Sanibel

Sanibel Island, Florida Earl Plato

If you can’t revisit those nature places you enjoyed in the past, know someone who does. Next door neighbours, Jim and Mary Burrison, spent an October week in one of my favorite places, Sanibel Island, on Florida’s lower west coast. This was a repeat visit to this treasure island just off Fort Meyers. They returned home recently and sent over two colourful magazines for me to peruse.
Elaine and I spent time on Sanibel Island some years ago. Our goal was to visit “Ding” Darling Nature Center, a 6,000 plus acre site. In our rental car we crossed over the toll causeway. These recent magazines brought back vivid memories about “Ding “Darling Nature Center.
We searched in the brochures years ago for an inexpensive trip. We found one for a week’s stay plus a brand new rental car in Florida. Goal- visit nature centers along the state’s west coast. I know American exchange but this deal was so good that exchange was not a great factor. So we eventually arrived at Sanibel Island and “Ding” Darling Nature Visitor Center.
Today according to the Burrison’s 2001 magazines the Visitor Center is brand new. The old one was impressive enough in my estimation. What? Cost of admission is still $5 per car! That’s what we paid almost ten years ago.
My old notes say that the refuge is home to about 300 species of birds, 50 types of reptiles, and some 32 mammal species. We did not rent a narrated tape. We just drove along shell-paved Wildlife Drive and wended our way along the Everglades-type-environment. This is a “Stop and Look” drive.
Alligators everywhere! How close do you get to them? Not too close. Some avid photographers approached these reptiles up close. Now they were not monster types but 6-8 feet in length. Just the same those gaping teeth filled jaws made us be wary. I looked for one of my favourite birds, the Osprey. None in the two days we were there in mid-November. However, there was an observation tower that afforded an osprey’s-eye perspective, Down below were many Snowy egrets and yes, Blue herons. There feeding in the shallows were the beautiful Roseate spoonbills. Yes, I snapped a shot. The magazine says, “On a good day, you may spot Bald eagles, Red-shouldered hawks, white pelicans (not brown) and Pileated woodpeckers.” This is a bird heaven and well worth the trip. Fly? I think that I’ll wait a while, eh.