Please tell me about the Conch Graveyard

I know where it is located (to the right once you get off the pier not the left). I read that there are tons of them for the picking and free, obviously. But I was wondering a few things:

1- Do they allow you to get back on the ship with these? We would be on Carnival Pride.

2- Does customs allow you to bring them back in or do folks "sneak" them in their luggage?

3- How does one clean one so they don't smell?

4- Where do they all come from?

Thanks.

Some answers

1- Do they allow you to get back on the ship with these? We would be on Carnival Pride. Techincally, no. But people just put them in there beach bags and no one questions them. Don't get greedy, one or two is fine.

2- Does customs allow you to bring them back in or do folks "sneak" them in their luggage? Technically here, no. But unless you've declared them or have other reasons for customs to open your luggage, you'll be fine, so long as they don't contain live or dead conchs.

3- How does one clean one so they don't smell? Most are reasonably clean, beached by the sun and possibly rinsed by the restaurants discarding them. But swashing them around a bit in the sea water to wash off sand and debris can help. Water should pour out clear. Conchs long removed.

4- Where do they all come from? See above, restaurants and bars serving conchs. Not a graveyard in the sense of where conchs go to die, but rather a dumping spot for empty shells.

Thanks

We went there a couple of weeks ago. The shells seemed to have been there a l-o-n-g time. Very slim pickins. We had no intention of bringing one back anyway. We were walkon/walkoff for the first time and packed right to the limit with one suitcase each.

If you get off of the ship and walk down the beach to the left you will find a couple of guys on the sand with very pretty conch shells for sale. All pink and shiny, ready to go. I have no idea what they were asking for them.

MrJulius

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I was there a few years ago and picked up 2 of the shells. When I went thru security to get back on the ship they saw them and asked that I return them. Don't remember the cruise line

It can be hit or miss whether there are any nice ones to choose from. Went about 3 years ago and I found a very nice conch shell. I kept it in my beach bag and no one said a word.

Went last year and couldn't find one decent shell to bring back.

Good luck! :)

We found one that was kinda nice. There was no security at port, just flashed our card to go thru so no checking what we had. I did buy one of the gorgeous pink shiny ones from a guy on the beach. Paid $15.

I brought 2 back 4 years ago. Nobody said a word, I wasn't hiding them, just threw it into my beach bag. When I got home I soaked it in a bleach solution and scrubbed it with a wire brush. They are not polished like the ones they sell, but you can also rub a little baby oil on them to make them shine. I love them, they are a great memory of our trip and look great on my bookshelves.

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We picked up four in May. We found two really nice big ones and the kids each picked up smaller broken ones. We had them in the beach bag and it went thru the security scanner. No one said anything. The customs form didn't ask about shells, only about fruits, plants, and animals so I'm not sure if it is illegal to bring them back. The first rocky area has lots of broken ones. We went about half mile past that and found some better ones that weren't so broken. It was fun, kind of like a treasure hunt.

Last week there were thousands of broken ones, nothing even worth bringing home.

I can't wait to check it out. Thanks for all the info.

Just thought of a question...

If you buy a shell, the ship won't take it from you?

Just thought of a question...

 

If you buy a shell, the ship won't take it from you?

No, they shouldn't. Keep your receipt just in case.

We bought one and found one. No issue getting back on the ship. We certainly didn't get a receipt for the one we bought. It was a guy on the beach selling them. Beautiful, polished shell. Very different than what you'd find on the beach.