Spending the Day on Pine Island Sound- Part III

Cabbage Key! I just love Cabbage Key. Another island you can only access by ferry or private boat.

It sits off the Intracoastal Waterway at mile marker 60. Cabbage Key was purchased in the 1930's for about $2500 to become the estate home of the Rinehart family. After spending an addition $125,000 dollars the houses and cottages still remain today.

Built atop an old shell mound at 38 ft, it is one of the highest spots in this part of Florida. They created a solar power system, fireplaces, numerous porches, a storm shelter and a rain water system.

By 1944 the Stults opened the island and its cottages as a resort but it is now owned by the Wells who live on and maintain Cabbage Key's special appeal. While visiting take time to explore the nature trails or climb the water tower for a spectacular view.

The restaurant on Cabbage Key is located in the main house. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner year round, 365 days a year. We enjoyed the special treat and ordered the famous cheeseburger while enjoying the atmosphere. The walls and ceiling are papered with thousands of dollar bills taped there by previous visitors. As the bills eventually fall the money is saved and donated to local charities.

After lunch we cruised on down the waterway and under the bridge to the Sanibel Lighthouse. We anchored off the bayside beach and relaxed.

The sun finally came out in force and it was fun to soak up the rays. Time was ticking down but we still had time to venture up the Caloosahatchee river.

After crossing under the causeway, we head back up the waterway. There were lots and lots of other boaters out but it is idle speed because this part of the waterway is narrow with shallow water on both sides of the intercoastal.

 Its possible to travel all the way to Fort Myers from the Caloosahatchee River. That might be a fun trip to take.

We finally headed back to Port of Sanibel and the end of our day.

 Dad had a great time and thanked us repeatedly for taking him on this ride. He loves being out and you would never know he was 93.

 He is an inspiration to all who meet him. His attitude and joy for life is a reminder for all to stop and appreciate each and every day.

Turtles!

The first turtle crawls have been spotted this morning on the West end of Sanibel....can a nest be far behind?

This lovely lady was spotted in Red Fish Pass yesterday off Captiva.

Spending the Day on Pine Island Sound-Part II More About Cayo Costa

I thought I would share a little more information about the history of Cayo Costa...it's pretty interesting and goes back for thousands of years.

Cayo Costa means "Key by the Coast" and is located south of Boca Grande and west of Pine Island.  It is accessible by ferry or private boat and had been inhabited for over 10,000 years by the Calusa Indians.

Several of their shell mounds still exist on the island. Ponce de Leon made first European contact with the Indians but within just 300 years, they had all disappeared.

Spanish fishermen from Cuba used Cayo Costa for fishing "ranchos" where they dried the fish before taking them back to Cuba.

 There was also a quarantine station which was created on the island sometime in the late 1800's or 1900. It was used for immigration screenings for people entering the US through Boca Grande Pass.

 At one time there were about twenty fishing families living full time on Cayo Costa and although there are still homes there, no one resides full time.

A State Park was established in the 1970's and there is about 2400 acres under park supervision. If you visit during Heritage Days in May, you can tour the Quarantine trail where you will see the old dock and station. US service men were screened for yellow fever and other diseases. There is also a Cemetery Trail where you will visit a small cemetery  which goes back to the turn of the 19th century.

Captain Nelson buried at Cemetery Point

There are over 6 miles of hiking and off road biking trails to explore on your own. You can even rent a bike to use on Island. Explore mangrove forests, beach trails and even an old settlement.

Sunset on Cayo Costa

Next stop Cabbage Key.

Spending the Day on Pine Island Sound- Part 1

We headed out early this morning to pick up our ride for the day- a twenty foot Grady White from Port Sanibel Marina.  Port Sanibel Marina is just before the causeway on the mainland and has a great kayak launch as well as various rental boats to fit any need. After going over the safety information, we headed out the channel.

The plan for the day was to explore the Sound with my 93 year old father. He's still going strong and loves to be outdoors doing anything and everything. The morning was a little cool and overcast-we had been hoping for a little more sunshine. The breeze was coming out of the north so there was a bit of a chop on the water. I covered my legs up with a towel, added several layers of shirts and jackets to keep the wind off.

To the West, we watched Sanibel Island slip by- you can always tell where Ding Darling is because the houses disappear and the coastline becomes mangrove. It's always a good idea to scan the water for manatee sightings and dolphins. Today didn't disappoint as a dolphin flipped his tail into the air and slapped the water not far from the boat...great fun!

Captiva Island comes next and you can identify the resorts of Tween Waters and South Seas Plantation. Crossing Red Fish Pass, North Captiva becomes visible. North Captiva can only be reached by boat and they like it like that! It's a great place to pull into for an ice cream on a hot summer day...but not today.

Cayo Costa Island is next and we pulled to the South end of the island where there is a sandy beach.  We contemplated anchoring and going ashore, but it would have been too difficult for dad to get out of the boat and climb back in on the ladder. There is great shelling on Cayo Costa and I prefer the south end. I just wasn't ready to get wet to do it today.  Instead, we decided to travel to the north part where there are docks in the state park, ride the tram and check out the beach.

The sun still refused to come out, but we enjoyed our walk on the beach. We even found a few sharks teeth. There aren't as many here as farther north toward Venice Beach, but you can still find them. Campers were out and about enjoying the day. If you decide to camp there, you can tent camp

 or rent one of the little cabins that have bunks and a picnic table....no other amenities. It's roughing it, but looked like fun.

I can imagine how wonderful the night sky must be so far removed from city lights. And dark, it would be very, very dark. We took the tram back to the docks and headed out to find Cabbage Key, passing the remains of an old stilt house that stood in the Sound until it burned about twenty years ago. It was just like these just a few that are still  left in the Sound.

I'll leave off here and post the second half of our day on the Pine Island Sound.

Kayaking J.N."Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge

Sanibel offers many delights. Beaches abound and shelling is world famous. For a real treat, find a kayak to use to explore around the many mangroves, bays and quiet shorelines. There seems a limitless opportunity on Sanibel to explore quiet retreats where you can observe nature and its secrets.

One of our favorite places to kayak is Tarpon bay and the waters around the J.N. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge. There are two places where it is easy to launch a kayak from wildlife drive. From there, you can paddle secluded bays and mangroves.

Birds are usually abundant in the refuge. There are many species that live there and others that migrate through the refuge during the year. It can be fun to observe what hides in the quiet areas, secluded from wildlife drive. If you keep conversation to a minimum and listen for bird calls you might even spot a rare bird...the mangrove cuckoo.

Mangrove Cuckoo

It is also possible to spot creatures other then the birds that call the mangrove marshes home. For instance there is  the little mangrove crab, one of only two crustaceans that climb trees as a defense mechanism.

Mangrove Salt Marsh Water Snake

Another critter to hide among the limbs of the mangrove is the Mangrove Salt Water Marsh Snake. It is a non-venomous snake not found outside of Florida.

Green Heron

White Egret in Breeding Plumage by Joe Jennelle

Kayaking at low tide in the refuge provides the best opportunity to spot wading birds and the springtime show of breeding plumage can be a magnificent sight. Use binoculars to get a better view. Document your sightings by taking a picture so bring along that camera. And when you return home there are an abundance of sites online that can help you identify what you have seen. 

Birding is a sure way to add to the enjoyment of the refuge. Keep a list of the birds you've seen and share them with others on ebird.org. A very useful app for your phone is the Merlin Bird Id app which is free from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. With this little app, you can enter size, color, and location. The app will give you images of possible birds from which to id the sighting. 

Little Blue Heron in His Best Colors!

We also belong to a kayak team in Ding Darling called The Monofilament Busters.

Monofilament Busters

Every Friday, teams of volunteers take to the waters of J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel to remove the nearly invisible monofilament fishing line that can be deadly to birds and marine life.   A steady crew of six volunteers hit the kayaks weekly. And on a single day, here’s everything hauled in by the Refuge Teams:

monofilament line
19 hooks
8 lead weights
12 non-lead weights
2 bobbers
7 jigheads/stump jumpers
1 fly
5 lures
1 spoon

Removing these hazards is important to the refuge and other areas as fishing line and hooks are dangers lurking to trap unsuspecting wildlife. It is a tragedy waiting to happen and there is nothing more distressing than to spot a dead bird trapped by fishing line or impaled with hooks from a fishing lure.

Entangled in Monofilament-Spoonbill and Egret

Here is one last important note. Although kayaking in the refuge is a wonderful experience, it is a wilderness area and possible to get lost.  So it is important to pay close attention to your surrounding as the streams between the mangroves twist and turn. They  can confuse even the most experienced kayaker. A GPS makes a lot of sense for navigating the waterways. A good bug repellent to protect from the occasional mosquito and the nefarious "no see 'um" is also a good idea. Sun protection in the form of a good hat and sunscreen will make for a more enjoyable experience too.

So take out that kayak and discover hidden treasures in the waterways of the J.N."Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge. You won't be disappointed.

The Green Flash

Green Flash

Ask people about the green flash on Sanibel and they are likely to think you are referring to a restaurant by that name on Captiva Island. Or they might think it is just the stuff of legend and not a real phenomenon at all. A third possibility is that they declare they have seen it after downing several margaritas at sunset on the beach. For the few sky gazers who have actually witnessed the event, they will defend their sighting ignoring ridicule and laughter. I fall into the last category.

Take to the beach at sunset, hope for a clear horizon with calm seas and wait. I have been fortunate to observe the green flash three separate times in my life, the last two times in the past month right on the beaches of Sanibel. Each time there have been others who observed it as well, insuring it wasn't an overactive imagination on my part.

Last night was my third opportunity to witness the event and was fortunate to be with an actual astronomy professor from Canada who has been determined to capture the green flash on camera. That requires real dedication as most evenings do night produce a green flash.  If it did, it wouldn't be such an alluring event. He sets up his camera on a tripod and hopes. Some evenings the camera can capture what his eyes did not. Other evenings the opposite occurs.

Green Flash

According to the professor, the science behind the green flash involves refraction of light and inferior mirage effect. Really?  Ok, but I say, just take to the beach at sunset, and keep an eye out for the green flash. The magic is there. And if you miss it, at least you were on the beach at sunset and you might even see something like this!

Last night right before the green flash...calm and clear.

Sanibel Sunsets never disappoint.