Shelling beach St George Island State Park
From Henderson Beach State Park in Destin we traveled east 140-miles to Ho Hum Campground in Carrabelle. We were headed to Carrabelle to visit with Det & Judy Able. Det is what I call a "virtual-friend", one that I met on RV-Talk an online discussion group. RV-Talk became over-moderated and the participants moved to AllAboutRVing, a Yahoo group, so some of you reading this travelogue will be familiar with Det. When Det & Judy visited Florida a number of years ago we got together with them and since then we have gotten together with Det & Judy several times a year. This visit with Det & Judy is a bit special since Det's brother Dave, is visiting from Minnesota. We made the trip to not only visit with Det & Judy but Dave & Eilene. Now you know why we are in Carrabelle. We arrived on Tuesday, but on Wednesday headed to to St George Island for some shelling or rather "beach combing". Det & Judy stayed at the campground to wait for the arrival of Dave & Eilene. When Joyce & I arrived on St George Island we immediately headed to St George Island State Park where we plan to do our beach combing. We are heading to St George Island State Park because that is where we can find shells and other floatsum that makes its way onto the beach..
Beautiful driftwood on the beach at St George Island State Park
This piece of driftwood has been visible in St George Island State Park for a few years. It is the remains of a huge tree that may have grown deep in the Amazon Rain Forest where it floated down the Amazon River to the Atlantic and eventually washed ashore here during a terrible storm. As you can see this huge old log is far from the surf so it took a major storm like a hurricane to wash this unique piece of driftwood to its present resting place.
But now, back to the shelling, I mean, beach combing. There may be a few broken shells on public beaches on other parts of the island but the "good" beach combing, on St George Island, is located deep in St George Island State Park. The best shelling is reached by driving to the parking lot at the far end of St George Island State Park ----- don't worry about finding this parking lot since there is just one road in the State Park. Once parked in the parking lot start walking down the beach in the same direction you have been driving. Resist looking for shells for about 30-minutes. Everyone can walk for 30-minutes so good shells within about 30-minutes walk of that parking lot are pretty scarce ---- they have been picked over to say the least. After walking for 30-minutes you can start looking for shells but keep in mind that the further you get from that parking lot the better the shelling will be. So, keep moving away from the parking lot. The further you go the better the shelling becomes since fewer and fewer people are picking over them. If by chance you are visiting the area when a storm comes through make sure to get out to the beach for some shelling early the morning after the storm. Storms always wash new shells and other sea life on the beach and "the early bird gets the shell".
Best shelling beach in St George Island State Park
As we walked away from the parking lot at the end of the road in St George Island State Park out to where the best shelling is this is the view we are treated to. Keep in mind we are headed away from the "populated area".
Tern on beach at St George Island State Park
On our walk along the beach in St George Island State Park to the best shelling area we passed this tern.
Feathered friends beachcombing at St George Island State Park
In addition to the tern above this is two more of our feathered friends that made the walk enjoyable along the beach in St Geroge Island State Park.
Crab shells on beach at St George Island State Park
Crab shells such as this colorful crab are some of the normal objects found when combing the beach looking for shells in St George Island State Park.
Sand dunes along beach St George Island State Park
This is a remnant of a once grand line of sand dunes in St George Island State Park that were leveled by huge waves and an extremely high tide caused by Hurricane Dennis. Hurricane Dennis came ashore in Pensacola (almost 200-miles west of here in 2005). It will take a decade or more for the dunes to regenerate.
Nice fig shell on beach at St George Island State Park
It is always exciting to find a shell like this on the beaches of St George Island State Park.
Beach littered with shells in St George Island State Park
Looking at the whole beach scene here in St George Island State park is sometimes more exciting than the individual jewels. It is moments like this, in places like this, with people you love, that make life so special.
Large star fish on beach in St George Island State Park
This large starfish was just one of many that had washed ashore here in St George Island State Park. This one was in perfect condition and we could have taken it back and dried it out. But, we were wiser than that. Wiser, in that we know that freshly dead starfish will start stinking very bad within a few hours. We don't want to put this starfish in a storage compartment of the motorhome for our ride home. However, this starfish would make a good specimen if we could just dry it out before it had to be transported.
Sandpiper on beach in St George Island State Park
Occasionally, one of these small shore birds will slow down for a picture. It doesn't happen often. But this is a common sight when walking the beach at St George Island State Park.
Skate egg case on beach at St George Island State Park
This is a skate egg case. We actually found a number of these egg cases on this beachcombing adventure at St George Island State Park. In case you do not know what a skate is think about a creature that looks like a stingray. Remember it was a stingray that stuck Crocodile Hunter? Well skates are smaller than those stingrays but they look similar.
Shelling spot on beach in St George Island State Park
Shelling & beachcombing on the beaches of St George Island State Park are tops in our book.
The pattern on this crab shell is so vivid that I couldn't help but try to capture it juxtaposed against the other shells and surf.
Perfect pin shell on beach at St George Island State Park
This pin shell had just recently washed ashore. They are noted for having a pearl like luster on the narrow end with a mixture of colors ranging from silver to blues and purples. These fragile shells are pretty common on the beach at St George Island State Park.
Willet flying along the beach at St George Island State Park
Willets like this one were around us all day in St George Island State Park. Willets are one of those birds that show more color when flying than when on the ground.
Leapord crab shell on beach at St George Island State Park
I am captivated by the color and patterns in this crab shell.
Shelling spot on beach in St George Island State Park
At this end of the beach here in St George Island State Park there is no one in sight, shells are everywhere, the sky is blue, what else can we ask for?
Leapord crab on beach at St George Island State Park
We found this small crab with those beautiful color markings --- and it was still intact, as in recently dead. It even had legs. This is the first one of these colorful crabs we have ever seen whole.
Sandpipers hiding in depression on beach at St George Island State Park
These sandpipers were huddled in a small depression on the beach here in St George Island State Park.
Whole pin shells can be found walking the beach at St George Island State Park
This is another pin shell. As you can see this was a beautiful day to be on the beach. When pin shells are alive they generally live in grass with the narrow end embedded in the sand with the larger end sticking up. Notice how the larger end has a coating of barnacles. Barnacles attach to almost all stationary hard surfaces and pin shells are no exception.
Gull resting on beach at St George Island State Park
Like the sandpipers this gull has found a depression to rest in, on the beach at St Geroge Island State Park.
Cute leopard crab on beach in St George Island State Park
You have seen this colorful little crab before. It is so cute. We are going to take it back to show our grandchildren.
Shelling beach at St George Island State Park
And one last look at the beach. This has been a wonderful day at St George Island State Park.
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Until next time remember how good life is. March 4th & 5th, 2008. Mike & Joyce Hendrix
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