'Sanibel and Captiva Islands, FL... paradise is no longer lost'

November 3, 3:07 PMOrlando Senior ExaminerTom Holbrook

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Sanibel Island sunsets are a wonder to behold.

Photo by TLH

Part of my joy and pleasure of being retired and an Examiner for an on-line magazine is to get out and about frequently to discover and report to you, our readers, of some of the great places of interest and food that await you in this great state of Florida, and around the world.

Judy and I live in The Villages, FL, which is a little slice of heaven on earth, and although one would think it would be hard to find a nicer place to be we do find time to explore other places that have excited us.   In a recent visit to Bonita Springs, FL we were able to spend a full day at two places that we had only passed through before.  Sanibel Island and its 'almost-Siamese twin' sister island, Captiva island, are, collectively, absolutely beautiful and serene spot in southeast FL that everyone should put on their 'must see' list. The two islands are joined at the hip by a bridge and separate the Pine Island Sound from the Gulf of Mexico. To get to Captiva Island you must take the toll bridge from Ft. Myers Beaches across the San Carlos Bay to Sanibel Island and go as far west as you can on Periwinkle Way which is the main drag of both islands.

In addition to the fantastic 'Shelling' opportunities afforded to everyone (both islands are deemed two of the best spots in the United States for finding large varieties of sea-shells) there are Nature Reserves to visit, fishing expeditions galore and boat tours of the entire south Florida, Gulf coast waterways.  (Please check the links included in this and other articles to obtain in depth information on the subjects spotlighted in the articles.)  One highlight of this trip in the 'entertainment' category' was a 1 1/2 hour boat trip to see local waterways close-up and to interact with the beautiful Dolphins that populate the surrounding waters.

For a very reasonable price you can become a passenger on several area tour boats...  we happened to choose the 'Stars and Stripes' boat moored at the Sanibel Marina which has been owned and operated by the Ireland family for the last 50 years or so. The boat captains seek out Dolphin locations in the inlets,  get as close to them as possible and then push the throttle to fast forward which is an overt invitation for the Dolphins to frolic in the froth and foam churned up in the wake.  A wonderful sight to behold as the Dolphins race just behind and alongside the boat, jumping and ducking in and out of the water. I was fortunate to get a few action shots which are included the accompanying 'slideshow' of this article.

Both islands have an amazing number of great restaurants, two of which were referred very highly to us by friends who call Sanibel a second home.  'Gramma Dot's' is an eatery at the Sanibel Marina that specializes in fresh seafood, their number-one seller being a delicious fried or broiled fresh Grouper sandwich. 

The second restaurant is the 'Mucky Duck' that is located at 11546 Andy Rosse Lane which is located pretty much at the western most tip of Captiva Island.  We got there a little before sundown, just ahead of the crowd that shows up every day to eat and drink the sun over the horizon and try to see the elusive 'Green Flash.'  The food at both establishments was very tasty and didn't bankrupt us.

A word to the wise here folks…‘THE SEASON’ at Sanibel/Captiva doesn’t really kick in until 4-6 weeks from now, so to beat the crowd you might want to head on down tomorrow.  Tell 'em Tom sent you.

Click here to see a real 'Green Flash' recorded for viewing