Regardless of the beach, there are particular times that are better than others for finding truly unique shells. After a storm, collectors may find spectacular shells, as the shells are pulled from their ocean floor fossil beds and washed ashore. Additionally, during anew moon or a full moon, the rise and fall of the tides increases, producing more shells on the beach. Don’t forget to search through seaweed found on the beach—often shells are entangled in the seaweed, and small but perfect shell specimens can be found.
Most of the shells found on the beach are fairly young. Occasionally, though, an older ecto-skelton from the late Pleistocene era may be found on the shore—approximately 10,000 years old. How can you determine the age of your treasure? Color is a key factor—a dark gray shade may indicate a rare or old specimen. A true treasure you may find during your shell searching is the lettered olive shell. This shiny little shell resembles an olive and was first documented by Edmund Ravenel, a 19th century naturalist who donated a collection of shells to the Charleston Museum that is still on exhibit today. If you find this shell, you’ll have a special
memento —the lettered olive is also the state’s official shell.
how to preserve sea shells
Shells found on the beach need to be thoroughly examined to ensure there is no creature living within. If the shell is empty, soak the shell for several days in a solution of half water and half bleach. Rinse well with fresh water and dry the shell in the sun. If algae is present, it can be removed by gently rubbing the shell in fresh water after bleaching. To add more luster to your shell, polish the shell with mineral oil. Sand dollars can be preserved by placing them in fresh water. The water may turn brownish in color— change the water until the water remains clear. Replace half the water with bleach and leave the sand dollar immersed for 15 minutes to bleach the sand dollar white. Do not use too much bleach or leave in the solution for too long, as the bleach will cause the sand dollar to crumble. Rinse the sand dollar well with fresh water to remove the bleach, and allow it to dry in the sun. If your collection includes sea horses or sea stars, you’ll need to carefully preserve them, as their odor can become quite foul. Soak the sea horse or sea star in 70-percent rubbing alcohol for one or two nights. Allow to dry on a paper towel in the sun. With sea stars, you’ll need to flatten the arms with a small weight while drying or they may curl.