The Pink or Queen Conch (Strombus gigas), can grow to be a foot or more in length and has a smooth pink interior. (Horse conch snails can grow to be 2 feet long!). The pretty shell is in danger of disappearing because of its collection as a decoration after the snail is pulled from it’s home to be eaten! Have you ever eaten conch? I have not. In Florida and other Caribbean areas, the conch is a delicacy and is made into fritters and other food, but it has been over fished so there are restrictions and fines associated with the collecting of it. Conch meat is used in chowder, salads, fried, fritters, sandwiches and more.
Queen (Pink) Conchs
For these two reasons, the Queen or Pink conch is in high demand. It is very unlikely that you will just come across a large, empty queen conch on the beach. They are trawled and taken from their homes out in the ocean and brought in for shell shops and restaurants. The queen conchs I have were purchased over 20 years ago at a shell shop some place in Florida. At the time, I never thought about where they came from, but I would definitely not purchase one now.
So when you vacation in the tropics, you might want to think twice before ordering conch fritters just to be able to say you’ve tried it.
*More strange food they eat in Florida – Alligator and turtle. I lived across the street from some people who had a cookout and the food was served buffet style. I added to my plate what looked like chicken nuggets and fortunately I was told that it was turtle meat before I tried it. Yikes, that was close. I love the Gopher turtles and could never ever eat one!
Most people love to find and collect seashells. The “best shells” is a relative term, as it may mean different things to different beach-combers.
I’m lucky to live in Florida where a beach is always close by. The West coast is the place to search for beautiful shells, and probably the Keys too, but I do find some cool shells on the East coast where I live. The truth is that I find the best shells while out boating.
The best place, in general, in the state of Florida, to find beautiful and unique seashells would be Sanibel Island and the surrounding area. I would also include any islands away from shore where there are fewer shell-seekers to compete with.
The best time, in general, to search for keepers would be at low tide or after a storm.
Sea greenery shows where high tide was
I’ve never done any shell collecting just after a big storm, but I’ve read blogs where people have found loads of particular shells washed up on the beach. I have come across shells far up on the beach, or tucked under roots of trees where they were shoved by the force of storm waves.
Anything sturdy and possibly buried in the sand can be moved with the extra-high tides and large waves that erode areas, especially after hurricanes. I am usually too busy dealing with the after effects of the hurricane to go out and collect seashells.
What does “best” Mean to you?
Shells I consider to be the “best” are the ones I come across less frequently, like these flat dosinia shells.
Disc Dosinia Seashells
The best shells to find are the more rare ones. Big beautiful gastropods, like the pink conch, horse conch, and helmet shell (pictured below), can also be categorized as the best. Good luck finding an empty one in good shape.
Helmet Shells (photo credit: Skeeze at Pixabay)
It depends on what you hope to find. Sometimes tiny shells can be special as well. I once came across some little Marsh Periwinkles which I’d never see before. I was walking around an island near Ponce Inlet and found three of them just lying in the sand. My Seashell ID book tells me this type of shell is not commonly found in my area, but can be found further north. They were empty so I took them home.
Wherever you plan to be while vacationing in Florida you are certain to find some interesting specimens along the beach. Be safe (the sun is a killer here) and know the rules when planning a trip.
Now that summer is almost upon us, many northerners are planning to take a trip to vacation in Florida and the tropics. In fact I remember April as being one of the most touristy times of year. Disney World would have to close around Easter because the parks were so full.
Florida is much more than Disney World and there is lots to see and many various outdoor activities to take advantage of, and most include water and sun. The advertisements I see on television and the internet show pristine and empty beaches that beckon the vacationer to lie in the sand and soak up the rays. First of all, the beaches are not empty, and the trouble is that most northerners think that the sun is the same in the south as it is in the north. It is not.
Before I knew better, I pictured Florida as one long northern summer. What that means is that I imagined beautiful sunny days of warmth, like our very best New England summer days can bring. In fact those days do exist in Florida – occasionally in December or January! Florida summers are sweltering. There is really nothing fun about them, but I understand that many people have to vacation during the months of no school, so at least heed my warnings of the Florida sun.
I love the water more than the sun, and after living in Florida for over 26 years I have had enough sun. In fact, I love the thought of going back and being on the beach, but I will wear a big hat, sunglasses and lots of a high number sunscreen. And I will visit the beach as early in the day as I can and maybe again when the sun is setting.
When on your Florida vacation this year, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can lie out on the beach all day long or go without any sunscreen at all! Some people can, and some people do. You will see the natives walking along the beaches and they almost match the sand they are so brown – and wrinkled (well, the older ones are, and the young ones will be!).
People who have already been to Florida’s beaches are wise to this. Maybe they spent last year in so much pain that it made an impression and they have learned, but this warning goes to the ones who don’t know that a few hours on a Florida beach is enough!
I especially feel sorry for the kids who are at the mercy of their parents and believe me, there are always stories of people having to take their kids to the emergency room for a bad sunburn. Sunburns are not fun – they can make you sick and cause long lasting damage to your skin. It’s a stupid way to ruin a vacation that you have been planning for a long time. The beaches are beautiful and yes, you want to have fun, but a little sun each day will still get you that golden tan – and that is with a 30 SPF.
You will not see the burn while on the beach – in fact it’s easy to believe that you are “not getting anything” but a few hours later it will show up in all it’s redness and then it is too late, so please be careful. If you are pale as a ghost after the long winter, as us northerners tend to be (Floridians can spot them / us a mile away because of our white bods), then make your first day out on the beach an early trip and stay for only a few hours. Visit a local indoor attraction for the 10am-2pm time frame, when the sun is hottest, and then go back to the beach in the late afternoon or evening.
You should make some time to walk the beach in the evening. It was always my favorite time of day to go. Most of the crowds had gone home and that was a good time to check out the sand castles of the day and search for treasures and snap photos.
I would gladly live in Florida if I could live near the ocean water. To me, it is the best part of the place, but that sun!!
