custom abalone for my brother

My brother and I grew up on the Northern California coast and there is a group of seawater living snails that are so good to eat called abalone. There are about 100 species from both the northern and southern parts of the oceans, as long as the water is cold and there is large amounts of algae for them to eat they can be found there. At one time you could go to a restaurant and order it but it usually cost twice what a lobster cost per plate and it was rare that it was even on the menu. Today they are illegal to hunt for sale, you can still take them for personal eating but all of the ones for sale are farm raised not caught in the wild.

So that is enough of an abalone lesson for the day, but my brother's daughter is going on her first abalone dive. To get one legally here in the U.S.A. you have to free dive, no scuba or any help underwater, so he asked me to mount the first one she gets. I have never done one so I decided to make a mini abalone scene just like I do with my other dioramas. For an abalone to be legal it has to be 7 inches so I made this one 3 inches or about 1/2 life size. It took almost a week, the fish in the background took as much time as the abalone shell did but I am fairly happy with the results, here is the photo.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

They're fabulous Phil, and very interesting read too - your niece will love it I'm sure!

Good story to read, and beautiful gift for Your niece Thank You for sharing

Harriet, beautiful avatar! (by the way)

ana wrote:

Harriet, beautiful avatar! (by the way)

Thanks Anna!

Phill your story is really good, you and your delicious abalone, flounder with Thank



Harriet Nyala and your avatar is beautiful

Love the story and your abalone.

Very good story Phil. We need more pics

What a good story, I love to read things like that !
Never heard about the animal before, it reminds me of the ones we call Søpinsvin, - "Ocean-hedgehogs " :-D

You make some unusual, interesting and beautyful models !

Thanks for sharing

Really interesting and beautiful ^^

Great story and a very nice fish!!!

Wonderful model Phil. Sounds like she will have a wonderful trip. Great story.