Posts Tagged ‘beachcombing’
Posted by Jody on July 12, 2016
Visual Guide to Collecting Seashells on Florida’s Beaches!
Earlier this year, I was very surprised to find a copy of the beautiful, laminated Visual Guide to Collecting Seashells on Florida’s Beaches on the floor of my daughter’s car. Well, actually I wasn’t surprised that something was on the floor of the family mini-van, but it was definitely a shock to see my very own seashell photos inside the brochure. No kidding! I had been asked to help out with a seashell guide layout last year that I knew was for VisitFlorida.com. What I didn’t know is that it was going to be printed, laminated, and available for any and all travelers to pick up at the Florida Welcome Center! (Silly me, I thought it was going to be an online shelling reference guide. Must have been the “.com” that tripped me up.)
So, the next time Greg and I visited Florida, we stopped in at the Florida Welcome Center which is some 6 miles west of Pensacola on I-10. There we found stacks and stacks of the Visual Guide to Collecting Seashells, in all its glory – showcased everywhere from the Atlantic beaches brochure racks all the way around to the Gulf Coast shelves!
They were everywhere!
Free Florida Seashell Guide
Free Florida Seashell Guide
Welcome to the Sunshine State!
My photographs of bubble seashells, calico scallops, moon snails, a Florida fighting conch, and more – all inside! There is even a special recognition and thank you for me in the credits on the reverse side of the brochure. I couldn’t possibly be more pleased!
Be sure to stop in and get your free copy of the shelling guide the next time you are traveling through the Sunshine State, and use the handy-dandy checklist inside to keep track of your new found beach treasures.
So, what do you think? Does this mean I’m a shellebrity now?😉
~~~
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Seashells, Tallies & Tips | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Florida Welcome Center, Free Florida Shelling Guide, VisitFlorida.com, Visual Guide to Collecting Seashells on Florida's Beaches | 4 Comments »
Posted by E.G.D. on July 8, 2016
Today’s guest post, including the beautiful beach treasure photographs, is courtesy of Jake and Carla W.
Hi. I’m Jake and my treasure hunting partner is my wife Carla. This is my first post. The first pics are from 7/5/16, and the rest are from the last 2 to 3 months. We live south of Houston in Brazoria county. We treasure hunt in 3 Texas counties: Galveston, Brazoria, and Matagorda.
The last pics we think might be a partial megalodon tooth! I’ve emailed pics to a professor, but we haven’t heard back. Any input on that from the readers of Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches would be appreciated.
As you can see we like to go to the beach. Carla says its the only place we get along (LOL!). Anyway, enjoy the photos and happy hunting. -Jake and Carla.
About the Authors: “Jake and I are both in our 40’s and have been together for a little over three years. We love camping, fishing and shell seeking. We seem to have created an unspoken deal where he teaches me how to catch really big fish and I try to teach him the patience and tenacity needed to find shark teeth. I’m more into shells and driftwood, he’s searching for antique bottles and the occasional pirate treasure chest. To an outsider, we must seem odd, as we can go for hours with very little conversation and be content being with one another and our passions. But it works for us.” ~Carla
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A note from our Treasure Hunters:
We simply love to share when it comes to beaches, treasure hunting, beachcombing crafts, and beachy tips. How about you? Do you have a favorite beach you’d like to share with us? Maybe you have some great tips for beach picnics, seaside safety, or seashore activities. Please check out our Submission Guidelines for info on jumping into the fun at Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches. You could be our next Featured Guest Writer!
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Beaches of North America, Featured Guest Writer, Friday Finds, Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Seashells | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Brazoria County Texas beach, Galveston County Texas beach, Matagorda County Texas beach, seashells, shark teeth, shelling, Texas Gulf Coast beach | 8 Comments »
Posted by Jody on June 20, 2016
It’s National Seashell Day!
To shell-ebrate, here are just a few posts on some our very favorite Beach Treasures:
Picture Perfect Calico Scallops
Wavy Turbans, Tile & Lots of Fun
Rayed Cone Snails
Angel Wings: A Heavenly Find
Colors of Sunset: Gould’s Wedge Seashells
Kitten’s Paws: Oh So Cute!
Would you like to check out other seashell posts? Simply type “seashells” into the search box (top left), sit back, and enjoy!
How about getting your feet wet with your own seashell post? We’d love to hear from you! Click on the “Submission Guidelines” tab for more info.
How will you shell-ebrate National Seashell Day?
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Holiday, Monday Miscellaneous, Seashells | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, National Seashell Day, seashells | 3 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 28, 2016
Weekends Rock!
~Morning at Caspersen Beach, Florida~
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Posted in Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Weekend's Rock | Tagged: beach, beach photography, beachcombing, Casperson Beach Florida, Florida Gulf Coast beach | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Jody on May 24, 2016
Caspersen Beach, Venice, Florida. Yes, collecting shark teeth is allowed.
The best of our finds (so far)!
Have a great day at the beach!
~~~~~~~
We’re off to Sanibel Island!
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Sand and Shoreline, Sharks, Today's Special | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Casperson Beach Florida, Florida Gulf Coast beach, shark teeth, Venice Florida | 6 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 23, 2016
There is a camaraderie among beach treasure hunters in Venice, Florida, that charms folks into returning over and over again. Locals and repeat visitors are quick to lend a hand along with plenty of advice. Perfect strangers will plop a load or two of scooped up seashells onto the sand in front of you to get you started. I’ve seen more than one longtime treasure hunter simply pick up a shark tooth on the sand and gift it to someone they’ve never met before. Everyone has a system of finding the treasured shark teeth on the shores of Venice. Some of us have a whole beach bag full of how-tos.
Here are a few tips, tricks, and how-tos we’ve learned along the way. They’re all tried and true!
1.The Dig and Sift
The Dig and Sift is accomplished by simply reaching into the water to get the biggest portion of settled shells possible, then sifting through the seashells and fragments in hopes of spotting the perfect shark tooth specimen. You can buy a fancy pants scooper (sold at the local Walmarts for just under $18.00) which is simply a little wire basket on a pole. Folks ’round here have been known to attach a kitchen sieve to a $1.00 thrift store golf club to achieve the same results. Clever! Right? The cheapest bet: scoop with your own two hands, although you should plan on chipping the polish off of any prettily manicured nails. (Come to think of it, this may indeed be the most expensive option of the three!)
The Dig and Sift
2. The Sweep and Trap
The Sweep and Trap system doesn’t require braving the surf. You just need to find a section of the beach where the surf is washing over a patch of smallish seashell fragments. Crouch on the sand and start to run your hand back and forth across the small bits and pieces while the surf comes and goes. Now, with this system, you’ll likely see a treasure or two get away before you can actually grab what really did look like a shark tooth. Hence the “trap” part. Quick reflexes are necessary to trap any dark, suspicious form before the waves wash your suspected precious beach treasure back into the sea.
The Sweep and Trap
3. The Scoop and Toss
Can’t find a place where the waves are washing across a section of seashell fragments? Have a friend simply scoop a colander, bucket, or basket of seashells and sand from the water and plop the load along the surf line for you. Follow the “trap” part of technique #2 from here.
4. The Dig Like Heck at the Shell Banks Left Behind After High Tide
🙂 Self explanatory:
The Dig Like Heck at the Shell Banks Left Behind After High Tide
5. The Walk and Scan
Enjoy a lovely walk on the beach and just look down. I can’t tell you how successful this system has been for many a beach treasure hunter on the beautiful beaches of Venice. Yes, this how-to is too obvious, but we just had to mention it!
The Walk and Scan
The Ultimate Venice Beach Treasure!
Good luck & have a wonderful day at the beach!!
~~~~~~
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Sand and Shoreline, Seashells, Sharks, Tallies & Tips | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Florida Gulf Coast beach, shark teeth, Venice Florida | 4 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 22, 2016
Here’s a look at our awesome Saturday morning on Caspersen Beach in Venice, Florida. What a fabulous day it was for beach treasure hunting!
Hunting for shark teeth is a lot like “Where’s Waldo?” Scroll through the photos and see if you can find a shark tooth or two with us. >>>
Everyone is out to find those treasured shark teeth on Caspersen Beach
Dressed for success!
Anything in there?
Caspersen Beach, Florida
Wonderful shelling too!
We were told by a local fisherman that this character is a Yellow-Footed Bait Stealer.
Wooohooo! My Beach Treasures!
It’s great to have a waterproof camera. Isn’t it? We have a couple of Fuji FinePix XP70 neon colored wonders just for these occasions!
Have a wonderful day at the beach!
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Sand and Shoreline, Seashells, Sharks | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Casperson Beach Florida, Florida Gulf Coast beach, shark teeth, Venice Florida | 6 Comments »
Posted by Jody on November 21, 2015
It was a dark and stormy day… another absolutely perfect day at the beach for Greg and me! Oriental Bay Beach is Wellington, New Zealand’s most popular beach. And we had it all to ourselves! I’m guessing that was because of the weather (which pretty much only matters to us if there are lightning bolts involved).
Here’s a peek at what ended up to be a wonderful afternoon of sea glass hunting on Wellington’s beautiful inner harbor strand:
Oriental Bay Beach
Sea Glass on Oriental Bay Beach
Oriental Bay Beach
Oriental Bay Beach Treasures
Oriental Bay Beach and Oriental Parade
Oriental Bay Beach
The Tail of the Whale
Beach Treasures
Wellington, New Zealand
The Carter Fountain
When I am asked, I often tell people that we have found the best sea glass beaches close to the older, often rowdy-ish, local bar scene districts. I wonder what the story of Oriental Bay is to have so much sea glass deposited on this stretch of beach. This sandy shoreline is probably one of the top three sea glass beaches we have ever come across!
It certainly was a perfect day at the beach for these two Beach Treasure Hunters!
Do you have an amazing beach for sea glass hunting? We’d sure love to hear about it!
~~~~~
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Posted in Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Beaches of Australia and New Zealand, Sand and Shoreline | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, New Zealand, Oriental Bay Beach, sea glass, Wellington New Zealand | 7 Comments »
Posted by Jody on October 23, 2015
Running is a Popular Activity on Coronado’s Central Beach
If you’re a beach lover visiting the San Diego area, Coronado Beach certainly needs to be on your “to-do” list! Better yet, make Coronado your destination and have San Diego be the extra thing “to-do.” Coronado Central Beach is one of the most spectacularly wide stretches of soft golden sand we’ve ever visited. It’s definitely worth the trip. And that trip gets even better if you take the 15-minute Coronado Ferry ride across the bay from San Diego’s Broadway Pier.
Coronado’s pristine Central Beach lies along Ocean Boulevard where you just might find free parking – if you don’t choose the ferry ride. You’ll have to be an early bird (or just really, really lucky) to get a nearby parking spot on the weekend. Public restrooms are available and helpful, friendly lifeguards are on duty into the evening hours.
Picture Perfect October Day
Coronado’s Beach Chair Program
Beach accessible wheelchairs are available to the public, free of charge, at the Central Beach Lifeguard Tower.
Blue Skies and Perfect Temps
Looking West from The Hotel Del
The Sandcastle Man Was Here!
The Perfect Day on Coronado’s Beach
Coronado Beach is a great family beach. Even Fido is welcome at the far north end of the strand.
October Sky
The Hotel del Coronado
Coronado’s Glorious Wide Sand Beach
It’s no wonder Dr. Beach proclaimed Coronado Beach “America’s Best Beach” in 2012!
Beach Treasures
We joined a few folks who were busy tide pooling at the riprap in front of “The Del” during low tide. Little bitty sand dollars were the prized beach treasures on this absolutely gorgeous October day.
~~~ Have a great day at the beach! ~~~
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Posted in Sand and Shoreline, Southern California Beaches, Tide Pools | Tagged: beach, beach photography, beachcombing, Coronado California beach, San Diego beachcombing, San Diego coast, sand dollars, Southern California tide pools | 5 Comments »
Posted by Jody on July 3, 2015
Today’s Featured Guest Writer is native New Yorker Maggie Soukeras.
Greetings from Long Island New York!
Summer is upon us and its time for pools, bbq’s and the beach!
After the long and cold winter it has been great to be able to get outside – take long walks on the beach and start collecting shells again!
A favorite pass time of mine from childhood and into middle age – collecting shells has been both relaxing and exciting at the same time. It is like a treasure hunt that can bring you into an almost Zen like state during the search!
Point Lookout Beach, Long Island, New York. Photo by Maggie Soukeras
My long time haunts have been on the beaches of Long Island. As a Pisces I could not imagine growing up anywhere but near the Ocean. Point Lookout and Long Beach were always the places that I have visited and you can find some great shells. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes requires a little work! This fall I found a sand dollar for the first time ever on a Long Island Beach!
Point Lookout Beach Treasures. Check out Maggies sand dollar find! Photo by Maggie Soukeras
I have also had success on Shelter Island. It has been a while since I have been there but we found some great stuff kayaking out to this little island with an abandoned home.
If you like rocks – the north shore of the island is rockier than the south shore. Head out east – visit the beaches, farms stands, and plethora of wineries!
Off Long Island, my favorite hunting spots have been on Eagle Beach in Aruba, Bermuda, St.Barts, Barbados (Maxwell Beach) and Florida! My dream is to make it to Sanibel Island, though I fear I may need to bring an extra bag for all of the shells I imagine I would find there!
Eagle Beach on Aruba. Photo by Maggie Soukeras
To all of the happy shellers out there – keep looking – you are never too old or young to go hunting for shells!
Enjoy the summer!
Maggie
About the Author: Maggie Soukeras is a native New Yorker living on Long Island with her husband Dean and their three cats Patsy, Loretta and Dolly. Growing up on an island and being a Pisces, she always loved the ocean and collecting shells, one of her favorite hobbies! When she is not collecting shells, Maggie teaches yoga and manages a yoga studio in Oyster Bay. She has worked with children and adults of all ages and abilities. Maggie enjoys sharing her love of yoga with others, reading a good book, and long walks on the beach with her husband.
A note from our Treasure Hunters:
We simply love to share when it comes to beaches, treasure hunting, beachcombing crafts, and beachy tips. How about you? Do you have a favorite beach you’d like to share with us? Maybe you have some great tips for beach picnics, seaside safety, or seashore activities. Please check out our Submission Guidelines for info on jumping into the fun at Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches. You may be our next Featured Guest Writer!
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Posted in Atlantic Coast Beaches, Beach Treasures - Beachcombing, Featured Guest Writer, Seashells | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Long Island New York, Maggie Soukeras, Point Lookout Beach New York, sand dollars | 5 Comments »
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