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.
Anne Morris writes articles about travel. Discover more information about travel at sanibeltoday.com and todaybahamas.com. |
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