Meetings

Welcome to the Sanibel Shell Club’s 2023 – 2024 Meeting/Lecture season!

Our new meeting location is:

Sanibel Recreation Center

Pelican Room and Osprey Room

3880 Sanibel Captiva Road,

Sanibel Island, Florida

Meeting Dates and Time:

The second Sunday of each month – October thru April

(Our December meeting is a special “Members’ Only” event)

Meeting begins at 1:30 PM with a Silent Shell Auction, with the presentation starting at 2:00. The Zoom online portions begin at 2:00. The Oral Auction will take place after the presentation.

Hybrid Meetings

Our meetings are hybrid and open to the public. They are available on Zoom but only to club members. If you aren’t already a member of our club and you’d like to join, go to our Become a Member Page, click HERE, for more information on joining and some of  the other benefits of becoming a member.

Meeting Activities

Our meeting activities vary, but most of our regular activities include a Live Auction with special shells chosen to bid on, a Silent Auction with a large assortment of shells and other related items, Show and Tell, and even book signings to name a few.

Show and Tell

Do you have a special shell or some interesting sea life that you either found, bought, traded for, or were given as a gift? Please bring it to the meeting so we can see it and hear the story behind it. There will be a special time set aside during the meeting to share to show off a treasure or two!

If you missed the line-up of speakers, you may find them by clicking here,  HOME.

April 14, 2024 – Monthly Meeting/Lecture

Our last meeting of the ’23-’24 season will be at the Sanibel Recreation Center,  3880 Sanibel Captiva Road, Sanibel. The silent auction runs from 1:30-2:00 PM and the meeting and Zoom portion of the meeting begins at 2:00. If you can’t join us in person, club members will receive a Zoom link by email so you can join the meeting virtually. The meeting is open to the public and all are welcome!

Bob Pace will be presenting “Ligs of Loop Road” for our April meeting. He will be discussing Florida Liguus land snails and some of its neighbors and show the various forms of Liguus fasciatus.He will also discuss their habitat along Loop Road in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Besides photos, Bob will also bring shells for us to see.

Bob Pace is a native of Miami, Florida, and he grew up with an interest in nature. First, he became interested in Florida Liguus in 1974 after viewing a presentation made by Archie Jones at the South Florida Shell Club monthly meeting. Over the years he led a number of trips to view Liguus and other tree snails in various locations in the South Florida area. He has also exhibited about ten to fifteen land snail exhibits including a number on Liguus in many of the Florida shell shows. During this time, he acquired a large collection of land snails.

Shell and Tell

Do you have a special shell or some interesting sea life that you would like share with club members and visitors at the club meeting. We will have a special time during the meeting dedicated for anyone who would love to share their story and treasure they found.  An Oral Auction will be held after the Shell and Tell and Door prize drawings.

Oral Auction Items

Starting at top left and moving clockwise:

Charonia variegata – 235 mm

Tutufa bufo – 278 mm

Spondylus americanus – 140 x 190 mm

Sliced Nautilus shell – 170 mm

Kudos and thank you to Blair and Dawn Witherington for their fantastic presentation and book signing during our March meeting! Blair entertained us with a beach scavenger hunt and great stories about their adventures from their newest book, Living Beaches of the Gulf Coast. If you missed it, you view it here.

March 10, 2024 Monthly Meeting/Lecture (Click here to view the presentation)

Blair and Dawn Witherington, authors of the book many of us own and love, Florida’s Living Beaches

At the March 10th meeting, you’ll have the opportunity to meet Blair and Dawn Witherington, authors of several books including Florida’s Living Beaches, Our Sea Turtles, and Florida’s Seashells: A Beachcomber’s Guide, to name a few. Their presentation is “From the Rio Grande to Boca Grande, a Gulf Beach Scavenger Hunt.” Blair and Dawn Witherington will share illustrated stories from their newly published book, Living Beaches of the Gulf Coast. The book is part of a series which sets out to satisfy the curiosities of beachcombers, shell seekers, and nature lovers who enjoy sandy strolls. Researching and collecting for the Gulf book required the couple to take on a months-long scavenger hunt from Florida to Mexico. Highlighting this odyssey, Blair and Dawn will suggest some beach “quests” that others might consider as enticement for their own coastal journeys.

Following their presentation, the authors will sign copies of their books, which will be available for purchase as gifts, keepsakes, and tickets to beach adventures. 

Blair and Dawn Witherington are professional naturalists. Blair is a research scientist with Inwater Research Group, a marine conservation nonprofit. He has baccalaureate and master’s degrees in biology from the University of Central Florida and a doctorate in zoology from the University of Florida. In 40 years of research, he has contributed numerous scientific articles and book chapters on sea turtle biology and sandy beaches. Dawn is a graphic design artist and scientific illustrator trained at the Art Institutes of Colorado and Ft. Lauderdale. Her art and design are prominent in natural history books, posters, exhibits, and a line of sea-themed greeting cards. Together, Blair and Dawn have merged their art, writing, photography, and design within many projects, including the books, Our Sea Turtles, Florida’s Living Beaches, Living Beaches of Georgia and the Carolinas, Living Beaches of the Gulf Coast, Florida’s Seashells, and others.

Meeting Location: The March 10 meeting will be held at the Sanibel Recreation Center, 3880 Sanibel Captiva Road on Sanibel Island. The meeting will be in the Pelican Room, and the silent auction will be in the Osprey Room. The silent auction is from 1:30-2 PM, and the doors will remain locked until 1:30, so there is no early entry. The meeting (including the Zoom meeting) will begin at 2. If you can’t make it in person, you can join the meeting by Zoom using the link that you will receive by email.

Shell and Tell

Do you have a special shell or some interesting sea life that you would like share with club members and visitors at the club meeting. We will have a special time during the meeting dedicated for anyone who would love to share their story and treasure they found.

Our final meeting of the season will be on April 14 when Bob Pace presents “Ligs of Loop Road.” Bob will bring Liguus tree snails for members to see and purchase.

Oral Auction Items

Pacific Triton – aka Triton’s Trumpet, Charonia tritonis

Its name is derived from the Greek god, Triton, son of Poseidon, thegod of the sea. Triton is the messenger of the sea and thus is oft depicted blowing a large trumpet shell to get people’s attention. Found in the Indo-Pacific region as well as the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, it’s one of the few animals to feed on the destructive crown-of-thorns starfish. Long known as one of the more decorative shells, it has also been modified for use as a horn (trumpet) by native Pacific Islanders. While similar to its Atlantic counterpart, Charonia variegatus, the Pacific species is larger, more fusiform in shape and lacks the angularly shouldered body whorl.

Blue Coral – Heliopora coerulea

This coral is not dyed. The genus Heliopora is unique in that it extracts iron from seawater that forms into a blue salt that is incorporated into its skeleton. They thrive only in the tropics of the Indo-Pacific oceans. For those of you who are artists, you’ll notice its species name, coerulea (Latin for “sky blue”) is the derivative of the beautiful blue pigment we call cerulean blue. This coral is not dyed. The genus Heliopora is unique in that it extracts iron from seawater that forms into a blue salt that is incorporated into its skeleton. They thrive only in the tropics of the Indo-Pacific oceans. For those of you who are artists, you’ll notice its species name, coerulea (Latin for “sky blue”) is the derivative of the beautiful blue pigment we call cerulean blue.

Cameo Helmet, aka Bullmouth or Red Helmet, Cypraecassis rufa

Found off the coast of southern Africa, Helmet mollusks make very thick shells with layers of varying colors. In the case of the Cameo Helmet, those colored layers of contrasting colors are masterfully carved to reveal shallow sculptured reliefs usually of female busts.

Imperial Volute, Cymbiola imperialis.

This beautiful mollusk from the Philippines known for its prominent spikes that look like a king’s crown. An absolute showpiece for collectors.

Mystery Item: No, there are no sneak peeks! We don’t want to ruin the surprise!

Sunday, February 11, 2024 Monthly Meeting/Speaker

Dr. Ken Piech – Shell Collecting in the Florida Keys with a Shell Giveaway

We can’t wait to hear Dr. Ken Piech’s adventures in the Keys as our speaker for the February 11th meeting. The title of his presentation is “Shell Collecting in the Florida Keys.” Ken and his wife, Alice, have been snorkeling and collecting shells in the Keys for many years, and they have collected incredible shells such as helmets, conchs, cowries, tuns, tellins, vase shells, tritons and nerites. Ken will discuss the different locations and habitats where shells are found in the Keys, and he will also be giving away shells that he and Alice have collected.

At the age of ten, Ken Piech began collecting seashells on Sanibel Island with is birth family in 1961. Each summer he spend couple of weeks on Sanibel until college and medical school and girls and marriage interrupted his passion for shell collecting. Ken returned to Sanibel in 1987 with Alice and four young children. Since then, Ken and Alice have traveled to many places in Florida, the Caribbean and the world finding fascinating shells and enjoying many different cultures. One of their most interesting and accessible shell collecting venues has been the Florida Keys. Since retirement in 2019, Ken and Alice have lived on Sanibel Island. Despite the Covid pandemic and Hurricane Ian, Ken has continued to add to their ever-increasing, scientific collection of mollusks and has had the privilege of volunteering at the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum and Aquarium with its friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Location and Time

The February meeting will be held at the Sanibel Recreation Center at 3880 Sanibel Captiva Road on Sanibel Island. The meeting will be in the Pelican Room, and the silent auction will be in the Osprey Room. Doors open at 1:30 for the silent auction from 1:30-2:00 PM. There is no early entry before 1:30. The meeting (including the Zoom meeting) will begin at 2. The meeting is open to the public. We hope to see you there!

Shell and Tell

Do you have a special shell or some interesting sea life that you either found, bought, traded for, or were given as a gift? Please bring it to the next shell club meeting so we can see it and hear the story behind it! We will have a special “Shell and Tell” time during the meeting for anyone who would like to show off a treasure or two!

A look ahead:

We have more captivating speakers you won’t want to miss at our March and April meetings.

March 10: Dr. Blair and Dawn Witherington, “From the Rio Grande to Boca Grande, a Gulf Beach Scavenger Hunt.” They will be doing a lecture and book signing for their newest book, Living Beaches of the Gulf Coast.

April 14: Bob Pace, “Ligs of Loop Road.” Bob will bring Liguus tree snails for members to see and purchase.

February Meeting Oral Auction Items

Chiragra Spider Conch

Harpago chiragra

A member of the Strombidae family, it is a true conch. This mollusk lives in coral reef areas in tide pools and low tide levels. It is known to be an herbivore, feeding on plants and algae. The species is known to have a wide range in the Indo-Pacific, from Polynesia to the eastern Indian Ocean.

It is approx. 238 mm (9.37 inches)

Green Turban

Turbo marmoratus

This mollusk may seem familiar to you from the polished version you find in many shell shops. This mollusk is also a coral reef dweller, but it can be found in the subtropics where coral reefs are absent. It has a wide native range from South and East Africa, east to Japan, Indonesia, Australia, and Fiji. Interestingly, specimens were found on oysters in Samish Bay, Washington in 1924 but there are no established populations in North America.

It is approx. 152 mm (just under 6 inches).

The Horned Helmet

Juvenile Cassis cornuta

A member of the Helmet family, this species occurs off the southern African coast, the Red Sea. the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific. It’s a very heavy shell, which has horn-like knobs and a wide, flat base as an adult.

This shell measures approx. 189 mm (almost 7 1/2 inches).

Coral

This large coral piece is intricately delicate and quite stunning.  What a gorgeous addition to any coastal home. It measures approx. 7 inches in height and 11.5 inches in length.

(Please excuse the random bits of Styrofoam for protection).

January 14, 2024 Monthly Meeting/Lecture

Dr. Edie Widder, author of the book Below the Edge of Darkness

We are thrilled to have Dr. Edie Widder join us on January 14 for a lecture and book signing. The silent auction starts at 1:30, and the in-person and Zoom meeting starts at 2 PM. Dr. Widder’s book, Below the Edge of Darkness will be available for purchase at the meeting. The title of Dr. Widder’s presentation is Here Be Monsters: Exploring the Edge of the Map. We have explored so little of this world.  A case in point is the giant squid.  How is it possible that a creature as tall as a four story building could have gone so long unobserved in its natural habitat?   To be able to adapt to this changing world we need to do what humans have always done – explore the world around us in order to learn how best to survive in it.

Edie Widder, Ph.D., is the CEO and Senior Scientist at the Ocean Research & Conservation Association, a not-for-profit she helped found in 2005 to help save the ocean she has spent most of her career exploring.

Edie’s career in deep-sea exploration has brought her wide acclaim. In 2012 she captured the first video of the giant squid Architeuthis filmed in the deep sea using a stealth camera of her own design. In 2019 she repeated the feat, filming a giant squid in the Gulf of Mexico. Her deep-sea research has been featured in BBC, PBS, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic television productions. In 2018 she stood beside Astronaut Jim Lovell and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos at the Explorers Club in New York to receive the prestigious Citation of Merit for outstanding exploration. In 2020, it was announced that she is to receive the inaugural Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration from the Marine Technology Society and the Society for Underwater Technology recognizing her outstanding, sustained, international contribution to the advancement of ocean exploration. In 2021, Edie released her memoir Below the Edge of Darkness: A Memoir of Exploring Light and Life in the Deep Sea. 

Since founding ORCA, she has focused on results-oriented, science-based solutions to ocean conservation challenges for which she was awarded a MacArthur genius grant in 2008. She has focused her passion for saving the ocean into determining what is needed to preserve and protect the ocean’s most precious real estate – its nurseries – and is currently focused on developing a citizen science center inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards and ocean explorers. 

ORCA is dedicated to the protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems and the species they sustain through the development of innovative technology, science-based conservation action and community education and outreach. As the nation’s first technology-based marine conservation organization, ORCA’s niche in responding to large-scale deterioration of the marine environment is to: Collect accurate and scientifically defensible data on water quality and its impact on the marine ecosystems; Provide the data to the public and decision makers in an easily understandable format; And engage communities in marine conservation action. By combining innovative technology, applied science, and community outreach, ORCA is leading the way in protection and conservation of our valuable coast, estuaries and oceans—saving these precious habitats for the generations of tomorrow.www.teamorca.org

January Oral Auction Items

Finger Coral Specimen (starting at top, moving clockwise)

This coral is in excellent condition.  It is from a selection that was purchased by Donald Dan for Club sales purposes.  Coral cannot be brought into the USA without a special license.  The specimen is approx. 190 mm in length. No data available

Murex pecten (Venus Comb Murex)

This may not be rare, but this species always amazes everyone with its gorgeous, delicate spines.  One can imagine the goddess Venus combing her tresses with this lovely shell!  This specimen is approx. 130 mm in length. No data available.

Triplofusus giganteus (Florida Horse Conch)

This juvenile beauty is of gem quality – perfect apex and lip, with an operculum and much of the periostracum intact.  It also is a less common “smooth shouldered” form of the species.  The shell measures approx. 250 mm in length. No data available.

Muricanthus nigritis (Black and White Murex)

This shell is found in the Panamic region from Baja, California to Peru.  The large, handsome specimen is in very good condition for its size, especially the apex area.  The length is approx. 135 mm. No data available.

Charonia tritonis (Pacific Triton)

This shell is famed for being blown like a trumpet by the Greek god of the sea, Triton.  It’s found throughout the Indo-Pacific region.  This well-known attractive specimen is approx. 320 mm in length. No data available.

November 12, 2023 Monthly Meeting/Lecture

Probably More than you Ever Wanted to know About Mollusks – Carole Marshall

The presentation will focus on Peanut Island and southeast Florida with shell comparisons of closely related species and other odds and ends.

While living in the Chicago area, Carole first became interested in collecting shells. During that time she visited her parents, who were renting a bungalow on Fort Myers Beach. She found so many shells during her visit, she left all her clothes behind to make room for her shells.

Once back in Chicago she discovered the Chicago Shell Club, and she, along with her parents, joined. In 1970 Carole, with her husband Charles and family, moved to the West Palm Beach area. Shortly after arriving in Florida, she received a letter from the Palm Beach County Shell Club inviting her to a meeting. Carole would later become President of that club, as well as the Broward Shell Club.

Carole’s favorite family of shells is the Pectens, but now all her energies are focused on the mollusks of Peanut Island and the Lake Worth Lagoon. She has collected shell money from over 100 countries and her exonumia consists of gaming chips from 7 cruise lines and many medals and gaming tokens. Carole has spoken to many groups and organizations on various topics and has many friends in the shelling world through COA meetings, Florida United Malacologists, Clearwater Jamborees, and other functions. Her proudest moments came twice, when she was voted an Honorary Member of the Broward Shell Club and when she won the Neptunia Award at COA in 2021.

November Auction Items

October 8, 2023 Monthly Meeting/Lecture

Boring Bivalves are Anything But – Dr. José Leal – Click HERE to watch presentation.

First on our lineup for the season is the best “boring” lecture you’ve ever heard! Dr. José Leal brings us a presentation titled, “Boring Bivalves are Anything But.” Dr. Leal will present an outline of the more common groups of boring bivalves. He will discuss and illustrate some approaches explore by the different families to bore into materials as diverse as rock, shells, wood, peat, corals, and others. You don’t want to miss it!

October Auction Items

A year after Hurricane Ian and a year-and-a-half since the last official club meeting in April of 2022, we will open the ’23/’24 season many Silent Auction items and three Oral Auction items.

We’ve selected three nice beauties for the Oral Auction.

Perisserosa guttata – Great Spotted Cowrie,

53 mm (2.09 inches)

A lovely classic rarity among cowries. One of S. Peter Dance’s fifty “Rare Shells” (1969), only sixteen were known by 1963. It was exceedingly rare until the 1900s. It is still one of the most sought-after cowries today.

From the Indian-Pacific region.

Fasciolaria tulipa -True Tulip,

160 mm (6.29 inches)

This prized local, large specimen is found from South Carolina and south through the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. This one would be considered a gigantic since it’s size os over 60 centimeters.

Hexaplex fulvescens – Giant Eastern Murex with operculum

  – 160 mm (6.29 inches)

This large specimen, one of the largest muricids in the western Atlantic, is found from North Carolina and south through the Gulf of Mexico to Texas.

Click for 2022/2023 Meeting and Lecturer Information