The History of Shelling on Sanibel Island

There is the short history of shelling on Sanibel.  It can be summed up in the often repeated phrase that the Island ranks in the top 3 world destinations for great shelling.

For many, that is all they know and all they need to know.

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. 

Walk the walk on Sanibel, the beach walk that is, and in the majority of cases; you will be greeted with a variety of sea shells.

But the nuances of the shelling history are as compelling as the experience of shelling.

How did the first inhabitants of Sanibel use shells for their subsistence? What were the events that occurred in European society that led to the interest in collecting shells? Who collected them and how did that lead to their use by mainstream society? Of the many expeditions that sailed to the New World, shells were among were among the items brought back to Europe.

The island is situated at a special place in the Gulf of Mexico - it has an east/west alignment. From the south comes a prevailing wind and strong currents that cause this eleven mile-long, 3 mile-wide island to become a scoop for seashells.

Seashells have created an economy for Sanibel's residents since the time of the Calusa Indians and are highly integrated into the culture and the economy of Sanibel. As many as 20-30,000 visitors come to Sanibel and its neighbor island Captiva each week at peak season, drawn by the desire to walk Sanibel's beaches and its shells. Nearly 15,000 seasonal visitors travel to Sanibel in escape of the cold winter weather in the northern regions, including Canada.

 

No matter where they come from, tourists of all ages spend their time learning about the island's history at the Sanibel Historical Museum, learning about the diverse wildlife that inhabits the island at the J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, or the ecology of the most famous island inhabitants, mollusks, during their visit to the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. Visitors also enjoy the art of local artists in many cozy little boutiques and shops that sell wind chimes, jewelry, lamps, paperweights, decorative boxes and ornaments.

 

 And of course, conversations in these shops are usually centered around shelling. They provide a good stopping point between a day's activities, and a good place to catch up on island news and the tide report!