My wife and I recently visited the number one shell hunting beach in
the US, Sanibel Island, FL (as picked by Coastal Living Magazine). I read that Ponce De Leon named this island "Costa de Carocles" (Island of Shells). It’s easy to see why.
You don’t have to be a shell enthusiast to be amazed at the quantity and diversity of shells on this beach. I made the mistake of asking a local if all the shells would be gone if waited until after lunch. I understood his look when I got to the beach. Shells covered the beach, inches deep in places.
Keep an eye out for the Junonia (below), a prized shell that locals like enough to name a street after.
I’m taking the kids back with me as soon as possible. I’ll bone up on the explanations for the unusual shell density and shell taxonomy to maximize the geekdad experience.
