The beaches of Marco Island Florida are a shell hunter's delight!
Amazing that modern development can live so closely to a festival of nature such as the Gult of Mexico. The shells are colored beautiful by the perfect sunsets and the clear clean blue waters. The marine life may not be seen so easily from the shore, but the active bird life flying above and diving down into the water seems a good indication of a healthy fish enviroment...
simply scan the horizon for an afternoon and you are sure to see a dolphin or two.... usually two as they are such social animals
It is Remarkable how close Marco Island is to the Everglades
 okay.... that is remarkable but not really... most of Florida is pretty close to one swamp or another.... but the distance as the crow flies to Key West makes it a popular ferry ride!  That boat ride to the Keys has yet to be experienced by me but I can most certainly recommend a propeller boat ride in the Everglades.