Let's talk about storm shelling! Southwest Florida had a small cold front a little over a week ago that brought in a small storm. I was amazed at how many shells it brought in and this is about half of what my wife and I found within a week. The upside is LOTS of shells. The downside is that many of the shells are dredged up from the bottom, so you have more work in cleaning barnacles off them and some of the shells would have been great, but because they have been on the bottom for so long they have started to degrade. Another thing to remember is that several days after the storm there are great shells that died during the storm, but the animal hasn't yet fully decomposed. That can make for a mighty smelly shell bag!!!

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I recommend at least a quick rinse for your shells when you get home from the beach and most shells will not be harmed in a 50/50 bleach and water solution. The bleach can help cut down the stink factor and also loosen barnacles or other bits of debris stuck on your shells. More tips on cleaning and tricks for stubborn barnacles coming soon!

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Oh, did you find the three Junonias in the photo above?