Long before tourists flooded the South Carolina coastline from North Myrtle Beach down to Hilton Head Island, indigenous peoples — the first inhabitants of the South Carolina Lowcountry — began collecting seashells. Today’s gift store merchants and coastally influenced artisans have all taken a page out of the book of the state’s earliest craftspeople. Artifacts from thousands of years back reveal an array of jewelry, tools, and other items crafted out of oysters, clams, and other mollusks for a variety of purposes, from religion to trade. Many millennia later, this hobby is still widely practiced by seashell enthusiasts of all ages, interests, and experience levels.
While shells are often admired for their aesthetic appeal, these glorified exoskeletons serve a bigger purpose in the grand scheme of the coastal ecosystem. Ann Wilson of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism explains that shells are one way that the beach tells its tales. “Shells are dead animals that have these whole stories,” she says, adding, “There are so many stories that are out in the ocean or that you’re walking on top of.”
A moon snail, for example, is a respectable find in and of itself for a sharp-eyed collector. However, a closer look at its smooth, tightly wound, milk-colored shell may reveal more to the snail’s story. Because these cannibalistic snails kill by boring holes in their brethren, they leave crime scenes scattered along the beach in plain sight.
The real crime, though, is neglecting to appreciate the intimate interdependence of shells and the beaches they inhabit. Ann explains that, as living organisms, shells are a major contributor to the food chain. The filtration process carried out by oysters, for example, helps keep harmful elements out of many of the fish that end up as fare for the two-legged, land-loving type. After the animals inside of them have died, oyster shells often become substrate for other animals. Finally, as their shell structure breaks down over time, it becomes part of the beach.
Needless to say, shells are somewhat of a lifeline to the coastline, which is why it is important to remember that the catch-and-release method can apply to shelling, as well as fishing. It provides all the thrill of the find and none of the burden of hauling home buckets of sandy shells. This method should be applied to live shells without exception, but Ann encourages shell seekers to consider leaving dead shells behind, too. “You don’t have to take home a lot. We want to leave shells for other people and for the beach,” she says.
Avid collectors have likely honed in on the key ingredients for a successful day of shelling. However, for those who may be looking to level up on this timeless treasure hunt, Ann has a few tips. First, know your tide. “The more beach that’s exposed with lower tides, the more live shells,” she says. Additionally, beaches in close proximity to inlets — like Huntington Beach State Park — are preferable. Beaches that have undergone re-nourishment projects, which bring offshore sand inland, can offer spectacular shelling as well. “If you can get to those beaches right after they open, you can find a treasure trove of live and dead shells that were not there before,” she says.
Paired with the right set of eyes, these tips may prove successful in spotting a few of the state’s most beloved seashells — and corresponding creatures.
In a fast-paced world, the simple delight that stems from strolling barefoot down a beach, treading lightly over particularly shelly sections of sand, is undoubtedly unmatched. Regardless of what the sun and sand offer up on any given day, Ann describes shelling as an opportunity to appreciate what’s around us. She says, “If you look down where you are, sometimes you’ll find some spectacular things.”
