Dick and Sara Do it Again: Looking through the lens at Sanibel

Some time ago I did a post on photographers extraordinaire Richard Fortune and Sara Lopez.

Dick and Sara do not live on Sanibel Island, but they live it, breathe it, adore it through their camera lenses.

I have known this for awhile, but just remembered it again yesterday when we spent the day on Island, a beautiful day full of sunshine and fresh breezes. It did not feel like summer at all, more like early fall. We did some freshening up at Toucan House, met with some contractors, did a long walk and then shopped a bit at Bailey's General Store where we saw the latest Sanbel- Captiva calendar.

We pick these up often, gifting friends and relatives, but this year's calendar may be the best yet and, for me, it is the most stunning due in large part to the photo contributions of Dick and Sara.

Their images are just remarkable, they come alive before your eyes. My joy at viewing the cover, two Ibis frolicking in the surf, was a huge enticement to open up the calendar and view more.

And I was not disappointed.

All the images are lovely, but my favorites were those by Dick and Sara.

And, I enjoyed reading the descriptions as well, though not composed by Dick and Sara they were revealing.

One of them, a bit surprising, is related to the picture here. Of course I would have recognized it as an Egret, but never would have guessed that it is a Reddish Egret. What the information under the picture provides are the details (written by Charles LeBuff) and they are fascinating:

"The Reddish Egret occurs in two color phases; most common are those that are dark gray with a reddish neck, and less abundant are the white morphs seen here. In Florida plume hunters once hunted the reddish egret to the brink of extinction for their beautiful feathers....(which were used for) decorating the hats of the socially elite women of the day."

Today, Reddish Egrets receive federal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Thank God for the MBTA....and for the great vision of preservationists like Jay D. Darling as well as for those like Richard Fortune and Sara Lopez who capture these creatures forever--- with no harm done.

Sanibel Island would be a poorer place without any of them, especially the beautiful egrets!

Even a Hot Dog Tastes Like Gourmet Cooking on Sanibel

As Joe and I advertise blatantly on our website, we are fussy. We got into the vacation rental business because we are so often disappointed with accommodations and bought several of our own so that we could make them the way we want. We insist on a comfortable king sized bed, lots of cooking aids, good electronics and decent linens in our places, as much for our selves as for our rental guests.

We are equally fussy about food and ambiance....most of the time. We don't mind paying more for fresh ingredients, a nice presentation of food including the table setting, good service and a pretty restaurant.

There are several restaurants on Sanibel that meet our needs in all of those respects and we do go there when we want to eat out on the Island.

But we were on Sanibel today doing further inventory on our Toucan House and bringing over some things from our Naples condo to prepare for some updates to Toucan House.

It was a bright, sunny, breezy day and we needed to take a break so we went to lunch.

We were in a bit of a hurry to return to the tasks at hand, so we went to Schnappers, the closest thing you can get to fast food on the Island. The bright colored "shack" is exactly what you would expect inside. Simple, easy, limited in choice but not in taste.

My hot dog (without the bun) and french fries were so particularly good, better than ever, in fact, that I had to ask at the eatery if they had changed cooks, or formulas or owners. No, I was assured, everything was exactly as it has been for years. I told them things were crisper and more delicious than ever and all seemed pleased.

But not nearly as pleased as I. The crispy dog and crispy fries hit the spot. And sitting under the umbrella at the outdoor table feeling the breezes and watching few cars pass by was all I needed to feel on island and on point.

Even fuss pots like us can appreciate the simple things in life, and life on Sanibel can make even the simplest things feel absolutely grand!

Sanibel Manatee Easy to See....so say some

At our little farewell wine and cheese with our French neighbors here in Naples, we were entertained with a variety of stories.

The funniest one was of the French family's recent trip to Sanibel Island. Like us, they love Sanibel, and, like us, do find some distinct differences between the main land and the Island.

Apparently, the mom and dad are accustomed to getting up early and going to the beach while the two daughters sleep in. And this one morning, they jumped into the Gulf for a refreshing swim, but it did not last long. No sooner were they in the water than the dad felt a heavy hit to his torso. He yelled, mom began a desperate swim away and both were amazed as a huge, bewhiskered face lifted from the water and sprouted water from its huge mouth. They, and all those watching from shore alerted by the father's yell, just thought this was hilarious.

To be honest, I would have been frightened to death were it me. And to be perfectly honest, we have never seen a Manatee on Sanibel Island. Dolphins yes, birds of all kinds, yes, alligators, yes, even a couple of glimpses of bobcats, but not yet a Manatee. Yet our French friends claimed that they saw Manatees every day during their stay on Sanibel.

I have to believe them. A Manatee is a pretty hard thing to miss. Manatees have a mean mass of 400 to 550 kilograms (880 to 1,200 lb), and mean length of 2.8 to 3 metres (9.2 to 9.8 ft), with maximums of 3.6 metres (12 ft) and 1,775 kilograms (3,910 lb) seen (the females tend to be larger and heavier). When born, baby manatees have an average mass of 30 kilograms (66 lb).

In addition to their pure bulk, they have a face one would not forget. They have a large flexible prehensile upper lip that acts in many ways like a shortened trunk, somewhat similar to an elephant's. They use the lip to gather food and eat, as well as using it for social interactions and communications.

And, they are "up in the air" a great deal of the time, again making them an easy target. Half a manatee's day is spent sleeping in the water, surfacing for air regularly at intervals no greater than 20 minutes. Manatees spend most of the rest of the time grazing in shallow waters at depths of 1–2 metres (3.3–6.6 ft). The Florida subspecies (T. m. latirostris) has been known to live up to 60 years.

Though sometimes attacked by sharks and alligators, their main threat is man. Hurricanes, cold stress, red tide poisoning and a variety of other maladies threaten manatees, but by far their greatest danger is from watercraft strikes, which account for about a quarter of Florida manatee deaths.

They are mutilated by propellers on a regular basis, and the descriptions posted are pretty horrifying.

As on land, operators of moving vehicles are told to "slow down"....a good piece of advice for their own well being as well as those of the creatures threatened by life in the fast lane!

An Island is an Island is an Island: Sanibel breaks the mold

Again, I have been lax in keeping this blog more current.

It's summer.

I've been away.

I'm still adjusting to life in SW Florida.

Oh, I can think of dozens of excuses for my lack of activity!

But having just returned from a simply wonderful vacation on St. Lucia, pictured here, I have been musing over the differences between Caribbean nations and the island of Sanibel.

The nomenclature alone, speaks to one significant difference.

St. Lucia and other islands in the Caribbean have an independent life and unique culture. Sanibel is part of main stream USA, though it is not without its own unique character.

Topographically, there are strong differences as well. Most Caribbean islands are hilly, if not mountainous. And I certainly love those lush rises of land. In fact, even more than the sea, the mountains and hills of the Caribbean draw me in.

We don't have mountains or even hills on Sanibel. In fact, we don't even have tall buildings to climb to get vistas. The best vista you can get on Sanibel would be parasailing, and that is fun.

But much as I love the Caribbean islands and would never give up going there just because we own vacation rental properties on Sanibel, there is much to be said for an island not only governed by American law and finances, but subject to its own set of restrictions as well.

Because of its privileged position as a part of Americana, the blight, poverty, medically indigent and health risks of the beautiful Caribbean do not exist on Sanibel. It is a pristine island, a nature preserve, a place where families can roam freely and safely. Farm animals are largely not allowed and domestic pets must be vaccinated, leashed, protected---- along with the animals in the wild.

There is good health care, shops with options upon options, paths to walk and bike where cars are no threat, restaurants galore serving fresh food not compromised by sitting in the sun for hours.

If such a safe, secure, clean, comfortable and convenient as well as protective environment existed in the Caribbean, I am not sure who would be able to afford to visit, let alone live there.

I am not "American centric", only realistic about my own needs. And while I can pine over being back in flat and predictable Florida, I do appreciate the opportunities it offers.

Most of all, I am just bubbling over with glee that I can have my cake and eat it too with owning a piece of Sanibel Island and having the beautiful and welcoming Caribbean only a short plane ride away. Oh, lucky me!