Summer Sanibel Sojourn: Sand, Shells, Sun & Sparklers - Update 7/5 About This Page:

[lauriep]

I can't believe you took all those photos from a fast-moving car. They are crystal-clear. Great job! Sounds like a relaxing day. Glad you were able to pull off the Thelma & Lousie caper and get into the compound to see your grandparents' old home.

[Colexis Mom]

Great day Amy!

[OhToodles!]

Great photos! Glad you were able to see your grandparent's home - I hope it brought back some good memories too.

[lauren-roxy]

Great update Amy and beautiful photos!!

[Wendyismyname]

Got your Drop Top down so your hair can blow!

Love it!

[elisa1006]

What a fun, relaxing trip to far!

[iamgrumpy]

So we set the wake up call today for 7:30am luckily I woke up without feeling like a truck hit me so I must have gotten enough sleep last night. We headed downstairs for breakfast around 9am and they had fewer selections but enough to eat. Mom had a Bagel and cream Cheese with a Hard boiled egg, and I had a waffle. Coffee for mom, and I had some Orange Juice and some Milk to drink.

I managed to get a few photos of the breakfast area...







After breakfast we gathered our bags and headed out. We decided to go over to Sanibel for the morning/afternoon and we paid our $6 toll and headed onto the Island.

We decided since everytime we go onto the Island we have turned right onto Periwinkle Way the main road on the Island we would turn left this time. So we followed it to the end and found the Lighthouse Beach area and they had some parking spots available for those with handicap placards available. We parked and went the very short walk to the beach. This was much better then Bowmans. We walked the beach and collected shells, and got our feet wet.

We did take a couple of photos of us on the beach!







Now it started to get overcast, and a few sprinkles started to fall so we took on last photo of the view from the Tip of Sanibel and headed back to the car.



The Rain came down in buckets but stopped about 2 mins later which was sweet! So by the time we drove around to the Lighthouse it was sunny out!







We didn't stop to walk around since there was no parking on the road and the police were out in force both local and state were driving around. So we headed back towards the middle of the Island and stopped at a store called She Sells Sea Shells and poked around in the shop. We didn't buy anything but it was fun to see all the different shells and gifts available.

After we finished poking around in the store and getting back into the convertible we decided that we would try and see different areas of the Island before having lunch. So we avoided Sanibel/Captiva Road and headed over towards Tarpon Bay Road and found a beach where they had disabled parking and a changing room and a short walk to the beach and we grabbed the beach chair, the beach blanket, the beach umbrella, the beach pail, and beach bag and headed to the beach area.

We put the beach blanket down, and set up the beach chair and well the brand new beach umbrella isn't brand new anymore and well now is broken there was no wind when we started we got it up and whoosh the breeze starts and we watch the umbrella go flying and well we had to laugh to stop ourselves from getting angry in front of small children nearby sometimes its hard not having small kids around you forget to watch your words and well I think we may have taught one little kid just 1 or 2 colorful words but well that was one colorful expensive never used before umbrella that broke

Well, we looked for shells and mom went into the water up to her knees and I just relaxed and took a short nap which plays into this later... Just a hint to keep the nap in mind.
We did see 2 sea turtle nests of eggs but they look like mounds of sand and well the photos don't show them so it would end up looking like sand lol.

A few shots from this beach...

This little girl was wearing her mother's flip flops and walking around with them it was too funny and too cute though. We asked if we could take a photo but she was too Diva'ish to turn around


This was a nice beach though and lots of shells we got a good bag full here.



After we had enough of the beach and felt our tummy's rumbling we loaded back into the car and headed over to Captiva for lunch. We were going to The Bubble Room and I was excited. Secretly this is why I wanted to go to Sanible/Captiva this trip and it was finally time!

Here are shots of the restaurant and outside of the gift shop!
















We headed inside and were seated and given our menus I already knew the She Crab Soup would be my appetizer and decided on the Mae West Special, and mom had the Louis Armstrong Muffeletta. Mom shared my soup and we had 1 seltzer and 1 sprite for drinks.



Mom's Sandwich


Mine


We skipped dessert but they are known for their desserts which was sad because we just did not have room for it! We took a few more photos before leaving of the interior of the restaurant and the dessert case. Unfortunately, because its right by the door of the restaurant the cases fogged up so its not clear shots!














A little Disney Touch..


After we left, we headed back over to Fort Myers to the hotel, I fell asleep in the car Mom had the top down the fresh air must have gotten to me I remember stopping at the stop sign right after the restaurant and nothing until she was turning onto the Causeway to head back over to the Main land. Mom said its a good thing i wasn't on a bike because I was so asleep my mouth was wide open and flies would have had a field day

Well as we were going over the bridge I looked to my right and saw a Dolphin jump up and out of the water!!!!!! I didn't have my camera out (since I just woke up even with my nap on the beach) and missed it but it was so COOL to see!

We got back to the hotel and relaxed for a little while and realized that my naps and our drive around with the top down caused me and mom to have a slight issue! Our faces were fine, we had remembered to lotion up there but our arms look like lobstaah Claws (or lobster for non new englanders) so we had to aloe up to cool our arms down. Those naps on the beach can kill your skin. We won't forget to lotion up our arms again!

Dinner was at Sonic but the rain returned tonight so we didn't get to take any photos. It was delicious and now we are just relaxing in the room!

Today we tried...going left instead of right and going to new areas of Sanibel.
The Result was ... it was fun, and we will do it again!
The Best thing today was... Seeing the Dolphin
The worst thing today was...Missing getting the dolphin on camera, and getting sunburnt arms.
A Magical Moment...Seeing a Dolphin in the wild and knowing that is a very special moment.

Tomorrow we are hoping to do Fort Myers Beach for the morning/afternoon and hoping the rains stay away so we can watch a Sunset on Captiva Island tomorrow night!

More photos can be seen on my Smugmug Account: Click Here

[Wendyismyname]

Don't you just love that free wifi at the country inn? One if the perks I love! Great update and I could picture you falling asleep!

[Minnie Lor]

I'm just catching up with the LIVE updates. You know, I always say that I'm not a beach person but that looks really inviting and relaxing. Glad that you and your mom are having such a wonderful time. BTW, I love Red Robin too. We've gone twice the one in KC. Love the strawberry lemonade.

I'm off to check out more photos.

[Minnie Lor]

Great pictures. The ones of the ocean just lull me to sleepy dreamland but then I see the bridge ones going up, up, up and I'm

[chezp]

It looks like such a fun and relaxing part - I'm love reading about your trip as it happens.

[lauren-roxy]

Sounds like a fun day and your food at the Bubble House looked delicious!!

[Kenny]

The Bubble Room looks like fun!! Too bad about the umbrella!! It's good to laugh when all you want to do is cry!.. but look on the bright side... you didn't have to load that cumbersome umbrella back into the convertible!!

[Colexis Mom]

What a great day! Those eats looks delicious!

[Ceara's mawmaw]

So glad you are having a great time......love the pics of Sanibel, it makes me want to go so much again.....Thanks for sharing....