Beachcombing Bliss

This is almost the final product after the Florida horse conch had its spa experience in a solution of Dawn detergent and bleach. Then a stiff brush was used to scrape off the periosteum and then my dental tools were used to get in the crevices that are hard to reach. Then a coating of mineral oil or baby oil to bring out the shine and that's it. There are still a few places I need to work on, but I've decided I need to enjoy it for a few days before I start working on it again. I'll share with you what I did with the lighnting whelks in the next post. They were much easier to clean! Sometimes less is more! Until next time . . . Connie

We finally hit the motherload after Tropical Storm Bertha and all the storms that followed. Our new shelling spot is Pass-Grille in St. Pete, which is about 30 minutes from our home. Mark, my husband, has snorkeling gear, so he got in and around the rocks that line the pier and lo and behold he found a huge Florida horse conch and several large lightning whelks. The horse conch is a beauty, but the black periosteum layer has to be removed by using a solution of one part bleach and two-parts water. Some use half bleach and half water, but I find that too harsh and once it's down to a light brown, the rest can be taken off with a stiff brush and some elbow grease. I usually soak the shell for 24 hours and 12 more hours if need be. Then I work with my dental tools to take off any barnacles and other unwanted spots. It's a tedious process, but I take it slowly because the finished product is worth it. Then I finish with a mineral oil rub. I like to think that the horse conch had a ...