Rare and Collectable Shells of Marco Island

October 9, 2021 | Paddle Marco

Beachcombing for shells, otherwise known as “Shelling” has become all the craze.  Especially here in Southwest Florida.  Up until recently, Sanibel and Captiva has been the go-to place for finding some of the rarest sea shells in the USA… but now Marco Island is the hottest new place to go Shelling.  Why?  Marco Island’s barrier islands and sand bars are very dynamic and always changing shape.  Recently the sand bars near Dickman’s point on Marco Island’s south side of the island has grown several acres.  The more sand that gets exposed equals more shells to find.  Some argue that Keewaydin, Tigertail or sand-dollar spit is the best place to shell… but the best shells are found just south of Caxambas Park on the sand bars around Kice Island and Dickman’s point. Additionally, you can only access these island by watercraft, so it’s less foot traffic and more shells. You can easily kayak out to the sand bars in 10-20 minutes from Caxambas Park by renting a kayak from Paddle Marco.  All day only costs $50!  That’s half the cost of a boat tour out there and the boats will only take you out for up to 3 hours. How can you beat it?

Here are the top 10 shells to look for on Marco Island.

1)  Junonia

The Junonia is the holy grail of shells to find in SWFL.  It grows to a maximum of 5 inches tall but most hover around 3-4 inches tall.  It’s a very fragile shell, so don’t be surprised if you only find fragments of it on the beach.  The reason it’s so rare is because it’s a deep water shell only stirred up by storms.  You will never find a live Junonia unless you dive for it.  These shells currently sell on eBay or Etsy for over $150 USD.  Why?  Some people just like to hold on to them and some people make jewelry out of them.

2) Lace Murex

The Murex is just as rare as the Junonia.  Murex come in different colors like red (also called the Rose Murex), brown and white.  They aren’t very big, only 2 inches maximum.

3) Scotch Bonnett

The Scotch Bonnett is just as rare as a Junonia or Lace Murex.  It almost looks like a white chocolate that you could eat from an expensive candy box.  it grows to about 2 inches long and has a beautiful shape.  Find this one and hold on to it, it’s definitely a collector!

4) Alphabet Cone

Don’t get this shell confused with the infamous Junonia!  They look alike from a distance but you’ll notice the alphabet cone has slightly different spots and a different shape (just like a cone or tornado).  The alphabet cone is related to the Florida cone which has no spots and is orange in color.  If you see a live alphabet cone or Florida cone, do not touch it, as you may go into electric shock!

5) Worm Shell

Can you guess why it’s called a worm shell?  Good job.  These shells have a beautiful spiral shape with a sharp pointed end that almost look like an Auger.  Pretty rare shell to find and definitely something worth keeping.  These usually grow to around 4-5 inches long.  They are also found in the indian ocean!

6) Sand Dollar

Sand dollars can be found year-round on Marco Island but they are more common in the summer.  They live in shallow waters near the coastline.  You can tell if a sand dollar is dead or alive by it’s color.  If it’s brown, leave it down.  If it’s white, it’s alright (meaning it’s dead, take it home).  Don’t put your sand dollars in a bag, they’ll break as they are super fragile.  Put the in a box.

7) Banded Tulip

This shell known for it’s perfectly straight bands that run horizontal around it’s exterior is always fun to find on the beach.  It’s somewhat common and they can grow to around 5 inches tall.  Inside is a black snail that can droop out around 4 inches too!  Make sure there’s no snail inside if you take one home.  Shine them up for a beautiful grayish brown color.

8) Lettered Olive

Native Americans used the lettered olive for jewelry and is one of the prettiest shells on the beach.  It doesn’t grow to be very big, only about 3 inches maximum.  Just like any other shell, it might have a snail inside so let it go if it does!

9) Horse Conch

This is the A-Predator of the Marco Island & Naples mud flats!  This shell (or should we say snail?) is the biggest snail in North America!  It’s bright orange color cannot be mistaken.  It grows up to 2 FT long and can weigh up to 10 lbs!  This snail eats other snails including the lightning whelk.  It’s been known to be a cannibal as well!  The Horse Conch is the state shell of Florida and it’s protected on state land.  The meat inside the shell is edible but it’s not the meat you’ll find in conch soup or salad.  That would be Queen Conch meat, which is only found on the east coast and the keys.

10) Lightning Whelk

The Lightning Whelk is one of the most common shells found in Marco Island but did you know it’s the state shell of Texas?  It’s found all along the gulf coast. Most of the time you’ll find small whelks about 2-3 inches in length.  If you’re lucky you’ll find a full grown shell that grows up to 15 inches!  These are the only shells that have a left-hand opening (meaning the opening is on the left of the shell!)  also known as a “sinistral” shell. If you find this shell, it might have a black snail inside, so remember to release the shell back into the water. If there’s no snail inside, take it home!  Use it as a lawn ornament or shelf display.  Native Americans used it to drink out of, carve out canoes and make weapons from it.

Well there you have it!

There are plenty of other shells that didn’t make the list such as the fighting conch, pen shell, pear whelk, venus sun ray and more.  If you’re looking to learn more about these shells and snails then consider booking a kayak rental today with Paddle Marco and paddle out to the sand bars just south of Marco Island for a day of shelling! Paddle marco supplied a waterproof bag, laminated map and laminated shell ID chart.

A few more pictures…