Sanibel Island - Beaches, Bikes, and Wildlife Refuge

We woke up at 6am and headed down to the lighthouse with hopes of finding the most excellent shells. The gift shops always plant that little hope that just maybe the treasured perfect shell will coming rolling up to shore right at my feet. But, alas; nothing grand to show for an unskilled shell hunter. However, the booty from the night’s ocean tides were better than the day before since we started earlier. We found some little spiral shells and determined that tomorrow we would be at the beach at the crack of dawn.

Some shell hunters have nets that they push into the sand just inside the ocean wave. The shell-filled net is dumped on the beach where only the most desirable shells are selected. I probably won’t buy a net for just one more day, but for those who plan to visit Sanibel, buy a net at the start and get to the beach early in the morning before the crowds. This will definitely increase the number of good shells you can put in your bucket.

Actually, getting big daddy shells off the beach isn't a realistic expectation. I visited several shell shops on the island and learned that the trophy shells are captured by deep-sea divers who are licensed to take the shell and living critter inside. But finding shells on the beach, albeit small, is still a fun beach activity.

We rode our bikes five miles to the J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Preserve that was built in honor of Ding Darling a cartoonist conservationist. Ahead of his time, his cartoons in the Sanibel newspaper promoted the idea of caring for the environment and wildlife. We watched huge fish jumping five to six feet out of the lake with their silvery skin gleaming in the sunlight. Fishing and crabbing are allowed in the preserve.

Bike riding through the preserve is quite pleasurable because so few cars are passing through. The roads are lined with Red Mangroves along with hundreds of other forms of vegetation. A biking and walking trail runs through the center of the preserve which is especially enjoyable to ride along. For an entrance fee of $1 per bike, the preserve is a “must do” on Sanibel.

We had a great day riding bikes and playing on the beach all day but it is late and I can't keep my eyes open any longer. Enjoy the pictures.

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