Gems from the Sea

Shells from Sanibel Island, Florida

Of all my collecting ventures, collecting shells is my favorite. When I was growing up, our family had friends who owned a beach home in Ocean City, New Jersey. Almost every summer, we traveled several hours to visit them, usually staying for about a week. These summer vacations bring back some of my best family childhood memories. The days were spent sunning on the beach and bobbing up and down in the ocean waves, and slowly tracing the water's edge for shells. Early morning, right after the sun came up and before the crowds arrived, was the prime time to look for them. Our prizes came in the form of moon snails, like the one almost dead center in the shell display above, and small conch shells. Usually, the tumble of the surf battered the shells making it hard to find intact specimens, but every once in a while you got lucky and found a whole beauty ... a rare treasure!

In the evenings, my family walked the boardwalk, sometimes stopping for a game of miniature golf, sometimes treating ourselves to summertime snacks such as icy cold, syrupy snow cones. My favorite were the bright red fruit flavors that left my lips looking as if I'd applied a heavy coat of red lipstick. Some of our shells admittedly came from the shell shops along the boardwalk. We combed through huge barrels of colorful varieties, choosing a few to add to those we'd found ourselves on the shore.

Beach times have always been special times. When my daughter was growing up, we frequented the Outer Banks in North Carolina on a number of occasions. After she graduated from high school and before she set off to college, we took a trip to Sanibel Island, where we found ourselves in shell heaven. The warm, gulf currents delivered a vast variety of shells to the shores where we beach combed. After returning from that trip, I created a framed display of some of the prettier shells from our collection, a portion of which is pictured above. The tiny coquina clam shells, that resemble brightly colored butterflies when the shells are still joined and opened flat, are some of my favorites. These can be found in an endless array of shades and patterns.

When pursuing my degree in environmental science, I accompanied a class researching tropical marine ecology to San Salvador Island in the Bahamas. Never have I experienced more pristine waters, beautiful tropical beaches, and gorgeous shells than I did in San Salvador!

Below is a photograph of a Queen Conch shell one of my room mates during that venture to San Salvador found and gave to me. She had a very generous spirit and she knew how much I loved shells. It is a priceless gift :) Now, this conch shell rests on the shelf of our cabin's bay window, where it receives the morning sun. The shell's belly glows a rich, rosy pink with the kiss of the morning sun.

Queen Conch from San Salvador, Island, Bahamas

My ode to shells ...

Gem of the Sea

Washed ashore

from depths unknown

Carried to the sands

where I walk

Nature's work of art

trusted to time

A treasure

now held in my hand

Intricate swirls

muted and bright shades

Intertwined

in a network that's one of a kind

Priceless gift

delivered by the waves

This seashell...

the gem of the sea.