Sanibel Sea School hosts summer camp
The Sanibel Sea School held its “Spiral & Strike: Lightning Whelk Week” the last week of June, with campers diving into the world of an iconic shell and uncovering the science behind shell formation.
It reported that campers learned snails can be left-handed or right-handed. While most gastropods have right-handed (dextral) shells, the lightning whelk is one of the rare left-handed (sinistral) species.
“We also explored how mollusks build their shells using calcium carbonate secreted from an organ called the mantle, and how the foods they eat can create their beautiful colors and patterns,” camp coordinator Annie Clinton said.
They created spiral tie-dye shirts, examined shells under microscopes to compare bivalves and gastropods, and played predator-prey games to understand lightning whelk’s place in the food web.
Campers even became snails by creating winding trails in the sand, burying shells along the way, mapping their routes, and challenging another team to follow the clues and uncover their treasures.
There was creative sand art and a camp-wide Minute-to-Win-It competition where campers completed challenges using their non-dominant hand. A shell scavenger hunt rounded out the week’s activities, giving campers a chance to practice identifying many of the species that make Sanibel one of the best shelling destinations in the world.
They also spent time surfing, seining, exploring the beach and simply enjoying being in the water.
“One of my favorite things about our camps is how naturally science and play come together,” she said. “Whether campers are identifying shells on the beach, spotting a live snail while snorkeling or cheering each other on during challenges, they are constantly asking questions and making discoveries.”