Southern California Seashells

We spent two weeks in Dana Point, California, recently. I knew when we changed our plans from Hilton Head to Southern California that beachcombing for shells would not be very successful. I was disappointed in the number of shells, but even though scarce I did end up with some new-to-me specimens.

I know enough about shells now that I found it pretty easy to identify the shells I picked up, with a little help from the internet.

At the top is a piece of a wavy turban. This shell is rather large and fairly plentiful off of Catalina Island. Dana Point is about 26 miles from that island. People take day trips by boat to Catalina from Dana Point and from Long Beach. The brownish shell under the turban piece is a chestnut cowry. My first cowry to add to my collection of shells.

Far upper right is a murex I think. I could not definitely identify this shell, but it looks very similar to a shell I found in Florida.

Under and to the right of the cowry are California cone shells. This group (cones) has some of the largest and most beautiful patterned shells in the world, mostly found in the Indian Ocean and off of the Philippines. Obviously these are very small plain cousins of those. However, I believe they do have the barbed "harpoon" connected to a venom sac. The larger specimens can be lethal to divers and collectors. 

The tubes belonged to calcareous tube worms. These are also a first for me to gather.

Under the tubes are moon shells and a small white shell I did not take the time to identify. 

In the center next to the tubes is Ida's miter. It reminds me of a cigar. Another new one for me.

The bottom right corner has olives, more specifically purple olives.

The one darker shell is more like the live appearance. The white ones with a touch of purple have obviously been bleached by exposure to the elements. 

I read that Laguna Beach has nice shells, but all of the beaches in that city are designated marine preserves and the collecting of shells is not allowed. 

Near the northern edge of San Clemente we visited a beach that had no visible shells; nothing but hundreds of rocks washed up by the tide. If you were looking for smooth rocks of all sizes, this was the beach for you. 

I have since read that Redondo Beach and Silver Strand Beach (on Coronado) are pretty good places to beachcomb in Southern California. An excuse to return to California another winter.