Florida Horse Conch

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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 day at the spa. This one is a prize and will have a prominent place in our home. I love horse conchs of all sizes, especially the miniatures which are a bright orange.

We've had an unusual amount of rain this summer with lots of lightning strikes which took down one of the largest trees in our courtyard, but the tropical storms always stir up the water in the gulf and make for the best shelling experiences. When you live in Florida, you have to take the good with the bad. This year has been some of the best shelling we've experienced in six years.

After 24 hours, you can already see the periosteum loosening and the lemon yellow of the shell coming through.
I'll show you the finished product in a few days!

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