for quite a distance.....I decided to head out to a little deeper water, and ran across these pockets of shells....Fighting Conchs, Banded Tulips, Olives....in two scoops I got these guys...

Don't get me wrong, I just have entirely too many others, ....but I still can't pass up Shark's Eyes (My Dad's favorite, so I keep them whenever found as a message from him) and one of my favorites....Horse Conchs, any size! 

The Olive is a favorite of my friend Sheila, who rarely gets here so I save them for her!! I call them "Sheila Shells"! ;)

As I crossed over the sandbar to a little deeper water I ran across this creature!! I thought it was a Moon Jelly at first, which are harmless... but after seeing those tentacles, I'm not sure that is what he was...he was on his back, and the tide was coming in so I decided to let Nature handle this one!! He was huge!

Then I started finding Sharks eyes....all with the 'eye' peeking out of the sand. They were in about knee deep water....people everywhere and no one else was seeing them, or at least weren't attempting to pick them up....again They are a message for me...

I reached down to pick this beauty up, (always check the sand around them) and look what came up with it!!!

Score!!! 

It had gotten lighter and was now easier to see without the flashlight as fog had come in and had completely hidden the sunrise....

I looked down and saw this....I just knew it was alive, but I always give it a slight little tug to check.....the picture is a little distorted since it's under water....

Remember....always scoop up around it....

A nice Lightning Whelk, with great points and 2 tiny worn Alphabet Cones and a Pear Whelk!!

one more check brings a nice colorful Nutmeg and a tiny Shark's eye!

I walked a little further....see another eye peeking at me through the sand....

What a beauty this was...and so big!!!

Wait...what was that I felt?  Boom!! Another Alphie!!

Ok, this is REALLY a lot of fun.....

 it happened one more time!!! Boom!!

Loving this!!! That was it with the Cones....THREE!!! (actually 5 if you count the 2 worn minis).... Not a normal day for me!! 

I won't keep showing you Shark's eyes over again.....Here's how the morning ended up!

I'll take it....wouldn't you? Best shelling I've had in a long time in a very small area and short time!

Well, I haven't decided yet whether to go back out before Shellcrafters tomorrow morning, we shall see... Hopefully I'll be posting some more fun finds soon! Stay tuned!!

::Shelllady Hugs::

Post Eta Walk & Talks and Shelling

Since last Friday it's been a bit of an adventure here. Eta in all it's zig-zag tracks has been all around us. On Wednesday it was about 70 miles west of us traveling North.  We had a lot of rain and a day or two of some pretty impressive gusts. We faired very well here in Ft. Myers. Sanibel had a few minor flooding issues but all in all everything is fine!  

Team Cheri decided to go for a walk in the daylight and check things out. Gulfside Beach obviously saw lots of wash....this beach was completely flat and there had obviously been water well up into the vegetation... Many of the posts along that area had been washed out.

 At the lighthouse, there were lots of Live mini Angel Wings 

and Buttercups...

Even mini shrimp!!

Let's do some virtual shrimping...Do you see two in this pic?

There were Billions of Live Coquina...

I found lots of these live Atlantic Wing Oysters

So we decided to try low tide... which happened to be Early Early morning...so we charged up the flashlights and headed out ....

We were walking in the tidal pool and began to see lots of fighting conchs...within 5 minutes, I spotted this guy!!!

SCORE!!!!!

What a way to start the day with a nice Alphabet Cone!!

You know me, I'm interested in the live stuff...I had already found a treasure! We saw a live Pear Whelk...

This nice Lightning Whelk

Cheri spotted this guy running along the bottom of the tidal pool....

and look at this beauty!!! The color on this Horse Conch was amazing....

and this Hermit thought so too!  In fact, he was considering fighting us for it!!

Light just started and the crescent moon and Venus shown brightly over the Gulf...it was amazing!!

As it got lighter yet, The Snowy Egrets were all lining ready for breakfast....

as was a Pod of Dolphin....

and just like that here came the sun!!

Cheri found a nice Lightning Whelk....

and as I was reviewing these pics, I noticed something in the corner of her whelk....a tiny little shrimp!! I blew it up so you could see it closer!

She also scored this huge Shark's eye!

Other than my Alphie...I found a pretty nice Olive and a tiny Banded Tulip...

I also got a nice Lightning Whelk

and this amazing Spiny Jewel Box! Check out those spines!! I almost stepped on it!!

There were lots of shells buried in the sand under water, the water was nice and clear in most places... 4 Whelks in this group along with several other treasures....

Hoping to find some more treasures out there....Stay Tuned!!

::Shelllady Hugs::