Shell Key Snorkeling Tours

A little further south is Shell Key Preserve. This is a fantastic place to go shelling, as the name suggests. As you walk along the beautiful clean sand, you’ll collect sand dollars and other sea treasures to take home.

Shell Key Preserve is a 1,800-acre island preserve that protects sensitive marine habitats and includes one of the county’s largest undeveloped barrier islands, mangrove islands and seagrass beds. Some parts of the preserve are no-human areas, explicitly reserved for wildlife. But bring your binoculars and you can see hundreds of incredible birds.

Types of Shells You Might Find on Our Florida Snorkeling Tours

Sand Dollar Shells

These beautiful carved-after shells are beautiful and when exposed to the sun gain a white textured pattern. Their unique star-shaped marking makes them one of a kind. The animals who live in the shells, called tests, are found worldwide and give sand dollars a very different appearance while alive.

Sand Dollars are sold in shops and online, but there’s truly nothing like finding a good one yourself. Many people believe the star markings are a reference to Christ – a representation of the Star of Bethlehem. It’s said that if you break open the shell, you will find five small bones representing ‘Doves of Peace.’ These are actually the five jaws of the test’s mouth. Nevertheless, these shells often hold a lot of value to collectors. During our Snorkeling Tours in New Port Richey, we’ll hopefully find some that you can display at home.

Other Shells You Might Find on Our Florida Shelling Tours:

• Calcio Scallop – Bright colors make this a favorite find. Diverse and beautiful.
• Cerith Shells – Commonly found on sandy bottoms, are also referred to as ‘Horned Shells.’ They can grow to large sizes and make popular ornaments.
• Cockle Shells – A large intact cockle shell is a prize find, while smaller ones can be used for necklaces.
• Conch Shells – A bright orange beauty.
• Coquina Shells – Not much bigger than a dime, these shells come in different styles, colors, patterns and finishes.
• Florida Spiny Jewelbox – Found throughout Florida’s coasts, this thick and heavy shell has a striped pattern.
• Jingle Shells – Their name comes from the jingly sound they make when shaken. They come in different varieties, including wrinkled and polished.
• Junonia Shells – A gorgeous and rare find, covered in spots.
• Lighting Whelk Shells – These often large shells were once used as tools by natives.
• Limpets – With over 35 different Limpet species in North America, these are very common.
• Murex Shells – Also known as ‘Rock Snails’, these stunning shells have various shapes with long ‘tails’ and spikes. They’re hard to find in good conditions due to their fragility.
• Olive Shells – These small shells have a beautiful, glossy finish.
• Spotted Slipper Shells – AKA’ Boat Shells’, look like an old sailing ship when turned upside down.
• Tulip Banded Shell – The intriguing patterns always make these a pleasant find.
• Turkey Wing Shells – Very easy to identify as they look like outstretched wings. Often small.
• Wentletrap Shells – Extremely intricate shells. They’re stunning and prized by shell collectors!
• Worm Snail Shells – These tubular shells look like noodles stuck to a rock. Their unique look makes them a shelling favorite and are very common on reefs.

Fish You Might See While on Our Florida Snorkeling Tours

Alongside stunning coral formations, crustaceans sea turtles and mollusks you might be lucky enough to see:

• Angel Fish
• Damselfish
• Dolphins
• Grouper
• Mahi-Mahi
• Manatee
• Minnows
• Parrot Fish
• Stingrays
• Tarpon
• Tuna
• Yellowtail Snapper
• And More!

Scalloping Tours in Pasco County and Homosassa

We also provide Scalloping Tours in Pasco County and Homosassa, which is a huge amount of fun! Our captains will help you find these delicious treasures in Pasco County and Homosassa. Scalloping is easy for all the family and will take you within touching distance of marine life, so long as you can swim.

What are Scalloping Tours?

Scalloping is a form of fishing and super simple. You simply float upon the surface of shallow grass flat waters, enjoying nature’s beauty until you suddenly spot the blue eyes of a scallop! Take a breath and dive down to collect a scallop and place it on your bag. We can collect two gallons of scallop per person or ten gallons per boat. They’re easy to cook and delicious!

Anclote Key Snorkeling Tours

Just three miles from the mainland, Anclote Key includes four islands (Anclote Key, North Anclote Bar, South Anclote Bar and Three Rooker Island) of pure white sand and beautiful blue Gulf waters. As a protected nature reserve, this is your chance to experience an undeveloped island in Florida, with an 1887 lighthouse the only real evidence of construction. The 11,773-acre park is home to nesting sea turtles and over 43 species of birds, including the bald eagle, American oystercatcher and piping plover.

Our Snorkeling tours to Anclote Key expose you to Tarpon Springs history as you look out on the Gulf of Mexico, dolphins, magnificent birds and stunning fish. Once we reach the island, you can walk the perfect white sand beaches as we look for shells and sand dollars. Unless you own your own boat, this is the only way to visit Anclote Key and Shell Key.