Scalloping from Weeki Wachee Gardens – July 7, 2018

On July 7, 2018, we set out from Weeki Wachee Gardens with four boats and about six people on each boat—roughly two dozen friends altogether. Scalloping is part snorkeling trip, part underwater treasure hunt and part old-fashioned Florida summer tradition. From the neighborhood canals, our little flotilla followed the lower river toward the coastal marsh, Bayport and the open shallows of the Gulf.

From the canals to the Gulf

The lower Weeki Wachee is very different from the narrow, crystal-clear spring run farther upstream. Around Weeki Wachee Gardens, the river spreads into residential canals and tidal waterways. Farther west, the scenery opens into salt marsh and coastal hammocks as the river approaches historic Bayport and the Gulf of Mexico. The water also becomes increasingly influenced by the tide, wind and weather.

Boats gathering on the Gulf during the scalloping trip — With four boats carrying about six people apiece, the group could spread out over the grass beds while still keeping the boats close together.

With nearly two dozen people involved, the day was as much a social outing as it was a scalloping trip. Each boat had its own crew, gear and supplies, but we traveled together and gathered again once we reached the open water.

Friends aboard one of the scalloping boats — Friends aboard one of the four boats as we settled in for a full summer day on the water.

The boats gave everyone a place to rest between swims, cool off in the shade and compare notes about where scallops were being found. They also allowed us to cover more water without losing the feeling of being one group.

Three members of one scalloping boat crew — Part of one boat crew, ready for another swim over the grass beds.

Once outside the protected river, the goal is to find healthy seagrass in clear, shallow water—often roughly four to eight feet deep. Bay scallops live among those grasses. A productive area can look ordinary from the boat, but through a snorkel mask the bottom becomes an underwater meadow, full of fish, crabs and flashes of blue scallop eyes.

One of the four boats on calm Gulf water — One of our four boats on the calm, open water beyond Bayport.

How scalloping works

1. Find the grassSearch clear, shallow Gulf water with broad seagrass beds. Calm conditions and good sunlight make scallops much easier to spot.

2. Mark the diversAnchor safely, display the required divers-down flag and keep everyone within the legal distance of it. Watch constantly for boat traffic.

3. Snorkel and lookFloat slowly above the grass and look for the scallop's fan-shaped shell. Its bright blue eyes around the shell edge are often what give it away.

4. Pick it upDive down and collect the scallop by hand, or use a legal dip or landing net. Scallops can clap their shells and scoot a short distance.

5. Keep it coolPlace the catch in a mesh bag while swimming, then transfer it to a cooler with plenty of ice aboard the boat.

6. Clean the catchOpen the shell and keep the firm white adductor muscle. Dispose of shells responsibly, away from busy inshore swimming areas and seagrass.

Three friends smiling aboard a scalloping boat — Scalloping is hard to beat as a group adventure: boating, swimming and an underwater treasure hunt all rolled into one.

The hunt is usually cooperative. One person may stay aboard as a lookout while others snorkel. When somebody finds a cluster, the excited gestures begin and the group slowly works the grass bed. Scallops are surprisingly beautiful up close, with mottled shells and rows of vivid blue eyes that sense light and movement.

Scallopers snorkeling beside the boats — Once the boats were anchored and the divers-down flags were displayed, everyone slipped into the water to begin searching the grass.

A bay scallop can swim. When threatened, it rapidly opens and closes its shell, forcing out water and propelling itself in short, jerky bursts. It is not especially fast, but seeing one scoot away makes the underwater hunt a lot more entertaining.

A day shaped by water and weather

Scalloping depends on more than simply reaching the Gulf. Wind can stir up the bottom and reduce visibility, an outgoing tide can pull strongly through the channels, and afternoon thunderstorms can build quickly in summer. A bright, calm morning with clear water makes the search easier and the boat ride more comfortable. The ride back through the marsh and river is part of the experience too—especially with a cooler holding the makings of a fresh Gulf Coast meal.

The group returning to the dock after scalloping — Back at the dock, the underwater treasure hunt turned into the shared work of cleaning the day's catch.

Cleaning the day's catch

Collecting the scallops was only the first half of the process. Back on shore, the boats were unloaded and the catch was brought to the cleaning area. Each shell had to be opened individually so the small, firm white adductor muscle—the part people eat—could be removed.

Cleaning a large pile of bay scallops — A large pile of freshly harvested bay scallops waiting to be opened.

Scallop shells may look plain from a distance, but no two are exactly alike. Their mottled browns, creams and grays blend remarkably well with the seagrass and sandy bottom, which is why learning how to spot them underwater takes a little practice.

Fresh bay scallops before cleaning — The day's catch, still in the shell and ready for cleaning.

Cleaning so many scallops could have been a long chore for one or two people, but with a group this large it became another part of the gathering. Everyone found a place around the table, talked about the day and worked through the catch together.

Friends gathered around a table cleaning scallops — Many hands made the cleaning go faster—and kept the day social right to the end.

Once a shell was opened, the unwanted tissue was scraped away and the round white muscle was rinsed and kept cold. The edible portion is surprisingly small compared with the whole shell, but fresh bay scallops are sweet, tender and well worth the effort.

Cleaned scallop meats on an outdoor table — The reward for all that swimming and cleaning: fresh scallop meats ready for the kitchen.

By the time the last bucket was emptied, the outing had included just about everything that makes a Florida summer adventure memorable: a boat ride through the lower Weeki Wachee, a day swimming in the Gulf, a successful hunt and plenty of time with friends.

A yellow bucket filled with bay scallops — A bucket full of scallops at the end of a successful July day.

Rules and safety

For the 2026 Hernando County season, the FWC lists July 1 through September 24 for the Levy–Citrus–Hernando zone. The daily limit is two gallons of whole scallops in the shell or one pint of scallop meat per person, with a vessel maximum of ten gallons whole or one-half gallon of meat. No person may exceed the individual limit.

Harvest is recreational only and is permitted by hand or with a landing or dip net.
A Florida saltwater fishing license is generally required unless an exemption applies.
Use a correctly displayed divers-down flag. In open water, divers must generally remain within 300 feet of it; the distance is 100 feet in rivers, inlets and navigation channels.
Check the official FWC page immediately before every trip. Seasons, zone boundaries and emergency closures can change.
Carry drinking water, sun protection, a first-aid kit and reliable navigation and weather information.

For me, the appeal is not just bringing home scallops. It is the entire trip: leaving the shaded canals, watching the freshwater river blend into the salt marsh, crossing into the open Gulf and then slipping overboard into a submerged prairie. It is one of those adventures where the journey, the search and the meal afterward all belong to the same story.

Trip-planning sources: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: bay scallop seasons and limits. Regulations were checked August 17, 2026. Always verify them again before harvesting.