Must Do Fort Myers Visitor Guide Summer/Fall 2018

Beach Scavenger Hunt
Sanibel Island –
Top Shelling Destination in the USA
By: Gillian Birch
Visitors to Sanibel Island are constantly
surprised by the exceptional quantity
and variety of seashells that wash up
daily on Sanibel’s sandy coastline.
This is due to the island jutting out
into the Gulf of Mexico on a shallow
underwater plateau. Lying in an
east-west orientation, the island
traps a large number of shells that
are stirred up by tides and waves and
deposited in abundance on Sanibel’s
white sand beaches.
SHUTTERSTOCK
Challenge your kids to find starfish, egg casings, sea glass, sand dollars, coral, and
more while exploring Fort Myers, Sanibel, and Captiva’s white sandy beaches.
They will enjoy exploring the coastal environment and delight in having found
a natural treasure to take home. And, who doesn’t love beach combing? One
important caution: Make sure the shells your kids collect are not live (inhabited).
Aside from the surprise you’ll get back home, it’s illegal to remove living shells
from the beaches. This includes sand dollars, starfish, and sea urchins.
Scavenger Hunt List Suggestions:
Three different kinds of shells.
A feather.
A unique piece of driftwood.
A creature’s home
(crab holes are a good one).
Something swimming
in the water. What is it?
A whole sand dollar.
A starfish.
A piece of seaweed.
A piece of coral.
Three pieces of trash.
A piece of sea glass.
An egg casing.
An animal track in the sand.
What type of animal made
the track?
Count how many waves crash
into shore in one minute.
How many paces wide
is the beach?
Wade into the water. Time
how long it takes for your
feet to dry.
Find something red.
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MARY CAROL FITZGERALD
Sanibel’s seashells attract thousands
of shell collectors who can be seen
performing the “Sanibel stoop” as
they comb the waterline in search
of that special seashell. Altogether
more than 400 different varieties of
shells can be found along with sand
dollars, tiny pieces of coral, and starfish.
You need to invest in a shell identification chart or book to identify your treasures. Look for periwinkles, whelks, baby’s ears,
slipper shells, spiny jewel boxes, spiky murex, conchs, coquinas, cockles, clams, and the very collectible alphabet cones
where the patterns form certain letters.
Tips for Shelling on Sanibel
Generally the outer islands have the best shells as fewer people visit them. On Sanibel Island the lighthouse (eastern) end
has mainly smaller shells while Captiva Island generally attracts larger ones. Low tide is the best time to wade out and
search for new shells, or search the tideline after stormy weather.
It’s a good idea to wear sandals to avoid treading on sharp shells or stingrays buried in the sand. Take a bucket to
collect your finds and check each
shell is empty before adding it to
your collection.
Seashells can smell if not properly
cleaned. Soak all your shells in a
bucket of 50-50 bleach and water.
Once the flaky covering (periostracum)
has gone, remove the shells, rinse and
let them dry. File any rough edges if
you wish and give the shells a shine
by wiping them with baby oil.
A stop at the Chamber’s visitor center
for free vacation information is the ideal
way to begin your visit to the Islands.
The friendly and helpful staff is happy to
answer questions and are full of vacation
ideas so you can make your stay a
memorable one.
1159 CAUSEWAY ROAD, SANIBEL ISLAND • 239.472.1080 • SANIBEL-CAPTIVA.ORG
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