Sea-shelling
by the shore
The Brunswick County coast is a
treasure trove for shell collectors.
Our estuaries and ocean waters hold
over 1,000 species of mollusks, the
shell-bearing animals.
Miles of sand beaches provide col
lecting grounds for many species;
however, beaches aren't the only
places for good shell collecting.
Sounds, inlets, lagoons and inter
tidal flats are also home to many
mollusks. These areas are rich in
food and less subject to the rigors of
full moons, are favorable times for
collecting.
Although most of the shells found
on the shore are empty, each one
was once an outer covering for a liv
ing mollusk. Mollusks make up one
of the largest groups in the animal
kingdom, second only to insects.
Most shells belong to two ’mollusk
classes: Gastropods (the largest
groupand bivalves. Gastropods
have a single shell and are* usually
spiral- or cone-shaped. Snails,
wave action
and, therefore,
yield a wide
variety of mol
lusks ranging
from the tiny
periwinkles
that cling to
marsh grasses s
to the spiral- 5
shaped whelks j
that surface on
sand flats at
low tide.
While the
tides bring
shells to our
beaches year
round, spring
time, particular
ly after a storm,
wneiKS ana scotcn
bonnets, the
state's official
shell, are mem
bers of this class.
Bivalves have two
hinged shells
which are con
nected by muscle
and teeth. Clams,
oysters and scal
lops belong to this
class.
The shell of a
mollusk is formed
by secretions from
the mantle, a
fleshy sac that
lines their soft
bodies. These
secretions mix
and early fall, during the height of
hurricane season, are prime times ■
for shelling. Winter storms and hur
ricanes chum the coastal waters,
pulling shells from the ocean floor
and washing them to shore. When
canvassing the shore after a storm,
don’t forget to examine the masses
of seaweed on the beach for shells
that might be lodged within.
Tides and timing are also impor
tant factors to consider when search
ing for shells. An hour before and
after low tide, especially during
spring tides that occur on new and
with calcium they derive from their
environment, either the food they
eat or the water in which they live,
to form a shell. Food, climate, envi
ronment and the mollusk's particu
lar heredity all play a part in mak
ing each shell unique.
Most mollusks found in or near
North Carolina's coastal waters are
plentiful, but destruction of natural
habitats and overfishing have seri
ously reduced some populations. If
a living creature inhabits a shell,
enjoy observing it, but leave it in its
natural habitat undisturbed.
THE FLAG OF
“GENTLEMAN PUL ITEm
MAJOR STEDE BONNET
\
New exhibit opening July 1,1998 - the artifacts from the
vessel believed to be BLACKBEARD'S Flagships
Queen Anne's Revenge, at the Southport Maritime Museum
Open Tuwday - Saturday
10:00am - 4:00pm
Admission ~ S2 Adults 16 to 61
SI.00 Seniors 62+, Children FREE
Schools & Tour Groups Welcomed
116N. Howe SL
P.O.Box 11101
Southport, N.C. 28461
Phone/Fax (910)457-0003
E-mail...rmtricktand2@juno.
AM)
Announcing - *Slede's Festivar Sept 1999
fylniijfue, ele<j€Mvt €tcc&mMW€lcUi€m&
<m &6ecul 'Pblcnul
’ ydia and Steve Love, Owner and Operators offer
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or inland waterway, private porches, private baths, cable
TV and telephone.
Amenities include golf carts, bicycles, gourmet
breakfasts, afternoon refreshments and evening desserts.
Guests are also temporary members of Bald Head Island
Club to enjoy the elegant dining facility, bar, golf course,
swimming pool, tennis courts & croquet course.
Call for prices and room availability...
1-800-656-1812 or 910-457-6563