Vacation

Back in Florida After a Visit to New Hampshire

Because Covid kept me away from New Hampshire for over two years, I took an extended trip recently. Two of my four kids live there and it was very nice to see them again. (And my daughter’s cat, Frankie!)

I got to spend lots of time with the family members I seldom see, including Frankie the Cat.

I love New Hampshire for it’s quaint, small towns like Hancock, where we visited Fiddlehead’s Cafe and shopped at the Hancock Market. One day we were waiting for our pizza from Fiddleheads (really delicious) and took a stroll around the tiny downtown, where I took this photo of some vintage buildings.

Trees and shrubs were just beginning to bloom after the long, northern winter. And there were mountain views, rolling hills, and clear ponds and rivers to enjoy everywhere. Not to mention, small populations.

Hancock New Hampshire quaint town — Hancock, NH

While I was there (in March and April) I saw all kinds of weather, which is pretty typical for New England. One day it reached 80 degrees, and although it was nothing like the humid 80 degrees of Florida, it was warm.

But most days begin in the 40’s and warmed to 50 or 60. One day it snowed! It was like Christmas for me! But the locals were not happy to have a snowstorm in April! I was the only happy soul in the area.

snow snowstorm New Hampshire late season winter — April snow in New Hampshire

This is not where I write about my New England visits, but I wanted to explain my absence from writing about seashells and boat trips.

I began walking a lot during my visit, because I stayed in an area I know, and the weather was great for walking and hiking.

Now, I am continuing my journey to good health by continuing to walk every morning in my neighborhood. There is no need to wonder which coat I should wear, or remembering to dress in layers. Every summer morning in Florida is plenty hot. The rule is to just wear as little as possible!

Florida road walking early morning — Early morning walk in Florida

If you want to see more photos of my New Hampshire trip, please visit New England’s Narrow Road.

Traveling With Vacation Seashell Souvenirs

Vacationers usually want a souvenir reminder of their trip. Beach vacations usually include some beach-combing and maybe shell collecting. So, can you bring shells home (wherever that is) from the beach?

florida coastline — Florida East Coast Beach

Since I don’t know where home is for you, that is a difficult question to answer. Countries may have various rules on what can be brought in. If it’s allowed, then find out what you can collect and keep from the area you visit.

If you are in Florida, read about the Rules for Shell Collecting. And you should never keep any shells, starfish, sand dollars, etc. that are alive! Besides the fact that it’s going to kill the animal that created that shell you covet, it’s often illegal to collecting living shells.

It’s best to find out what local laws say. Ask at the hotel, or place you are staying – they should know. Killing any living creature is not cool in my book.

So, it’s fine to take all the empty beach shells you want, but how many do you really need? Here on the east coast of Florida, shells are small, and sparse. On Sanibel Island and the Gulf Coast, shells are numerous. With the wonderful cell phone cameras these days, it’s so easy to take photos and then collect a few favorite shells.

All collected shells should be rinsed well in plain water. Adding a tiny bit of bleach can help remove smells and dirt, but don’t let them soak for long in bleach or shell colors will fade. Please note: The exception would be starfish and sand dollars and any other more fragile specimens. Just rinse with water.

If a shell has a dark colored “skin” that is the periostracum. It will be tough to remove, but will eventually flake off.

Starfish under glass at Smyrna Dunes Park — Locally found starfish

Dry everything well, or put shells out on the deck, porch or in a sunny spot until they dry – remember that sun will fade shells! Shells are quite tough for the most part, but if you’ve found anything fragile, be sure to wrap it well or put it inside a cracker box, or empty food carton for the journey.

Check online with the airline, but anything packed in checked luggage should be okay for travel.

Florida Beaches, Warnings and Advice

When I lived in Florida, many times I witnessed extremely sunburned people. Whether at Disney World, the grocery store, or even at the beach – still trying to even out their “tan” and soak up the rays before vacation ended. They usually had the sunburned areas covered with towels.

They obviously had come down from the north, white as ghosts for lack of sun all winter, and were determined to “get a tan”.

It’s a much hotter sun in the tropics. In Florida you are much closer to the equator and the sun is able to fry you much quicker than farther north.

My suggestions:

1. Wear sunscreen, SPF 30+, believe me, you will still tan! And add the sunscreen BEFORE hitting the beach- at least 1/2 hour before is recommended and reapply often. The sun is strongest between 10am and 3pm, so it’s good to get out early, take a break and head back out in the late afternoon.

2. Wear a wide brimmed hat. One that will cover your ears as well as shield your eyes and nose. You will burn on a cloudy day as well! (Also wear sunscreen). Rent or use an umbrella – you will get tanned even when under it!

3. Take lots of water or Gatorade type drinks with you in plastic containers and pack the cooler with LOTS of ice. (beaches don’t allow glass of any kind.)

4. Kids cannot stay out for long on a Florida beach in summer. Even with a high SPF sunscreen, hats, umbrellas, drinks and the works I don’t think that young children can take more than two hours safely in mid-summer and it should be less if you are going back out later in the day.

5. And most importantly…You will not see the burn until much later on so judge by the time you spend on the beach and not how great your “tan” looks. Start slowly, especially if you will be on vacation for a week or two.

Don’t spend your honeymoon or vacation at the hospital…it happens!

Be aware of the rip current warnings as well.

A rip current is an undertow that happens at a section of the beach where the sand has been washed away causing a river type run out. You can’t see it because it’s under the waves and water, but when the water runs back out it is faster than the normal undertow and can pull a person out to sea very quickly.

Very often there are rip current warnings on the east coast beaches of Florida, so be aware and just stay close to shore, but if you ever do get caught in a rip current this is what you should do:

1. Don’t panic, and don’t try to swim straight back in to shore against the current. You will become exhausted fast.

2. Let the current carry you out- and call for help if there are lifeguards. (You should always swim where the lifeguards are, but if you swim at night, there won’t be any). It will stop pulling you once the water is deeper.

3. Swim to the side instead of straight back in to shore and you will get out of the current and safely be able to get back to shore.

I always reminded my children of this whenever we went to the beach. I’m sure it isn’t easy to stay calm while the water is dragging you away from shore, but having this information should help.
Click here for more on rip currents.

Seashells From Sanibel Island