#17783 - 12/14/03 07:31 AM
Shelling?
|
Zoe
Senior Advisor
Registered: 12/14/03
Posts: 801
Loc: Walnut Creek, CA
|
Where would be the best/easiest place to go sea-shelling in FP? And are there any excursions that you know of? When we were in Huahine, we rented a scooter and stopped by the ocean not too far from the Sofitel; the beach there was covered with shells, although the variety was not huge. Surely there must be other places? I know some people have mentioned shells in the context of Kia Ora Sauvage? We will be in Tahiti and Moorea in March and I would love to do this then! Thanks for your advice 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#17784 - 12/14/03 10:21 AM
Re: Shelling?
|
Island Moe
Member
Registered: 11/05/03
Posts: 144
Loc: Vallejo, CA
|
I was told to just be extremely careful when picking up a shell on the beach. It may have recently washed in and my not be safe to pick up. As for an excursion for shelling...I did not see anything offered, but a good deal of excursions do take you beach side - you can always ask a resident what is safe to handle and what should you watch out for.
And maybe bring a pair of gloves to protect yourself.
_________________________
Life is the crummiest book I ever read, there isn't a hook, just a lot of cheap shots, pictures to shock and characters an amateur would never dream up, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#17785 - 01/17/04 09:15 AM
Re: Shelling?
|
Return in 2003
Member
Registered: 11/22/02
Posts: 400
Loc: valencia, california, USA
|
We also enjoy collecting sea shells and had great luck in Jamaica doing so. In FP, we found very few shells. Part of that may be that the reefs prevent the waves from washing shells onto shore.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#17786 - 01/17/04 07:16 PM
Re: Shelling?
|
Zoe
Senior Advisor
Registered: 12/14/03
Posts: 801
Loc: Walnut Creek, CA
|
The reef might be the reason. When we were in Huahine and walked along the ocean, there were plenty of shells, although not terribly spectacular. Where in Jamaica would you recommend? We keep seeing 4-5 day packages to there and are always tempted.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#17787 - 01/17/04 08:52 PM
Re: Shelling?
|
maheanuu_tane
Member
Registered: 09/20/02
Posts: 259
Loc: Uturoa, Raiatea French Polynes...
|
Collecting shells on the beach is a fun thing, but you will not find too many. Most of the shells that you find on the beach have hermit crabs inhabiting them, and those which do not are usually sand washed and in poor shape. We collect shells by diving for them (snorkeling mostly). These have the animal inside, and if they are cone shells, they can be deadly. If you pick up a cone shell, be sure to hold it by the big end with the pointed end up and your fingers away from the opening in the shell. This opening is a slot allowing the animal to extrude its head and foot and syphon. The syphon is the dangerous part as this has the harpoon like projection that is connected to a poison gland and this poison is so deadly that you will not even know when it has struck you until it is too late. There are hundreds of people in the pacific and tropical oceans who are killed by these. Do not put them in your pockets or in a knit bag and allow it to touch your body...
Also, trying to remove the animal from it's shell is a process that takes us several weeks and then we must remove the brown/grey coating from the outside of the shell to get to the nacre or the design and the calcium beauty of the shell itself... Don't think that you would like to go home with a suitcase smelling like a dead animal inside....
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#17788 - 01/19/04 07:44 AM
Re: Shelling?
|
Return in 2003
Member
Registered: 11/22/02
Posts: 400
Loc: valencia, california, USA
|
Zoe:
We stayed in Ocho Rios and had great luck if you go early in the morning. Only picked up shells with nothing alive inside (maheanuu_tane is very right). The good shells were pretty much picked clean by mid-morning. My wife and I collected enough to fill a large decorative jar.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#17789 - 02/03/04 02:51 PM
Re: Shelling?
|
Carol S
Member
Registered: 02/03/04
Posts: 458
Loc: La Cañada, CA USA
|
Another great place to find shells--believe it or not, is around road construction sites. Two years ago we found a huge mound of sand dredged up from Cook's Bay and found loads of very good shells, not much variety, but in good shape and no critters inside.
This year we went to the same place and lots of the sand had been used but we still found more. This is near Club Bali Hai up the street from the school. And you can always find "street cowries" just walking along the road...
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#17790 - 02/03/04 03:32 PM
Re: Shelling?
|
Jonathan
Member
Registered: 08/05/03
Posts: 144
Loc: Denver
|
I agree with Carol S. We found the best shells on Huahine in the roadside ditches while we were cycling or walking around the island.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#17791 - 02/03/04 05:11 PM
Re: Shelling?
|
Zoe
Senior Advisor
Registered: 12/14/03
Posts: 801
Loc: Walnut Creek, CA
|
Thanks for the tip! I now have this wonderful mental image of myself and hubby touring the island on a scooter. Hubby is admiring landscape/scouting for beer and I have my gaze firmly fixed on the ditch on the side of the road, with the occasional ecstatic, screeching halt for a pile of sand 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#17792 - 02/03/04 05:20 PM
Re: Shelling?
|
STM
Expert Advisor
Registered: 10/15/01
Posts: 1616
Loc: Oregon, USA
|
Cleaning tip. Even empty shells will carry bacteria and bits of dead critter or plant life. Best way to clean is to put them down where the ants will find them. They're pretty squeaky clean once the ants are no longer interested.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: BarbiJKM, hamara, DenverJoe, Poehere
|
6901 Members
15 Forums
10250 Topics
91339 Posts
Max Online: 118 @ 04/08/12 01:59 PM
|
|
0 registered
and 8 anonymous users online.
|
|
|
