Sea Shell Collecting in Virginia:The Barrier Islands to Hampton Roads - By: J.C. Banks

Beaches along the Virginia Coast that offer shell collecting include Assateague Island, Wallops Island, Cedar Island, Hog Island, Fisherman's Island, Cape Henry, Virginia Beach and Sandbridge.

Beaches along the Virginia Coast yield a wide range of shells, artifacts and unique treasures including knobby whelks, channeled whelks, moon snails, periwinkles, scallops, ocean quahogs, hard clams, mussels, drills, angels wings, jingles, limpets, cockles and others.

In addition to mollusks and shellfish, there are other items such as sand dollars, starfish, ray and shark egg cases, horseshoe crab egg cases, crab shells, sharks teeth and occasionally even gold or silver coins!

Time and location are important for the collector. While the warm days of summer find most beach lovers out, the best sea shell collecting often occurs in the cooler months. One good way to find shells along beaches is to look for low stretches where the water can surge farther up on the sand. In these areas, small patches of beach can be covered with fragments and may also contain whole shells in excellent condition. Low tides may also yield shells as they are more accessible.

New crops of shells often wash ashore following a strong storm from an easterly direction. Once the storm subsides and the waters subside, sea shell enthusiasts visit the beach in hopes of finding freshly deposited shells to choose from. Experienced shell collectors may know a friend that can take them farther along the beach by four wheel drive vehicle, boat other means. Areas that are less accessible by foot can yield a much greater selection of sea shells.

Not to be overlooked are nearby beaches and shorelines of the Chesapeake Bay. Here, visitors will find hard clams, razor clams, oyster, mussel and other shells. In addition to collecting shells, beach lovers will enjoy seeing living sea creatures including fish, shorebirds, blue crabs, fiddler crabs, hermit crabs, shrimp, starfish, snails, live clams, oysters, mussels and others.

Once collected, sea shells and other items are often displayed in collections, used in crafts, or utilized in other forms of nautical art.

Beaches of the Virginia Coast yield sea shells such as knobby whelks, channeled whelks, moon snails, periwinkles, scallops, ocean quahogs, hard clams, mussels, drills, angels wings, jingles, limpets, cockles and others.

The author maintains travel destination websites including Virginia Beach Virginia and Hampton Roads - Tidewater Virginia.