Collection of Shells

I began collecting shells almost immediately. I’m from Kansas and shells from the ocean are just cool. At first I would grab anything whole that I could find, the larger the better. I wanted to display collections of different shells in jars around the house. As the days grew cooler with the approach of winter 2014, I settled on a small collection of jars with shells that I displayed in the bathroom. This had more to do with my cats and their inability to leave things alone. I had amassed quite the collection of ugly, battered shells. I liked them for their thickness, their roughness. I liked them because they were imperfect. I filled my largest jar with them. I filled my smallest jar with small, perfectly smooth, white clam shells.

During that first winter I became more selective in my search for shells. I learned that some beaches were better than others for specific types of shells. I also learned it was easier to find the better shells, whole shells, as the tide went out. I experimented with different methods for finding shells. Walking along the beach, right where the waves swept over the sand, I scanned until something caught my eye. I had more luck, though, scooping up handfuls for shells and sand as the water was pulled from beneath my feet. I sifted through the broken shells and sand for any treasures. In La Jolla, I have found plenty of snails and clams, and on occasion, a prized abalone.

The first time I found an abalone shell was on January 2, 2015. I only remember the date because it was a floating holiday and I was off work. Even though it was cool and cloudy, I went to the beach to walk around and breathe the salt air. The tide was lower than I had seen, leaving the rocky base exposed. As I walked along the rocks, searching the tide pools, I saw something thin between two rocks. I bent down for a better view and saw the inside was an iridescent purplish color. I reached down and pulled out my first abalone shell. It wasn’t as large as the ones I’ve seen in the tourist shops, but this was one I found, and I was excited. I’ve found two others since that were much smaller, but just as cool.

My collection continues to grow, even though I am more selective. I tell myself I’m saving the shells for others to find and treasure. Each time I go to the beach, I spend time searching the sand, or the tide pools. I look for anything unusual, anything that stands out. I never know what I’ll find and I like that. I like the thrill of the hunt. When I search for shells, I never have the expectation of finding the ultimate treasure. I search, wondering what gifts the ocean with offer on that day.