Shell Collecting Gear
by Sandy Sandness
To avid shellers, the winter of 2020-2021 has been dry not only in precipitation but in lack of shells to find. Thankfully, the recent storms finally brought some shell bounty ashore. To find perfect, beautiful, unbroken shells, there are some tools that can make life ( and your back) easier and your shelling experience more rewarding.
First and foremost, know and abide by the laws of Florida governing the collection of shells. “Collecting seashells is generally allowed on public beaches and shoreline areas in Florida, as long as the shells have no living creatures within them. The same shelling rules apply to starfish, sand dollars and sea urchins in many areas”.
If the creature is alive, leave it alone.
At Lover’s Key State Park the beach may have a wide array of shells and sometimes the best are found in the water, so you must be prepared! The basic shelling gear will include a bucket or net bag and a scoop. A few options include:
Seasoned shellers always hit the sand with some kind of container to put their ‘treasure’ finds in. First time shellers are easily overwhelmed by the thrill of shelling and can quickly fill every available pocket with shells. Many resort to using their hat or even a shirt to carry their collection. A couple of shells may not weigh much but your arms will let you know that a couple of dozen is uncomfortable. Grocery store plastic bags are fine and easily fit in a pocket, but tend to rip if overfilled. Mesh bags are preferred as they are lightweight, breathable and can be used in the water to wash the sand off your shells. They are durable and will not rip if your shells have sharp edges. A shoulder strap may be more comfortable, especially if you find a lot of great shells. A bucket will also work and can be used to carry other items like your flip flops and/or water bottle. A small plastic container is also nice to bring along to place tiny and/or delicate shells in to protect them from breakage while shelling.
Seasoned shellers always hit the sand with some kind of container to put their ‘treasure’ finds in. First time shellers are easily overwhelmed by the thrill of shelling and can quickly fill every available pocket with shells. Many resort to using their hat or even a shirt to carry their collection. A couple of shells may not weigh much but your arms will let you know that a couple of dozen is uncomfortable. Grocery store plastic bags are fine and easily fit in a pocket, but tend to rip if overfilled. Mesh bags are preferred as they are lightweight, breathable and can be used in the water to wash the sand off your shells. They are durable and will not rip if your shells have sharp edges. A shoulder strap may be more comfortable, especially if you find a lot of great shells. A bucket will also work and can be used to carry other items like your flip flops and/or water bottle. A small plastic container is also nice to bring along to place tiny and/or delicate shells in to protect them from breakage while shelling.
Sand rakes are great for shelling in the surf where the water rolls at the edge of the beach. A sand rake with teeth will allow you to dig deeper into the sand and scoop up more shells into the basket. The ergonomic curved handle design distributes weight evenly to allow the user to rake the sand without tiring or hurting their arms and back. A newer type of shell scoop is the Sand Dipper and is this shellers favorite. The sand dipper has an adjustable, extendable aluminum body, with a comfortable hand grip and wrist strap. On the end of the extension pole is a stainless steel mesh basket which is small enough to reach into tight places and easy to maneuver. As shells wash in and out with the surf the Sand Dipper works well at “catching” these shells in motion. Also, after a long day of shelling the Sand Dipper also works well as a walking stick! Some also like to bring a small garden type hand shovel to help push shells aside or dig a bit into the sand for buried treasure.
As the Gulf waters warm and the clarity improves, a fun way to look for shells is with a scuba mask and snorkel. Snorkel in water that you can stand in and wear water shoes to protect your feet as you move yourself along the bottom. This method will allow you to search in water as shallow as a foot and find shells that have not been beached where the sun will fade their brilliant colors quickly. I have found some of my most beautiful shells this way and enjoy seeing the schooling bait fish that will swim around you. 
Florida is the sunshine state so always wear sunscreen with at least 50 SPF, a good long sleeved UV protective shirt is also a must. Don’t forget to cover the tops of your feet, hands and ears with sunscreen, skin is skin and it will all burn with too much sun exposure. Wear beach appropriate shoes or flip flops, in the water shuffle your feet to expose shells partially hidden in the sand. Add a wide brim hat and UV sunglasses. Mosquitoes and no see ums reside on the coastlines, so good bug protection is needed. Try to stretch often to avoid low back ache or more than likely, neck ache. Your body will thank you!
Depending on the temperature and how long the beach day, also bring snacks and drinking water. Be prepared and pack more than enough H2O or other thirst quenchers – non alcoholic – pack a lunch or at least a granola bar or two to make sure hunger pains don’t spoil your day. Monitor how far you’re away from your starting point because you have to walk the same distance back.
Know the tides before you go. Tides are controlled by the moon and the sun, on shore winds and bad weather far off the coast will also affect the water levels. As beautiful as the coastline can be, even the most avid of nature lovers would not want to be forced to spend the day or, worse, a night, waiting for the tide to fall.
Get out, relax and enjoy the salt in your hair, the shells in your pocket and the sand in your shoes!
If you have questions or comments please email sandysandness@gmail.com.