Top 10 Shell Hunting Beaches
Posted on March 9, 2007
Filed Under Best Of Lists, USA |
Whether you are pack rat aka collector or just think you may get sick of lying around on beaches all day, shell hunting may be for you. CNN had a story on the top 10 shell hunting beaches in the US (One in the Bahamas though). So if you are looking at getting into the popular hobby of shell collecting, the following list of beaches will be a great place to start.
1. Sanibel Island, Florida
“Experts crown Sanibel, off Fort Myers in southwest Florida, as the best U.S. shelling spot, and one of the best in the world.” Sanibel Island is also noted as a great getaway because of its low-key development, abundant wildlife and great restaurants.
2. Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
The Scotch bonnet, North Carolina’s state shell, can sometimes be found here. It’s a big deal, because it’s suppose to be very rare. Even in the summer it’s a great beach for shell hunting because it isn’t frequented by too many tourists.
3. Bandon, Oregon
The beaches near Bandon, Oregon offer some of the best shell hunting along the West Coast. Near the mouth of the Coquille River there are suppose to be some nice finds. Look for semiprecious stones like jasper and agate too.
4. Galveston, Texas
East Beach in Galveston, Texas is pictured left.”The Gulf of Mexico loves to decorate its coast with shells. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Web site proclaims, ‘Gulf beaches are considered the best shelling beaches in North America.’ ”
5. Tunnels Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Teunnels Beach is one of “several beaches on the north shore of Hawaii’s “Garden Isle” yield nice shell harvests, especially in the area around Haena.”
6. Flag Ponds Nature Park, Lusby, Maryland
This park in Chesapeake Bay has shells which are fossils dating back millions of years. The shells are stirred up from Calvert Cliffs and wind up here.
7. Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia
This seventeen mile strech of unpopulated terrain ensures an unpicked over supply of shells for hunters. The National Parks closely regulate ferry traffic here, so there won’t be any crowds, ever.
8. Eleuthera Island, The Bahamas
Hurricanes bring in a bunch of shells onto their beaches. You can also snorkel in the shallow waters offshore to find your own shells on the ocean floor.
9. Great Peconic Bay, Long Island, New York
“The beaches of this surprisingly unspoiled area do contain some bay scallop shells (the official New York state shell) as well as other treasures. And, thanks to restoration efforts, the scallops have been recovering.”
10. Stinson Beach, California
“Like most West Coast shores, the shell hunting cam’t compare with the Gulf’s hunting. Still, this beach just north of San Francisco does supply limpet shells and sand dollars.”
You may also find these articles interesting: Top 10 Hawaiian Beaches Nha Trang Vietnam Travel Guide
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[...] if you want to know where to find the Best budget beaches or Best Shell Hunting beaches look no further than this new travel blog. This blog is updated regularly, so you will stay up to [...]
Top 10 Shell Hunting Beaches...
This is a list of the top 10 beaches in the USA to find beautiful sea shells. It's easy to read and covers the country pretty thoroughly. If you love sea shell hunting, this article is a must read!...