Where to Find Your Favorite Shells: Ten Thousand Islands vs. Keewaydin

Ali, Guide
May 24
1 min read

Updated: 2 hours ago

One of the most common questions we get on tours is: "Which beach is better for finding [insert dream shell here]?" While the tides, storms, and luck always play a role, there are definitely patterns when it comes to where certain shell species are more commonly found.

Whether you're on a mission for a massive Horse Conch, a dainty Alphabet Cone, or perfectly intact Sand Dollars, this quick guide will help you plan your next shelling adventure.

Below is a helpful chart showing which shells tend to be more common in the Ten Thousand Islands (like Kice Island and Dickman’s) versus Keewaydin Island.

Shelling Hotspots Comparison Chart

Shell Species	Photo	Ten Thousand Islands	Keewaydin Island
Florida Fighting Conch		Year Round	Year Round
Large Horse Conch		Winter Low Tides or After Big Wind Storm	Summer Low Tides
Large Lightning Whelk		Low Tides or After big Wind Storm	Low Tides
Alphabet Cone		Immediately after big wind storm	Negative low tides
Lace Murex
Apple Murex
Rose Murex
Florida Cone
Lettered Olive
Banded Tulip
True Tulip		After big wind storm	Low tides
Oysters
Arc Clams
Spiny Jewel Box
Sand Dollars		Sand bars at low tides
Shark Eye
Gaudy Natica
Paper Fig
Angel Wing
Pear Whelk
Nutmeg
Top Shells