For the first time some former members reappeared and we even managed to recruit new shell collectors. This year, our activities were not limited to meetings in Ostend and we have restarted the fieldwork along the Belgian shores. Unfortunately, most collectors are not inclined to move at another extra date due to family activities. We can very well understand that members also have their personal commitments on Sunday but we hope the results of our excursions will push everyone to take the step to search on rocks and beaches. We can assure that our young people on the other hand are always looking forward to it.

List of activities in 2011

 – 16 January:

* Statutory meeting.

* An account of Hendrik White about his stay in Port Elizabeth (South Africa) for several weeks.

* Sparkling cava (with thanks to Adriaan Janssens for donation) and dishes with a large number of tasty snacks to start the new year.

– 20 February: Trip to Audresselles (North France).

– 27 March:

* Visualization of microshells from a microscope to a laptop and a beamer.

* A report on the excursion to Audresselles: slide show and presentation of the findings.

* A first look at the coming articles in the tenth year of Neptunea.

* The project ‘variability of European marine molluscs’.

* Echoes from the Shell Show in Paris.

– 10 April:

* Study of Patella miniata (South Africa) and  two newly described species of the genus Patella by Werner Massier (Namibia).

* Study of West African Veneridae.

* A slide show of events at the Shell Show in Paris.

* Presentation of a new issue of ‘Neptunea’.

* Slide show of live molluscs photographed by divers in Tunisia (fantastic images delivered by a French diver group of the AFC).

– 8 May:

* Further study of the West African Veneridae.

* Presentation of Neptunea, 10 (2) with the description of a number of new species.

* Report of the Shell Exhibition in London by means of a slide projection.

* Second part of the underwater images in Tunisia.

* Presentation of some new interesting species.

* Call-up for cooperation at the Symposium ‘50 years BVC’ in October (formulation of ideas).

– 19 June:

* Impressions after of the Shell Show in Antwerp (Belgium).

* A nostalgic look back at pioneering excursions (1980-82) through a Super 8mm movie.

* Acquaintance and estimation of newly published books.

* European Veneridae: presentation and discussion as well as displaying of the variability.

* Shells from the collection Bernard (Gabon) temporarily lent by the MNHN.

* Examination of Marginella helmatina and similar species in West Africa on the basis of the material of the MNHN.

– 21 August:

* Report of the annual visit to the RBINS.

* Study of some South African fasciolariidae by means of the collection ‘Hendrik White’.

* Examination of the genus Callumbonella: study of the material lent by the MNHN.

* Presentation of new shells, articles and books.

– 18 September:

* Use of two types of microscopes linked to a laptop and a beamer in the study and projection of microshells.

* Report of the excursion to Wimereux: display of the catch followed by a slide show.

* Discussion of the European lucinidae, ungulinidae and comparison with Mysia undata.

* Identification of South African Cypraeidae and some West African Clavatulidae.

* Digital mages of the shells examined in the RBINS.

-16 October:

* The difference between Fusinus saundersi and Fusinus maroccensis (West Africa).

* Shells collected in the sand pumped on the Belgian coast: acquaintance with the start of the works in Koksijde.

* PowerPoint presentation about the ‘Coast’ department at the anniversary celebration in Antwerp.

* Third part of the slide show on the diving by a French group (AFC) in North Africa.

* Presentation of new acquisitions in our collections (including among others unusual colour forms of Chlamys nivea and rare shells from West Africa).

– 20 November:

* European lucinidae: study of the smaller species.

* Shels from the pumped sand on the Belgian coast: spectacular results after five excursions.

* Presentation of a new issue of “Neptunea: the Pectinidae, astartidae and Cardiidae in the Bay of Biscay (W France).

* A first superficial introduction to Pseudamussium clavatum and P. peslutrae.

* Overview of some interesting and unknown shelters for shells in Normandy and Brittany.

* Identification of unknown shells.

– 18 December:

* Evaluation of the magazine ‘Neptunea’ in its current form (comments, remarks and proposals for improvement).

* Call-up for desiderata at the following meetings.

* The catches from the sandy supplements in Koksijde and Oostende: conclusions at the end of the works.

* Thorough study of the two European species of Pseudamussium, followed by a critical look at this topic in books and the worldwide web.

* Following a presentation of some interesting websites about shells.