Sanibel Island Shells
by Anne Morris
Sanibel Island, located off
the southwest coast of Florida, is known for being the best shelling
destination in the world. Those who come to Sanibel Island, enjoy the
white sandy beaches, but also keep an eye out for the most beautiful
shells they can find.
Why is it good for Shelling?
There are over four hundred
species of shells that end up on the Sanibel island because unlike most
barrier islands that run from North to South the Sanibel islands runs on a
perpendicular scale, East to West.
In addition, the Sanibel
Island is like a shelf for the seashells. The island is part of a plateau
that reaches out in the Gulf of Mexico. If winds start or tides pick up
the shells resting on this plateau are agitated and disrupted.
The Best Time To Go Shelling
The best time to go looking
for shells is in the winter when the storm season has pushed the shells
onto the shallow part of the plateau and left them onto the beaches. It is
also best to look for shells during low tide.
This is when there is more
beach to explore. It allows you to go onto the sandbar and it is a time
when sediment from various levels are piled on to the beach, giving you
more variety of shells to pick up.
The best location for shelling
The best location for the
smaller shells is near the lighthouse at the tip of the island. If you are
looking for the larger shells try the Captiva side. Here are two of the
best places to start your search.
*Causeway Beaches-You can
enjoy fishing windsurfing, picnicking and swimming as well as shelling.
There are hundreds of species located in this area and there is no fee for
parking on the beach
*Lighthouse Beach and Fishing
Pier-Located at the eastern part of Sanibel and round the bay side, this
is the place you will find the biggest and the smallest shells on the
island.
About the Author
Anne Morris writes
articles about travel. Discover more information about travel at
sanibeltoday.com
and
todaybahamas.com.
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