“I recently had my annual physical examination, which I get once every seven years, and when the nurse weighed me, I was shocked to discover how much stronger the Earth's gravitational pull has become since 1990.” Dave Barry


                   What do this 

                         
                         and this
                   have in common?


           Full moon night shelling 
            on Englewood Beach.


As I was driving home from work last night I rolled all the windows down to let the nice cool Florida air blow through my truck. The full moon was just shining over the tree line. I work a late shift so as I walked quietly through the door at home so I wouldn't wake anyone I decided I was not ready to call it a night.  Well I was  but I'm calling it Night Shelling. 


I tiptoed into my closet in the dark so I wouldn't wake up the Hubbs (the most dangerous part of night shelling-the closet not hubbs) grabbed my sweatshirt & jeans. I decided to travel lightly - my mack daddy 230 lumen's LED flashlight, extra batteries, camera to document anything blog-worthy, & a Ziploc baggie for shark's teeth. 


The beach is an 8 minute drive from where I live. Apparently I'm not the only one around here sensitive to gravitational pull.  The moon had drawn quite a few others. People were fishing off the bridge and the 3 little beach bars were hopping. It was after 10pm so Yay! free parking. The beach looked really  really dark until my eyes adjusted.  It was very surreal.  The moon was overhead and the entire beach was basking in it's glow. As the strains of Bob Seger blared from the full moon party at the bar I started up the beach with some night moves of my own. 
Nice shell line & no competetion at 11pm


Nice spotlight on my LED flashlight


The shell crush before the sun bakes it


I will definitely make beach combing under the full moon part of my regular routine. Once I got my senses adjusted to the sights & sounds of the dark it was very peaceful and calming out there. The LED flashlight showed up all the goodies but didn't light the entire beach up. Turtle season was over November 1st so lights are now legal again.


 After a few hours all by myself I passed a young couple walking home from the bar. They asked what I was doing.  I gave them a huge moon snail and they said I was "cool". I didn't keep the flashlight on the entire time. I would shut it off from time to time and just sit on the damp sand & moon bathe. The sounds of the birds and waves are even louder at night.


Heading back to my truck I had another curious person stumble up to me and asked slurring her words "Hey, what the heck are you doing?". A hundred witty responses came to me but I was nice- "I'm looking for shark's teeth." She just stood there looking at me in the dark. Finally she asked "Why". "Because it's fun" I replied. "Oh, that's cool" and she teetered off. Wow, 2 cools in one night.  Night shelling - I highly recommend it.





I found a nice gray tooth


Jar Update - Almost over half full
My mom gave me this

Comments

  1. Leo November 21, 2010 at 3:08 PM

    Sounds like so much fun! And you have made quite the progress on your shark tooth jar!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beach House LivingNovember 21, 2010 at 8:16 PM

    Sounds fun and that jar sure is filling up fast!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Drawn to The SeaNovember 21, 2010 at 9:38 PM

    Love your jar of teeth. Thinking about the birds & the waves & the full moon...you made me sigh. After such a wonderful walk, I bet you sleep like a baby tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  4. iLoveShellingNovember 22, 2010 at 8:03 AM

    I really think we were separated at birth.....

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Florida BloggerNovember 22, 2010 at 9:22 AM

    When I walked out last night I thought someone had left an outside light one, but then realized that it was the big man upstairs who had left the light on.

    ReplyDelete
  6. iLoveShellingNovember 22, 2010 at 9:58 AM

    Me seeing early mornings is all your fault, you know. That's why I told Wendy to call the expert of LED hunting for a wake up call instead of the rookie.

    ReplyDelete
  7. rjerdeeNovember 23, 2010 at 8:41 AM

    November's moon is making magic for a lot of us...fun post and you sure can hunt in the dark!

    ReplyDelete
  8. PammyNovember 23, 2010 at 7:26 PM

    wow I remember what it used to be like going out on the beach at night! It was so weird when I moved to Texas the coast is so different, or the people are, because a woman doesn't got out on the beach alone during the day, much less the night. Very sad. I'm so much enjoying your adventures..thanks so much!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Blooming Rose MusingsNovember 24, 2010 at 2:05 PM

    What a wonderful evening! Full moon, beach and background music...it doesn't get much better than that.
    Wonderful post.
    I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

    ReplyDelete
  10. PCovi November 24, 2010 at 9:21 PM

    I wouldn't have known it was a shark's tooth even!
    That would be so fun in the dark and quiet on the beach :) I'd make it a habit too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. ShellbelleNovember 25, 2010 at 1:37 PM

    Okay, I'm waiting for the day we drive out to California for a Grunion Run!

    ReplyDelete
  12. ~Lavender Dreamer~November 25, 2010 at 8:28 PM

    Those are shark's teeth? WOW! I don't live on the coast but I go every chance I get! I would rather walk on the beach than anything! Love your blog! ♥

    ReplyDelete

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