Shell Museum

This year, I was more excited about shells than I've been in a while. We put together a puzzle with shells and their names (twice!) and biked down to the east end of the island where the shells are smaller. My brother found two wentletraps (my favorite). Lee was specifically looking for augers, and I was looking for shells with holes in them suitable for adornment.

We also went to the Shell Museum on our last day. These shells were carved for a cameo effect:


In another display, we saw hundreds of tiny shells collected and arranged into patterns in a style known as a "sailors' valentine." Apparently, sailors did not make these valentines; they bought them from women in coastal towns. (The name reflects their motif and popularity as gifts that sailors would purchase and bring back for their sweethearts.) This is a sailor's valentine created by a living local resident of the island:


I don't think I've ever seen those green shells before.