[melky]

<select name="selSS1" id="selSeaShells1">
	<option value="val0">sea zero</option>
	<option value="val1">sea one</option>
	<option value="val2">sea two</option>
	<option value="val3">sea three</option>
	<option value="val4">sea four</option>
</select>

<input type="button" value="alert" onclick="ff()" />
<script>
function ff(){

var sel = document.getElementById('selSeaShells1')

alert( sel.options[sel.selectedIndex].innerHTML   )

}
</script>