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The perfect place to experience the fun and intrigue of a shelling expedition is along the southern range of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Known as the Shell Coast, it is home to Fort Myers Beach, located on Estero Island. Fort Myers Beach offers magnificent shelling excursions while affording families a delightful vacation within a wide range of budget options. Often travelers think of Florida shelling as synonymous with Sanibel Island. While Sanibel does indeed provide unique shelling, its accommodations and eating establishments are far pricier than those of nearby Fort Myers Beach.
The Shell Coast is one of a short list of locations where one can make a living as a shelling charter captain. Dockside Boat Rentals, Inc., situated behind the Best Western Pink Shell Resort, offers a shelling excursion to Big Hickory Island. Big Hickory, an uninhabited island, sits in the gulf just 12 miles south of Fort Myers Beach.
Debbie and Jay Holloway, owners of Good Time Charters, book shelling trips to many local spots.
“People just love to go shelling on Sanibel,” Debbie says.
A testament to her statement is the world famous “Sanibel Stoop”, the associated posture attributed to avid shellers.
Good Time Charters is located at the Mid-Island Marina on Fort Myers Beach.
“Jay is the charter’s captain, and he loves to stop at a variety of uninhabited islands, as well as Sanibel,” Debbie says. A two-hour minimum charter costs $80 for up to six people.
Is there a purpose to shell collecting that lies beyond the collection? The rare discovery of a Beau’s Murex, a 3-4” long shell found only in deep water, might yield a little cash. For some it’s simply the fruits of their labor, a souvenir of a wonderful trip. Artisans make a number of gift items from shells, ranging from picture frames to table lamps. Shells are popular for jewelry design. Numerous area gift shops peddle a variety of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings created with local seashells.
A drive into the city of Fort Myers provides a chance to tour The Shell Factory. In business for over 60 years, The Shell Factory is said by locals to have “the world’s largest collection of rare shells”. Housing over 5,000,000 shells and shell related gifts, this handicapped-accessible facility entertains the entire family. Visitors have the opportunity to retrieve their own pearls from Japanese oysters. After choosing their setting, they are professionally mounted. Two 10,000-gallon aquariums and an alligator cove amuse all ages, and bumper boats and the video arcade are hits with the kids. A food court and seafood grill stave off hunger pangs. It’s easy to spend a half-day at The Shell Museum.
Shells were an integral part of the lives of Calusa Indians who inhabited the area more than 12,000 years ago. Carbon dated back to 1150 B.C., their cultural center was in the Fort Myers Beach region. Although long since extinct, their ceremonial, burial, and refuse shell mounds can be found throughout the area. Calusa Coast Outfitters Educational Tours, located at the Fish Tale Marina on Fort Myers Beach, ushers visitors on a guided tour of Mound Key State Archeological Site. Here they can see a 32-foot high shell mound of an ancient Calusa Indian king.
A sheller’s paradise, an historical adventure, and an oasis of sun, sand, and palm trees, Fort Myers Beach welcomes visitors with an extended hand. The relaxed atmosphere and affordable prices make shelling, shopping, sunning, and exploring unique experiences that won’t rapidly deplete vacation budgets. Although not as commercially publicized as its more elite sister islands, the ambience of Fort Myers Beach lures tourists back into their shells.
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