COMBING 



the 



COAST 



By Sarah Friday 



Photo by Scott Taylor 



Meet the Smiths of Durham. Leonard and 

 Carolyn, their son Chris and daughter Tori. 



They have a fever, and the condition is 

 serious. 



The Smiths belong to that legion of afflicted 

 seekers who can find in a tiny piece of calcium 

 carbonate the joy of great discovery. 



They are collectors of seashells — big shells 

 and little shells. Shells perfect and shells im- 

 paired. Shells rare and shells common. If 

 there's a mollusk with a nature-made back- 

 pack, they want it for their collection. 



And in North Carolina, they likely will find 

 it. The coast of North Carolina is home to more 

 than 1,000 different species of mollusks. That's 

 one-hundredth of the catalogued number, but 

 still more than most other states offer. And 

 because North Carolina is centrally located on 

 the East Coast, it offers warm-water and cold- 

 water species. 



Almost any time of the year, a variety of 



seashells lie on the beach like free candy for 

 children. All you need to become a collector is 

 a touch of the hermit and a stretch of sandy 

 shore. 



But watch out, Carolyn Smith warns, beach- 

 combing can be habit-forming. If the habit 

 becomes a fever, professional help is available 

 through the N.C. Shell Club. 



The club's 250 members can tell you where 

 to find some of the state's most common shells. 

 Coquinas, scallops, oysters, moon snails, tulips, 

 olives and whelks are common in the state. 



Club member Walt Wenzel says one of his 

 favorite spots is Bogue Banks. Other collectors 

 recommend shelling anywhere on the barrier 

 islands. 



If you're looking for the state shell, the 

 Scotch bonnet, Portsmouth Island or Ham- 

 mocks Beach may be worth the trip. 



The ideal time to hunt is in the winter or early 

 spring after a severe storm. Then, you can find 

 shells loosened from the deep and thrown 

 onshore. 



Always look at low tide when more beach is 

 exposed and you can go out farther. 



And go when the moon is new or full, collec- 

 tors advise. A greater pull from the moon then 

 increases the rise and fall of the waves. Bigger 

 waves mean more shells onshore. 



Beachcombing is fun and easy, but it doesn't 

 always yield the best specimens. 



The chances of finding a whole shell on the 

 beach are pretty slim in North Carolina, Wen- 

 zel says. The craggy ocean floor and fierce 

 waves can easily crush a once-perfect creation. 

 And often the sun, wind or chemicals in the air 

 rob shells of their natural luster. 



For showcase specimens, roll up your pants, 

 put on your flippers or drag out a net. 



Wenzel dredges to find clams, oysters and 

 snails near his home in Pine Knoll Shores. He 



