Shelling at Island Inn
World-famous Shelling
Like most of the guests who come to vacation at Island Inn Resort, Sanibel Island’s famous seashells also come from somewhere else. Storms, tides and the powerful action of the Gulf of America’s Loop Current import shells of dazzling variety and exotic origin to Sanibel and Captiva islands. Because of Sanibel’s unique shape and orientation, different parts of the barrier island act like a scoop, facing toward the current from the south, west and north. As the currents run up the slopes and sandbars off Sanibel’s shoreline, they slow, turn and drop their colorful payload of whelks, conchs, olives, junonias, cockles and tulips from all over the Gulf as well as the southern Caribbean.
While beautiful, the shells are not merely decoration; Sanibel Island wouldn’t even exist without them. As waves crest over the outer sandbars, the water rolls with great energy in the troves of offshore shells grinding them into ever-finer particles and eventually carrying them to shore to form the beach.
How to Shell
Walking along Island Inn’s pristine beach at low tide is the best time to observe this creative force in action or even “save” a few specimens before they’re broken. The act of “shelling” is so prominent on the islands that those who practice it are said to be doing the “Sanibel Stoop” as they walk head down, bent over at the water’s edge, searching for the glitter of a half-buried shell.
Weekly, Guided Beach Walks with SCCF
Have the Sanibel Sea School experience with knowledgeable marine science educators for a unique opportunity to explore the flora and fauna of Sanibel’s beaches, as well as insight into the history of the area along the way. Have the Sanibel Sea School experience.
iLoveShelling.com Blog
For years, Pam Rambo has combed the local beaches of Sanibel Island, building her collection and fostering her love for shells. Pam doesn’t limit herself to shells found locally, she and her husband travel the world seeking out seashell treasure.
The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum
Island Inn has partnered with The Bailey-Mathews National Shell Museum to offer daily, expert-led beach walks exclusively to our guests. We are proud to be closely associated with the musuem, which boasts a huge collection of the beautiful seashells found on Sanibel Island. Bailey-Matthews also has a schedule chock full of tours, learning activities, guest speakers and more!
Why are the shells empty?
As you practice “the Sanibel Stoop” yourself on your southwest Florida vacation, you’ll notice that most of the shells are empty, with no trace of the mollusk that built the shell and called it home. Sometimes, you’ll see a shell scuttling along the shoreline, propelled by a small crab that is merely borrowing this suit of armor until it grows and needs a larger shell. Mollusks, by contrast, remain in the same shell throughout their lives, adding material at the edge of the shell to form the characteristic spiral, or at both edges in the case of bivalves like clams.
So if the animal didn’t decide to move out, where did it go? Well, the story doesn’t usually end happily for the mollusk. When they’re young, they live in deeper waters, attaching themselves to rocks or the seafloor. Predators such as the octopus or starfish make a meal of the mollusk, often drilling a small hole to access their intended dinner. By the time the shell tumbles to the shore, it has typically been picked completely clean.
Still, a lucky few survive the trip to the water’s edge. If you find a shell with a mollusk still inside, resist the urge to drop these live animals into your collection bucket; it is illegal to remove them from their habitat.
For more information, make the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum , just down the road from the Island Inn resort, part of your next vacation trip to Sanibel Island.
Visitor Reviews
Great Beach, spacious rooms, lovely place to be. What an amazing place to stay. I wish we were there for longer to better enjoy all the amenities. The hotel is really a series of little suites. There is a full kitchen, a living room area, and a bedroom area. Spacious and lovely. Plus there is a screened porch area where you can be cooked by a fan and watch the ocean. There are hammocks, beach chairs, and umbrellas ready for guests. We did do this but there were paddleboards and kanaks to rent. But what we spent our time on was shelling. This has an amazing Sanibel beach access to terrific shelling. We didn’t even hit a low tide which better but still came home with 40 shells of various types. Even meet friendly people while shelling. You could cook at your room, but you are only a few minutes by car to a lot of restaurants. The hotel provides you with information about what is open and closed as well. Good people and a great place. Several people we meet come here every year and that says a lot. Oh, and they even provide a shell cleaning tub. 
You MUST try the Island Inn at Sanibel--you won't be disappointed-!! This was our first time staying at the Island Inn at Sanibel. Everything exceeded our expectations! From the beginning, we spoke with Ken and then we were greeted by him upon our arrival. So welcoming, warm and knowledgeable about things to do and places to visit. We stayed in the Matthews Lodge Gulfview Luxury Suite of the Inn and our suite was AWESOME. The private beach had chairs, umbrellas, grills, cornhole and yes--PRIVACY. Perhaps it was the time of year (Sept 12-14), but there were no crowds and quiet surroundings. We are traveling construction superintendents working in Venice FL, just less than 2 hours from Sanibel. We hope to visit again before our work sends us to another place.
Amazing Anniversary Getaway We had an incredible stay at the Island Inn for our anniversary, and we can’t say enough about how wonderful this place is. Ken and the entire staff went above and beyond to make our trip truly special, and their kindness and attention to detail made us feel right at home.The rooms were very comfortable with breathtaking beach views, and the hotel provided so many thoughtful free amenities—like beach chairs and umbrellas—that made our days by the ocean even better. The screened porch was perfect for relaxing (citronella candles from the store were a lifesaver for the no-see-ums), and we loved how welcoming and friendly everyone was throughout our stay.
Even with parts of the property still being rebuilt, the Island Inn already feels like a slice of paradise. We can’t wait to see it fully restored and will definitely be making all of our future Sanibel stays here. Highly recommend this gem to anyone visiting the island!
