Hello World!
I recently traveled to the island of Kauaʻi, partially for fun and partially in search of the prized Sunrise Shell. These shells can be found island-wide and are interesting in that they each have a unique pattern in vivid oranges, pretty pinks, gorgeous greens, and pleasant purples. The designs are quite pleasing to the eye and jewelry made with these spectacular natural wonders can fetch hundreds of dollars!
Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
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I vacationed during my spring break, but many students had spring break the week prior to my trip. Unfortunately, this did not help my search for the shells! Here is the main reason I think my search went poorly.
I didn't go early enough
Sunrise shell searching is serious. There are a lot of locals in Kauaʻi (and many hippies) who scour the beaches early in the morning, sometimes with flashlights. The sunrise shells are actually pretty common (says a local I talked to). The one thing you must be wary of is TIMING! Funny enough, their name implies the timing. Sunrise (or before sunrise) is probably the best bet if you want to find shells. Many people will rush to the beaches just as the tides ebb far enough out. This being said, I did go at sunrise, but I still did not find much other than the occasional small shell (though pretty, they were not sunrise shells).
Sunrise Shells
Sunrise Shells are named for their resemblance to the iconic sunrise of the islands.
Source: Living Art Marine Center
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FYI: I've also previously published this on HubPages :)
