The Spring of 2005 had been an up and down combination of nasty cold weather and near record highs. Fortunately (for us!) it was cold and snowing the weekend we left for Sanibel. We decided to stay on the island after driving across the causeway nearly every day of our 2004 trip to neighboring Fort Myers Beach. The trip down was uneventful and after lunch at Sonic we were soon checked into our Pointe Santo condo and walking the beach.
Among the big attractions on Sanibel is the abundance of shells that wash up on its perfect beaches. Angie got up early on our first day to begin her quest and Reagan and I relaxed in the
bright dinette with coffee and a game of Thomas-style rummy. The high was going to be in the low 70s so we headed to Ding Darling for a walk. Hunting for wild animals is one of Reagan's favorite pasttimes.
The moon is one of my favorite subjects and a twist of luck put the full moon on our arrival day. I set my tripod on solid sand and waited. A number of things wandered past the lens including Angie teaching Reagan the art of shelling and the Sanibel Stoop. The moon finally rose over the dark skyline of Fort Myers Beach. Humid Florida air and the rest of Earth's atmosphere made for an especially large and bright orange moon.
The next day dawned bright and warm and getting to the beach became the first order of business. There were countless shells out there and Reagan was bent on throwing every one of them back into the waves. This went on throughout the day interspersed only by leaping into Daddy's arms from the edge of the pool and a well-earned nap. Also well earned were the marinated pork chops on the grill with steamed asparagus and onions. We capped the day off with a trip to DQ.
Our first drive out to Captiva brought home the impact of the 2004 hurricane season. Sanibel has some damage but the main roads keep you in the middle of the island and Pointe Santo didn't receive much damage at all. The devastation quickly becomes apparent though as you cross the bridge over Blind Pass and drive onto Captiva. Gone is the beautiful canopy of trees that shaded the main road. The hurricanes took out nearly every tree over head height. It's quite humbling.
We got another dose of reality when we drove out to Bowman's Beach. The 300 yards of jungle surrounding the parking area and the boardwalk out to the beach has been stripped clean and replaced by mulch and a few newly planted palm trees. Again, quite humbling. Most island shops and restaurants sell books documenting the four hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004. Everyone who lives here has a story about it and the months of clean up that continue even today. Construction workers and landscapers are slowly rebuilding the structures, but Mother Nature will take decades to restore the trees to their old glory.
As if to punctuate her impact, Mother Nature blew in a storm that dumped rain on us all night and through noon the next day. After lunch we saw bright blue skies approaching from the west that once again filled the empty beach.
Our typical day on Sanibel begins with breakfast in the condo or a quick trip to the Sanibel Bean. We grease up with sunscreen around mid morning and head to the beach (Tarpon Beach if you're keeping track) to throw a few hundred shells back into the water, rake a few dozen really nice ones out of the water and
generally poke about and watch people. Before lunch we head to the pool where Reagan leaps into the water a few hundred times. We dangle our feet in the spa while we dry off then go up to the condo for lunch and a nap. Angie then goes back to the beach to read and I do whatever it is I do. Reagan wakes up at 5:00ish and we eat dinner out somewhere or grill something on one of the nine barbecues. We may or may not stop at DQ for ice cream. Reagan is tired and asks to go to bed usually by 9:30 after which we enjoy some quiet adult time. Rinse and repeat.
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge occupies a big chunk of central Sanibel and there are several smaller plots scattered across the island. The Bailey Tract is just up the road and very convenient for evening walks. The trails are wide and flat and full of interesting creatures (accurately called wild animals! by Reagan) including alligators, egrets, heron and anhinga like this one drying its wings. We drove the five mile one-way loop in the main refuge one sunny 
evening and arrived on
the dike in time to see the Roseate Spoonbills flying in to roost in the mangroves. The event draws photographers of all types. The spoonbills' pink feathers against the blue sky is typical Florida and an icon of Sanibel.
Ponce de Leon "discovered" Sanibel back in 1531 and named it Costa de Caracoles, the Coast of Seashells. Ponce hit the nail on the head and there are times when the wind, waves and tide conspire to completely cover this wide beach with shells. Angie claims that "in the 30 years I've been coming to Florida
I've never seen shells this good." It took a day or two to get the knack, but she brought home a box of shells as good as those sold in the dozens of seashell shops on the island. There is something seductively therapeutic about slowly trolling the waves and beaches, every now and then finding a real prize. For those wanting to take it to the next step, there is the American Malacological Society.
Five hard days of throwing shells and leaping into the pool calls for seafood fajitas and a Captiva sunset to settle the soul. The Captiva scene still has people walking in bare feet and restaurants with open air seating and live Jimmy Buffet types entertaining the crowd. The seafood fajitas are as good a seafood as we've had anywhere. Don't miss them.
Please check back daily for more updates! Thanks for reading.
Vince
