Photos from Sanibel Island, FL

Starting another morning on Sanibel Island, FL

Why haven't we been here before???  Sanibel has pretty beaches to walk, gazillions of shells and lovely spots to soak up some sun while reading a good book.  The landscape behind the beach has been left natural with nice sandy trails lined with tall sea grape trees and palms that give relief from the midday sun.  Gopher tortoise make their homes here in sandy tunnels under the ground.  We spotted a big one but didn't have our camera :-(  It's also good for birdwatching.)

Early Ride Out

Lunch at Gramma Dot's (Grilled Grouper Sandwich and Fried Clams)

Different kind of workout

Where to next?

Egret at the marina

Back to the Beach

Must Stop for Ice Cream

Morning at the Sanibel Arts and Crafts Show

The Book Store

I love a good bookstore and Gene's Bookstore is a doozy!  There are books tucked in every

available space including the bathroom.  It consists of 3 buildings, one behind the other. You make your way through the first building, go out a back door that opens up to a shady reading area, and find tables stacked with books, rolling book shelves with more books and a pig trail to the 3rd building which houses the American and British history section.  

This wonderful bookstore is Fox and Sons bookstore packed into The Shop Around the Corner (if you're a fan of the movie You've Got Mail, you'll get the picture)

George hiding from me

They even have to put books in the bathroom!!!!

Love All Creatures Great and Small

 Love Mitford and Father Tim

Only room for 1 person in this section in the 3rd building.  This is the American and British history section.

Meg hiding from George

To the Beach!

Birds and Palm Trees

Nature Tour at Bowman's Beach 

We were pleasantly surprised to be reunited with Unruly, one of our boat neighbors at the AGLCA conference last fall.  They stayed a week at the Sanibel Marina to visit one of their hometown friends who visits Sanibel every winter.  The ladies invited me to join them on a nature walk at Bowman's Beach while George and Gary looked at navigation charts on the boat.  We had a wonderful time learning about the flora and fauna of the region.  I also discovered the kitten paw shell.  

Bridge over an estuary.  The estuaries are called the nurseries of the sea. They provide a protected area for fish and shellfish to reproduce and feed.

Estuary

Bowman's Beach

Studying plant life from the sea

Worm casing :-/

Plicatulidae shells (AKA Kitten Paw)

Back to the Marina

Day's End