July 8, 2012 Gainesville FL to Cape Coral, Sanibel and Fort Meyers FL

Driving down from Gainsville took us through some beautiful classic Florida countryside including a drive over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge right by Tampa and St. Petersburg, at the entrance of Tampa Bay.

Today we were back in Dick’s parents “old stomping ground.”  Cape Coral was where they “retired” (although they both worked most of the time) to Florida for ten years in the 1980’s.  Dick spent many vacations down on the Gulf Coast of Florida and this area is lovely.  We took the opportunity to drive by and see his parent’s house in Cape Coral.  This city had about 25,000 people when they moved there about 35 years ago, now it has over 150,000.  Talk about growth and suburban sprawl!

Sanibel Island is known to have some of the very best shelling in the world.  We were able to collect at least a small bag full, even though it was high tide.  We saw our first lighthouse of the trip-another of our favorite things we look out for.

The island is filled with people vacationing and many retired people who make their home down here.

A big portion of the Island is protected in the J.R. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.  The slow drive through the Refuge has always been one of the Dick’s favorite experiences that he especially shared with his mother many times.  Although this is not the high season to see waterfowl we did see great blue herons, great herons, little blue herons, snowy egrets, white ibis, and Rosette Spoonbills.  They have updated the experience by having scanable codes that you scan with your iPhone and then it bring sup a You-Tube video of  ranger talking.  Quite cool and a good use of new technology to help the younger people connect with the beautiful land and its inhabitants.  The road is also now paved. We looked several places where we hoped to see alligators, but none were showing themselves.

One of the biggest draws are the lovely beaches.  We got down on a couple of them including taking the time in the late afternoon (after the brutally hot sun got less intense) to do some swimming.  The water is in the upper 80’s, almost as warm as bathwater.  VERY different than the icy cold water near us in San Diego which is only warmer enough to really swim in in the very late summer.  Otherwise you need to water a wet suit.  Not here!

Diner was at an old favorite restaurant of Dick’s Mom  The Mucky duck right on the beach on Captiva Island.  We had fabulous seafood and met some very friend people.

We toyed with the thought of walking on the beach for sunset, but the black clouds were beginning to roll in.  We walked for a tiny ways, but could hear the thunder coming, so decided it was time to go check into our hotel in Fort Meyers.  The rain began as we were headed off the island.  A lovely, lovely day with perfect timing.