According to a modern Hawaiian legend, the goddess Pele will follow anyone who pockets a shell, a rock or even a pinch of sand from the Pacific archipelago with a lifetime of bad luck. Fortunately, Pele’s reach doesn’t extend to the Garden State. Instead, visitors to Long Beach Island will find 18 miles of pristine sand dotted with beachcombing treasures. And while experts recommend taking only small quantities (some would suggest taking nothing), looking for and finding shells remains one of LBI’s oldest and most beloved pastimes.

“Just take what you’ll use,” said Cheryl Kirby, a third-generation Long Beach Island resident who grew up in Harvey…