Over the weekend, the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens hosted a seashell exhibit that rivaled a day at the Smithsonian. The seashell collection, gathered from all over the world, was the passion of Mique Pinkerton and the late C.E. Pinkerton of Wilmington Island. Mrs. Pinkerton was on hand to tell stories of the scuba, snorkeling, and reef adventures. While her husband was busy diving, Mique added to the collection through snorkeling and beachcombing. Following Navy assignments and personal travel, the Pinkertons experienced the oceans of Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Belize, Texas, Hawaii , and California. In addition to collecting their own specimens, the Pinkertons continued to build the collection by good old fashioned horse trading as well as accepting shells as payment for services.
At 93, Mique kept my total attention as she recounted adventures such as nearly stepping on a moral eel and narrowly escaping its bite. She was an animated host who could reel off facts about any kind of seashell you could imagine. Mrs. Pinkerton has worked as a shell jewelry maker, published a shell-focused newsletter, was employed by the Smithsonian for a time, and has done paintings for a famous clientele. In short, she was just as delightful as her seashell collection.
I took dozens more photos of the specimen, jewelry, shell art. It was a fabulous way to spend some time. Mrs. Pinkerton is considering establishing a seashell club in the Savannah area. After all, you’re only as young as you feel!
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