Dr. Ashley Oliphant, a nationally recognized sheller and shark tooth hunter, will present an interactive workshop on “building a better beachcombing strategy” at the March 16th Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club meeting. Very few authors offer substantive guidance on how to find exceptional seashells, and during this presentation, participants will learn how very experienced beachcombers secretly work their brains when deciding when and where their next hunt will be. The audience will learn how to notice nuances in tide charts, identify favorable wind patterns, read the moon, gauge wave heights, and most importantly, where to look.
Dr. Oliphant will also reveal her favorite hunting locations and offer specific guidance about accessing them easily and safely. With an engaging storytelling style and a double dose of humor, Dr. Oliphant will inspire participants to view their hunting with a new perspective and a much more calculated approach. She travels the United States offering interactive shark tooth and seashell workshops for children and adults and presentations about her books. She is the author of seven books including Shark Tooth Hunting on the Carolina Coast. Her latest book, The Ultimate Shell Seeker’s Guide: Building a Better Beachcombing Strategy is forthcoming from the University of Georgia Press in the spring of 2026.
The Sunday, March 16th meeting takes place a week after the Sanibel Shell Show at the Sanibel Recreation Center, 3880 Sanibel Captiva Road, Sanibel. A silent auction begins at 1:30 PM in the Osprey Room, and the meeting begins at 2 PM in the Pelican Room. Club members will receive a Zoom link for the meeting by email and can join the meeting via Zoom if unable to attend the meeting in person. The Zoom portion of the meeting begins at 2 PM.
Proceeds from the Sanibel Shell Show support the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club’s Grants Program. Donations enable the club to give grants towards education and research in the fields of conchology and malacology, as well as for conservation and water quality projects, primarily in Southwest Florida. For more information, go to SanibelShellClub.com.
