On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
First Timers Week
Day 3. Let’s give a warm welcome to cope! My sister tries to go to Sanibel every year, for exactly the reasons cope describes below. I keep coming back to the photo of the snowy egrets; I am captivated by it. Sanibel is such a lovely place, thanks for sharing it with us.
We’re at 7 first timers, so it’s still not too late for you to send your photos in and be published next week. I think the first two have enjoyed the experience, so what are you waiting for? :-)
~WaterGirl
cope
Looking over these pictures, taken on Florida’s Sanibel and Cayo Costa barrier islands, I am can see how generic they look. They are not instantly recognizable places, magnificent structures or remote, wild vistas. However, these are places that are important to my wife and me l for how they make us feel. We have never gone there and not felt invigorated, refreshed and even, after our son died, partially repaired. For all the bad thoughts and experiences of Florida we have had in our 30 years of living here, these have been our reviving places.
Stormy sunset from the gulf side of Sanibel Island. Pictures never do these sights justice.
Slightly out of focus, slightly out of frame but look at those talons.
Snowy egrets grazing along the shore line.
My son-in-law casting for bait fish.
Things aren’t always peaceful in paradise.
“An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.” – Martin Buber
Over the years, I have taken many, many pictures of ospreys in this tree. The tree is just visible in the picture of the stormy sunset.
I don’t usually do much massaging of my pictures but made an exception for this one. I think I pushed it right to the edge of cartoon.
Baud
Why wasn’t this series labelled Virgins Week?
Very pretty pictures. I want to go now.
eclare
Very nice and relaxing photos. They all look so peaceful.
spudgun
These are lovely, cope – I was born on a small island and lived most of my life near the Pacific Ocean. I’m an ocean\beach girl through and through, forever and ever.
Thanks for posting!
p.a.
Sweet! Tks
raven
Sweet, I first went there in the late 70’s and when I visited a year back much of it had changed. The
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge was awesome!
Jack Canuck
Nice shots all, but I really like the ‘not always peaceful’ one – that’s a great image. It always amazes me how widespread birds like ospreys are – I’ve seen them (maybe a variant subspecies, but still…) in Queensland.
JPL
I can understand the urge to return because it is so beautiful.
Albatrossity
Great shots from one of my favorite places in the world. Thanks!
Elma
The last time I was in Florida, we stayed at Indian Rocks Beach. Everyone went out at sunset to sit on the sand and watch the sun set into the Gulf.
Auntie Anne
Sanibel is one of the places on my list. You’re right – there’s something reviving about island beaches. The pictures are great, and I thank you for a moment of escape this morning.
Laura Too
Beautiful, thanks!!
MelissaM
That waterspout picture is lovely! Thanks. Being from IL, I didn’t get to see the ocean until I was an adult. Then we did a Hilton Head vacation at a beach house paid for by my MD BIL and wow!
So Sanibel now on a travel list.
arrieve
I love that waterspout. Beautiful pictures.
Mike in Oly
Beautiful. I lived in Ft. Myers in high school and loved visiting Sanibel Island. Wonderful natural area.
WaterGirl
@Baud: You’re hired!
The next one of these will be called “On the Road Virgins Week”.
dnfree
Those are beautiful! We have only visited once, with my brother and his wife who winter in Fort Myers, who took us to see the Ding Darling refuge (well worth the trip) and drive the trail. It was awesome, but then it took us two hours in a traffic jam to get back to the mainland. They said people who get lodgings on Sanibel usually plan to stay on the island most of the time, not make frequent trips back and forth.
https://www.fws.gov/dingdarling/VisitorInformation.html
stinger
Wonderful pictures!
TomatoQueen
@dnfree: That’s for sure, as Sanibel is long long two-lane roads and Ding Darling after a storm is known for professional-size potholes. The place to stay is where I honeymooned a thousand years ago: a cottage at the Tween Waters Inn, a funky place with a fabulous garden and stray cats. Great shelling beach across the road, and if you want to hike in the mangroves, there’s a little creek where you can find snook.
J R in WV
Sweet! Thanks for the brief trip to tropical paradise!
Cowgirl in the Sandi
I love Sanibel. We have stayed there several times when we had our Airstream. One of the coolest things about the island is how many people rent bikes and use the many bike paths to get around instead of their cars. ALL of the parking lots for shops, restaurants, etc. remind tourists (and others) to look for bikers. It’s a lovely place – once we get there, we never leave except when we have to return to the mainland.
phein60
Work took me to Ding Darling a few times. Wonderful place, great people. They used to host quite a few volunteers, as many Fish & Wildlife Service refuges or hatcheries do. If you’re looking for something to do in retirement, there are worse options https://www.fws.gov/volunteers/ .
If you do go to Sanibel, it’s worth making the drive to the north island, Captiva, just to see some of the monstrous mansions people crammed in along the way. Try to get to the Mucky Duck https://www.muckyduck.com/ well before sunset and dine outdoors. The Bubble Room https://www.bubbleroomrestaurant.com/ for dessert is a treat in itself.
WaterGirl
cope, I’m so glad you submitted your photos! perhaps our BJ woodstock should be held there.
cope
@WaterGirl: My pleasure, glad to oblige. I think Cayo Costa would be perfect for the festival. It’s a couple of sand bars north of Captiva, accessible only by water.