Author: richkent88

This past October we were literally treated to a great field trip which was provided by Doug & Toni Fisher. Let’s put it this way….that beach put Sanibel to shame and members Juan Marrero, Richard Sedlak, Heather, Joy, The Fishers, Patty Springborn and her two sisters, the Alvos, the Leidi Family, the Paces and Anthony Mestiski took advantage of the treasures.  The ocean started to pick up so the signature Blowing Rocks did their “performance” under the cloudy skies – perfect shelling weather, although snorkeling was out of the question.

Among the shells found, in addition to sea beans and other drift goodies were: The now “famous” Gelagna succincta – Lesser Girdled Triton – a Pacific Shell now showing up in the Atlantic!, Turbo castanea – Chestnut Turban, Nerita peloronta – Bleeding Tooth, Strombus raninus – Hawkwing Conch, Strombus gigas – Queen Conch, Cypraea cervus – Atlantic Deer Cowrie, Cypraea zebra – Measled Cowrie, Cypraea acicularis – Atlantic Yellow Cowrie, Trivia pediculus – Coffee Bean Trivia, Trivia suffuse – Suffuse Trivia, Cassis tuberosa and madagascariensis – the King and Queen helmets (lip pieces only), Phalium granulatum – Scotch Bonnet, Modulus modulus – Atlantic Modulus, Cymatium martinianum – Atlantic Hairy Triton, Astraea tuber – Green Star Shell, Glycymeris spectralis – Bittersweet Clam, Chichoreus florifer – Lace Murex, Stramonita rustica – Rustic Rock Shell, Tonna maculata and galea – Atlantic Partridge and Giant Tun Shell – large pieces, Pollia tincta – Tinted Cantharus, Fasciolaria tulipa – True Tulip, Oliva sayana – Lettered Olive, Conus mus – Mouse Cone, Arca zebra – Turkey Wing, Arca species, Atringa rigida – Stiff Pen Shell, Plicatula gibbosa – Atlantic Kitten’s Paw, Glycymeris species, Chlamys sentis – Sentis Scallop, Argopecten gibbus – Calico Scallop, Lyropecten nodosus – Lion’s Paw (halves), Trachycardium muricatum – Yellow Cockle, Globivenus rigida – Rigid Venus,  Macrocallista maculata – Calico Clam, Crepidula fornicata – Common Atlantic Slipper, Distorsio clathrata – Atlantic Distorsio, Busycon contrarium – Lightning Whelk, Melongena corona – Crown Conch, Polinices duplicata – Shark’s Eye ( some HUGE pieces as well), Murex pomum – Apple Murex, Laevicardium robustum – Giant Atlantic Cockle and Chione intapurpurea – Lady-In-Waiting Venus.  Please note that most of the bivalves were found as single valves.

There were 15 of us who went on the field trip to Blowing Rocks Preserve.  Our club were the only people on the beach for most of the morning.  It was fun shelling with other knowledgeable shell collectors.  Everyone seems to find great shells along the 1.5 mile beach.  Heather even found a shell not native to our area that must have fallen off a passing ship!