Storm gifts

By: lowtide
8/30/2023 11:26 AM

Neptune has been using the King tides to provide some sea treasures.



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By: Beach Farmer
8/30/2023 11:47 AM

The one in the middle is like a showcase shell. Awesome

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By: Bentmtn
8/30/2023 11:53 AM

Those are beautiful, Lowtide!!! One looks like a murex (sp) shell and the large one in the center is fantastic! Keep sending those pics and thank you for posting this!

I'm looking forward to getting down there next week and maybe I can find the leftovers that have not been picked up.....

Hubby just called and boat is off the lift and parked near the front of the house. He did take the time to pick sand burrs in the yard before heading back to Manteo for a couple of days. It's never ending work to get them out of the yard but we're getting there.

Stay safe tonight!!

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By: lowtide
9/1/2023 2:59 PM

Okay, I'm going to share some information that resulted from several discussions on the beach about the Horse Conch in the middle of the photo. It is not actually a conch - nor is it a whelk, but a Tulip Snail, the largest gastropod found in North American waters. Like whelks, the Horse Conch is a carnivore and feeds on other whelks, conchs, and snails.

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By: Greg MD
9/1/2023 4:55 PM

I got to observe tiny 1/2" whelks and tiny 1/2" hermit crabs in a bay tide pool. Both were stalking each other like zombies if they all didn't keep moving. If either one was able to catch something and stopped to start feeding, it would get swarmed while it was trying to eat. Amazing to watch natural selection and cannibalism on such a small scale. If you don't eat you will die eventually but if you do stop to eat you could die much sooner - tough decision. The little whelks were surprisingly just as quick as the little hermit crabs. The whelks outnumbered the hermit crabs 10:1, for what ever that is worth.

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By: Bentmtn
9/1/2023 5:15 PM

Okay, I'm going to share some information that resulted from several discussions on the beach about the Horse Conch in the middle of the photo. It is not actually a conch - nor is it a whelk, but a Tulip Snail, the largest gastropod found in North American waters. Like whelks, the Horse Conch is a carnivore and feeds on other whelks, conchs, and snails.

lowtide


Thanks for this info! Beach finds are such a huge hobby of mine and I love learning about anything having to do with them. I have never seen a tulip snail shell on the beach there.. or anywhere. It is something. I'm sure I won't be lucky enough to find one, but sure glad you did!! Name it Idalia.

I did find one of those antique looking murex shells with the very pointy points on them. Mine was almost yellow and I could tell it was very old. It had a couple of holes in it, but that's okay. It's on my fireplace hearth in Frisco. Only one of those I've ever found which was last winter there.

Thanks again!

Edit: I just looked up my murex shell pic and it looks like the one that you have below the tulip snail shell. Very interesting shell. I found it at the point and always find different items there! Haha! I also found a couple of discarded needles and other trash that I threw in my bucket to throw away! Must have been some druggies hanging out the night before! Yikes!



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By: Bentmtn
9/1/2023 5:20 PM

I got to observe tiny 1/2" whelks and tiny 1/2" hermit crabs in a bay tide pool. Both were stalking each other like zombies if they all didn't keep moving. If either one was able to catch something and stopped to start feeding, it would get swarmed while it was trying to eat. Amazing to watch natural selection and cannibalism on such a small scale. If you don't eat you will die eventually but if you do stop to eat you could die much sooner - tough decision. The little whelks were surprisingly just as quick as the little hermit crabs. The whelks outnumbered the hermit crabs 10:1, for what ever that is worth.

Greg MD


They are funny how they move! While on the spoil island near the ferry docks a couple of weeks ago, I saw all kinds of whelks and hermit crab shells. But all still had their inhabitants so I left them alone! A ton of sea glass there and some sanddollars though which made my day!

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By: Bentmtn
9/12/2023 5:50 PM

I do not know if this is a storm gift, but I found this big chunk of tinted blue sea glass the other day on ramp 49. I had walked two miles and just found coral and few small things, but on my walk back, I found this treasure like 6 feet from the FJ.

Yay! It is in my mid century swan holder on my hearth with my other sea glass. Love it!! Think I'll wire wrap this one.



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