She lost it. The young man has been combing beaches from Prince Edward Island, Canada, to Honolulu ever since for a replacement. To this day, he hasn't found that particular shell anywhere, but he has amassed an impressive collection that includes microscopic species. Leonard Raker receives no salary but shares his shells and fossils with the world and holds educational programs at the center. It is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 AM to noon.
Admission is free.
Because Gulf Stream currents come to us from Florida, you might be lucky enough to snap up a Florida Horse Conch, the largest known univalve that grows up to 24 inches. Another shelling jackpot that can be found along the Grand Strand is the Left-handed Lightening Whelk, considered a prize since it grows counterclockwise and can reach up to 18 inches in size. Bivalves from the cockle family that regularly visit our shores are the Lemon, Prickly and Giant Atlantic shells. The Notated Clam, with its zigzag scrawling, is a fairly common find. Keep an eye out for South Carolina's state shell, the Lettered Olive.