Beach Combing - Shells

[West Coast Couple]

Where is a good place in Cozumel for finding shells?

 

Linda

[bruce-r]

If you want shells, you really need to go to the East side of the island. No one is supposed to removed anything from the beaches on the West side of the island from the Ferry Pier south to the Southern tip of the island. That area is a marine preserve. That is also the location of most of the popular beach clubs like Paradise Beach Club, so you aren't supposed to take shells from there.

 

To get to the East side of the island, you will need to either rent a vehicle or hire a taxi by the hour. You'd be well served to get the Cozumel map from http://www.cancunmap.com It is more than just an excellent map, it is a detailed guide to the island.

 

Some East side Photos:

 



 



 

[West Coast Couple]

Thanks for the info Bruce.

 

We live on the West Coast of Canada and never take anything live from the beaches. I've seen people taking live sand dollars :mad: , and I only take shells which have already been "vacated" by it's inhabitants.

 

Linda

[ronrythm]

He didn't say anything LIVE, he said anything, period. In the marine reserve, even unoccupied shells are not to be taken. Yes, you will see people doing it. You can decide for yourself if some shells are worth the chance of spending time in a Mexican jail.

Enjoy

Ron

[FishermanJim]

Seashells typically are washed up on beaches by waves. There are nearly no waves on the western shores of Cozumel and all the beaches are man-made or assisted in formation. The east side faces open sea and for that reason you are likely to find shells where the west beaches will have very, very few, by comparison. About the only time we have waves on the west side is during a storm.

 

The worst that would happen is someone cautions you about scavenging the west shores, and nobody will be put in jail. You would have to be a habitual violator for that to happen. The idea is to educate folks in the practice of ecology, not really imprisonment and especially "guests". If you find something on the shore and pick it up, nobody will say anything and I'm not sure things out of the water are that protected anyway. There is much more emphasis on what is in the water and living, i.e. coral.

[West Coast Couple]

He didn't say anything LIVE, he said anything, period. In the marine reserve, even unoccupied shells are not to be taken. Yes, you will see people doing it. You can decide for yourself if some shells are worth the chance of spending time in a Mexican jail.

Enjoy

Ron

 

 

Ron:

Now knowing it is a marine preserve, I would never take anything from there. It does make sense that the beaches and waters in these high tourist areas would need to be protected. You could sail up the coast of BC and not see a soul on the beaches and shorelines for days. No preserves really needed and this is what I'm used to. But, this is the reason I ask questions "before" I go places.

 

Thanks for the info - and thanks everyone else for your info too!

Linda

[bruce-r]

...... You could sail up the coast of BC and not see a soul on the beaches and shorelines for days.

You mean places like this:

 

But if you stayed above the water, you'd be missing a lot of neat looking stuff. Some of the coolest diving I've done has been in BC.

 

BC Underwater photo gallery

 

Really, I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy the "wild" East side and not just for the shells. Next to underwater (and some of the fantastic restaurants), it is my favorite part of Cozumel.

 

[West Coast Couple]

You mean places like this:

 

But if you stayed above the water, you'd be missing a lot of neat looking stuff. Some of the coolest diving I've done has been in BC.

 

BC Underwater photo gallery

 

Really, I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy the "wild" East side and not just for the shells. Next to underwater (and some of the fantastic restaurants), it is my favorite part of Cozumel.

 

 

 

Wonderful photos - I envy people who can scuba dive. At 12 feet, my ears are pounding, so snorkeling is my limit. My husband's best friend does a lot of scuba diving off our coast and he just loves it. Funny, I never really thought of our coast as being great for diving. I guess I just think of our coast as dark and cold, but it must also create some fantastic underwater life as your photos show. Thanks for sharing, but I have to say......Quadra Island in February ???-------Yikes - Cold.

 

Linda

[ronrythm]

Ron:

Now knowing it is a marine preserve, I would never take anything from there. It does make sense that the beaches and waters in these high tourist areas would need to be protected. You could sail up the coast of BC and not see a soul on the beaches and shorelines for days. No preserves really needed and this is what I'm used to. But, this is the reason I ask questions "before" I go places.

 

Thanks for the info - and thanks everyone else for your info too!

Linda

Great answer. Unfortunately, not everybody gets the part about a marine sanctuary. Enjoy your trip.

 

By the way, Fisherman Jim, if you read the laws regarding Cozumels West side, yes, the beaches are protected, too. At least in the translation I read on the government site. Whether it's enforced is another thing.

 

Ron

[FishermanJim]

You would think after 11 years working in that park I may have seen those rules a time or two. The beaches on the west shore are all man-made or man assisted in formation. Right now the city is heading into the third effort to dredge sand from the bottom of the sea in the north to replace beaches washed away in the hurricanes. The beaches, where there are beaches are mostly used by hotels and beach clubs.

I assure you, if you can find a sea shell on a beach on the west side and pick it up for a souvenir, nobody will say a word and certainly there won't be any sanctions. The idea of jail time for it is ludicrous.