east coast - Seashells by Millhill

Our Little Boat Fishing Trip Looking For Keepers

Went out on the little boat yesterday and three of us tried our best to catch a keeper. If we wanted to eat a meal of catfish, we could easily have done so. I caught a couple of large cats when we stopped one of the backwater canals for a swim and then fished from the water. We had more room than when we all tried to cast a line from the Gheenoe.

Other than the catfish, I did get a small snook. He was a silver shimmering beauty! It’s snook season right now, and my older son was hoping to reel one in. All he got was a few catfish himself. My younger son got a small redfish, and we certainly saw more than a few “tailing redfish” along the shore.

Yes, I am beginning to learn fisherman talk. When redfish are eating they circle and show their tail. The ones we watched each seemed to be alone, but they can swim in big groups with their tails above the water, and that’s what the fishermen look for. The ones we watched would swim in a circle and make a large ripple in the calm water. These fish are really beautiful and they are delicious to eat. But size is important when you catch one you want to keep.

Because the little “Yea Mon” Gheenoe has a shallow draft, we can get into the backwater channels where most other boats can’t go. We always find shallow water to swim around in and sand islands when the tide is low.

And we have the place all to ourselves! The water was flowing, and we could drift along in the very warm water. Yes, it’s brown, but it usually is in this area.

florida backwater swimming — Floating in Backwater Chanel

Other than fishing and enjoying the sunny Florida weather, I also did some shell hunting. Because the tide was just coming in, there were a number of sandy beach areas exposed. I found a large shark’s eye shell with a piece missing. Also picked up a crown conch and pear whelk. Picked them up and then had to put them back down. Every shell was inhabited by a hermit crab.

sharks eye and crown conch — Shark’s Eye & Crown Conch

seashell — Slime covered Pear Whelk Shell

I really would have liked to keep those shells as they are all favorites of mine. In fact I don’t think I have ever found a pear whelk. I really wanted that one for my seashell collection! The place to go and get great shells is the Gulf Coast. A vacation may be in order – one day.

I took photos with my iPhone, but because of the extremely sunny conditions, it was difficult. Also, I worry about dropping the darn thing. I really need a waterproof case. Shuffling along the uneven sandy bottom of the canal is tricky. I could step into a hole at any time and drop my phone! My nice camera is still packed away, waiting for me to move into a permanent home.

Once we have our newer, bigger boat, it will be so much easier to grab the phone and get video and photos while the boys fish. Not to mention that fishing will be much more fun! So it’s all a waiting game, which is par for the course in my life. But we still had a very nice day out on the water.

The Beaches of Florida by Location

The state of Florida contains so many wonderful beaches. It’s impossible to list them all, so it’s best to describe the beaches of Florida by location. Some allow pets and some allow nude sunbathers. Others let cars travel up and down the sand, and some are perfect for finding a rare seashell. From the panhandle to the east and gulf coasts, and along the Florida Keys, every beach is beautiful. People all over the world know this, and tourists flock to the Sunshine State year round to enjoy the tropical climate. There is not necessarily a tourist season in Florida, there are tourists year round.

When planning a vacation, it may be helpful to know what to expect at each of the area beaches. I have not personally spent a lot of time in any location except the New Smyrna Beach area on the east coast. I’ll talk about the east last, as I am most familiar with it. Most beaches are very sandy, but some can be made up mostly of little seashells. Sanibel Island is like that.
Some beaches are actually rocky, like the one on Jupiter Island on the east coast.

I have stayed in a condo in the town of Destin in the north, far to the west. The panhandle is the northern strip of land that borders the southern United States and the Gulf of Mexico. It’s an area known for it’s white, sandy beaches, and the sand there is truly white. It does get colder there than in other areas of the state, as it’s farthest north. That area tends to get some very bad storms as well. Because it’s on the gulf, in general, it’s a busy and expensive location. Continue reading “The Beaches of Florida by Location”

Finding Shells (and Other Creatures) on The East Coast of Florida

Sanibel and Captiva Islands on Florida’s Gulf coast is a popular tourist destination for the serious seashell collector. It is possible to find some quite rare shells there, and it’s impossible to not find any. Some of the beaches on Sanibel Island are nothing but shells!

But if you travel to Florida’s east coast – which is very long – you’ll still find your share of seashells. Just don’t expect them to be as plentiful. You will probably also see some very interesting sea life, dead and alive along the shore.

One of the best times to get out looking