Annual visit to the Island that has captured my heart

We returned home on Wednesday.  Before I forget them, I need to list some things that I found memorable.  First, unfortunately, the negatives.

1.  I lost my CapOne credit card at the Publix supermarket where we bought groceries for the week ahead.  I must have set it down on the counter when I signed the little credit card machine, and forgotten to pick it up.  Fortunately, the desk clerk at the hotel gave me a phone no. for CapOne; I phoned and cancelled the card.  And just used the other card for the rest of the visit.

2.  When we rented the car, it turned out to be a black one with a black interior - - a bit hard to figure out how all the dashboard implements work when one cannot see in the darkness.  And there was no owner's manual to aid me.   So Joe decided he would drive, having more confidence.  Which worked well - - he could drive and I could navigate.



Why is this car dirty?  We had a rain shower on the first morning, followed by strong winds that blew sand all over our wet car.

3.  When we returned the car, I had to make sure the rental agency knew that the credit card had been replaced.  But the original estimate was missing.  Joe thought the rental agency's driver took it; I thought it was still in the glove compartment.  No matter.  I remember what the original estimate was, and the final cost was about $4 less.

4.  No really interesting shells this year.  There were lots and lots of the large bronze bi-valve shells that are brittle and frequently covered with barnacles.  There were also more dead crabs and more coconuts, fewer of the sea urchins that covered the area last year.

But those were far outweighed by the postives.



1.  Touring the Bailey Homestead Tract.  Well, really, it was not the whole 28 acres - that is still jungle - overgrown with vines and impenetrable without a machete.  But we learned something of the problems faced by Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) who bought the property to extend wildlife habitat and remove invasive exotic plants.  And we got to tour the old homestead.  SCCF intends to use the property as both a museum and interpretive center.  And the Native Plant Nursery will be moved to this site.  I have lots of photos of the house to post.

This is the house after the first set of changes - the porch and dormer window

SCCF has rebuilt the steps, new screens on the porch, painted that nice green, based on analysis of the old paint.

2.  Wednesday's sunrise was brilliant but cold with periodic brief sprinkles.  Very very windy.  The great surprise was when we turned away from looking southeast at the sunrise back toward the land.  A great rainbow arced over the island.   I have a great  photo of Joe with the fading rainbow.



The rainbow at dawn over the island.

3.  An osprey standing right at the shoreline as waves washed over its talons.  After a moment, it took off and flew low over the waves, occasionally dipping down so its talons were in the water- - not to grasp a fish, for the talons were not extended but were drooping backwards.

4.  For lunch one day I ordered a very good panini from Jerry's.  We took the food down to the beach for a little picnic.  Big mistake.  Gulls began to gather, then to squawk and beat their wings.  I tried to keep an eye on them but neglected to look over my shoulder.  A brazen creature swooped down and grabbed part of my sandwich out of my hand!!  Unfortunately for it, most of his loot broke up and fell into the sea.  That set off a minor squabble among several of the greedy critters.   But all he got was part of the bread, so I was left with an open-face sandwich.  The question:  Is it safe to eat?   I decided that the odds were favorable, and I finished the sandwich.

5. On Thursday morning we discovered a half-dozen or more crab traps along our stretch of the beach . . . likely ripped from the sea by Wednesday's storm.  One or two of the traps had some very nice looking blue crabs - - but all were dead, or at least not moving.  So we left them alone.  Strangely, they remained there through the day we left.  I assumed that the owners of the traps would be concerned, but then realized that they had no way of knowing where the traps went.

Three crab traps were tangled together.

6.  The Sanibel Library has computers available for public use, but only for 1 hour/day.  Joe discovered that the genealogy section has two PCs with no apparent time limit.  He finds a PC much easier to use than the laptops available in the Computer Section.  I thought it was great to not have a deadline.

7.  The Sunday Farmers Market was now the City Hall parking area.  Lots of prepared food - - if we'd arrived on Saturday, this would have been the place to stock the refrigerator for the week.  Mac & cheese with lobster or shrimp.  Barbeque that smelled wonderful.   Apple or other strudel.  Quacamole made right before you, with chips.  Plus traditional vegetables and fruits (the strawberry I ate was as sweet as any I could remember).

Step up for mac & cheese with lobster, shrimp or sausage.

Honey and jam and relish

8.  I've saved the best for last:  Grouper Basket from Schnapper's Hots - - this is three filets of grouper fish, batter-dipped and fried, comes with fries and slaw, tartar sauce and lemon, and is hot and delicious. We bought this three times, with cold sweet lemonade.  Strangely, though, the place is best known for its hot dogs.  But the fish & chips is soooo good! 

But I cannot forget key lime pie, either

Halls cough drops

On my Netherlands visit I got sick.  Came home still sick.  To deter the periodic coughing spells, I bought a package of cough drops - Halls, honey menthol.  This icould also be called the "Pep Talk" brand.  My little lozenge's paper wrapper has several very positive imperatives, as follows:

"Seize the day."

"Buckle down and push forth!"

"Let's hera your battle cry."

"Be unstoppable."

Power through!"

Not all that bad especially if one is feeling listless and ill [not that I am; today is a very good day].

Sanibel again

The eve of our departure.  Sanibel Island is one of my favorite places.  Not so much because it's a warm place in a cold season.  And not so much because it is so familiar - this might be the 10th visit.  It's because the island takes account of the wildlife that live not only in the wildlife refuge (called the "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge), but in the sea, in the bay, in the streams and ponds, and in the privately owned preserves on the island. 

White pelicans on a sandbar in Tarpon Bay

Ibises roosting in the wildlife refuge

The beaches are not cleaned or groomed so all of the shells and seaweed and odd debris that washes up are left on the beaches.  Occasionally that means stinky dead fish, but not often.  There are no stoplights or street lights on the island; the glow from streetlights would confuse young hatchling sea turtles.  It seems they hatch at night and immediately head for the area that is paler than their immediate surroundings:  the sea.   And, finally, the building code seems to be limited to tree-top height, i.e., 3 or 4 stories. 

This is red macro-algae on the beach.



January 10, 2011 - Last sunrise on the beach.

 Every year I have to learn all over again the names of the large sea birds and those who patrol the shallows looking for lunch.  And learn again the names of the little sea shells that litter the high-water line.  And get out of bed before sunrise to head down to the beach and watch the orange-red orb as it breaks above the horizon line down past Naples.  Once we were lucky enough to see the moon rise over Ft. Myers; I'd love to see that again.

Shellers on the untidy beach

And then there is the food - - my favorite is a fried grouper filet basket from Schnapper's.  Actually, grouper prepared in any and all manner is good.  Steamed gulf shrimp; oysters shucked and on the half shell with mignonette sauce.  Beautifully juicy oranges - several kinds.  And any breakfast at the Lighthouse Cafe.

Joe's enjoying grouper at Schnapper's outdoor patio.

We stay for only one week.  I wonder:  if we stayed for a month, would we get tired of it?  bored?  anxious to go home?  The cultural life there is not what we have here - although the Island Reporter newspaper writes reviews of plays and concerts and art exhibits.  We've never gotten involved with those because our stay is short; would we do otherwise if we stayed longer?  Remains to be seen.