5 Free, Beautiful, and Most Wanted Surf City Shells
Do you remember the joy of collecting shells on the beach as a kid? How you would run and skip along the shore, only to discover quite by accident that there was a lovely shell only poking a tip up through the sand? And then you would gather it with glee, running back to your family’s vacation rental to show your mother or your grandmother the special find. Then, if it was a very special shell, you would carry it back on your lap the whole car ride home after your vacation in order to proudly display it in your room. And every time you looked at it when you were home you were instantly taken back to the sea and your idyllic beach vacation.
Would you like to be taken back to a simpler time such as this? Well, you can be! If you come and vacation in Surf City with us, you and your children (or grandchildren) will be able to leisurely walk or energetically skip along the ocean’s edge, searching for your own shell mementos. Let us show you the top 5 fabulous and free shells that you will most definitely want to search for and bring home!
The Conch
The conch shell is that most beautiful and recognized of shells. You see it in gift shops and magazine photos. And you can also find it on the beautiful beach around Surf City! Now, you will have to look carefully for it. But isn’t that so of any worth while treasure? When you find one, you will be able to hear the sound of the ocean no matter where you are whenever you hold the shell up to your ear.
The Sand Dollar
Everyone knows what the sand dollar looks like! It has been featured in magazines that contain stunning beachside homes, and it too is often found in gift shops. While the brightly colored sand dollars in the stores can be attractive with their painted beach scenes, they cannot come close to the beauty of an unadulterated sand dollar straight from cold wet sand of the beach. But be careful! These gems crumble if packed in a suitcase that will be thrown around.
The Scallop
This is another well known and much wanted shell that you can find near Surf City on Topsail Island. It looks like a beautiful Victorian fan. Made out of shell. These are gorgeous when mounted in shadow boxes, for their fan-like base makes them appear as if they could stand on their own (though they can’t, of course).
The Coral
While not technically a shell, coral is a favorite amongst beachside shellers. You can find coral that flows out into wavy branches, or little round baubles of coral that look almost like little sponges carved into stone. Since the ocean tumbles the coral just as much as the shells along the bottom of the sea bed before finally tossing it up on the beaches of Topsail Island, you will often only find small pieces of coral on the beach. However, if you look hard enough (and take advantage of low tide when there are a multitude of fresh new shells to comb through) you just might find a stunning coral big enough for a centerpiece!
The Shark Tooth
Maybe this should have been put first on our list! Now, of course, shark teeth are not shells! But just like the coral we couldn’t help including them on our list. After all, they are lusted after almost more than any other shell on the beach! Now, since shark teeth are relatively small and get tumbled about terribly with the currants and the tides, you will find all kinds of shark teeth on the beach but they will often be in little tiny bits. Almost indistinguishable from broken shell fragments. But, if you walk the beach during low tide, and you look very carefully, you just might find a fresh and whole shark tooth - they most definitely are out there!
We can’t wait to have you as one of the laughing families walking the beach, making your own memories while you seek out shells along the beaches around Surf City. The beautiful shelling weather and the soft summer sun caressing the sand won’t last forever! You really must book your vacation in Surf City with us now before it is too late!
