Interesting Islanders

Meet William "Shell" Herring

Shell sews seashells at the Starbucks.
Say that three times fast and you're describing 52-year-old William "Shell" Herring, often found stringing thousands upon thousands of teeny tiny, yes, miniscule Kahelelani shells at the above mentioned caffeine producing establishment in Waimea.
The funny thing is, this guy doesn't even like coffee.
The management doesn't seem to mind his presence, however. They've sort of adopted this friendly guy as their "artist in residence."
And forget calling him by his given name. He's found a better one that better fits his personality.
"Everybody calls me Shell," he said. "That way they remember who I am."
Some days Shell doesn't sew, he sorts. Oftentimes it takes up to eight hours of measuring to come up with one small vial of matching shells. It's a labor of love, but it's Shell's passion and he does it willingly.
Each shell means the world to this talented soul because he's painstakingly gathered each and every one.
Shell spent two-and-a-half years camping out on the North Shore of Kauai. Each night he would don an LED light, go to the shoreline and spend countless hours down on hands, elbows and knees collecting his precious treasure.
"I love the shells," he explained. "It's more than a hobby, it's my vocation."
After the gathering, Shell returned to the Big Island, the place he calls home.
"There's no place in the world like the Big Island," he said. "I've been around the world and I keep coming back."
Yet, he still camps out and calls a tent home. It's a simple life, but one he enjoys.
"I don't have a home, I camp," Shell said. "I love living outdoors. I love to hear the wind and the waves. Where my shells are elegance, my lifestyle is simplicity. I have two shirts, two shorts and two pairs of sandals. I don't have a lot. I don't need a lot and I don't want a lot."
Despite his lifestyle, he's meticulously clean, taking two showers a day at a gym where he is a member. His clothes are even spotless.
The hardest thing for Shell is parting with the "royal jewels" once reserved only for the ruling class known as the Alii.
They have to go to be worn by the right person, he said.
"They are something I can't sell," Shell said. "The shells I have are very, very old. Very rare. I can't explain the process, the shells to you and make you have the desire to possess one. The people that see me doing this need to have one."
Once the right person is found, Shell blesses the Kahelelani with positive Hawaiian words.
"Three intentions or blessings are said over the shells before I sell them to someone," he said. "Then I let it go."
Yes, Shell sews seashells at the Starbucks. And, a whole lot more.