Returning to Sanibel Island
Last week, we returned to Sanibel Island, Florida, after almost 44 years. We honeymooned there in 1981. We chose to return to the same resort, but chose a different unit. It would have been fun to revisit our honeymoon suite, but it was unavailable.
We expected some changes to the grounds, and our host alerted us to the damage and rebuilding from hurricanes Helene and Milton that hit Sanibel hard, but it was still sad to see the devastation. The beautiful grounds, complete with a pool on a large man-made island in the middle of a pond, were now under construction. The island and the pool were finished, but they were not open yet. The grounds are being restored, they are laying brick paths, replanting trees and adding beautiful flowering plants, just like we remembered. Though we were disappointed to miss the beautiful grounds, a discount on our stay made up for it. We prefer the beach to a pool, so not having access to the pool wasn’t an issue.
I love walking on the beach, collecting seashells, and searching for sea glass. Despite Sanibel’s reputation for shells, our first day was disappointing. The good news is that each day after was better than the day before!
Abundant shells
On our last afternoon, Nate and I came upon an enormous pile of shells. The shells were rolling in by the hundreds and all to one spot. There were several people already there — I will admit I felt a little panic when I started seeing the good shells and competition. My friend Marian described my feelings about shell searching perfectly on her blogpost: “I felt the same irrational panic I do when I shop for antiques. They beat me to all the good stuff and now I won’t find anything good.” I also get the same feeling at a good estate sale or garage sale. But there were more than enough shells, and it was fun to banter with each other, share what we were finding, and celebrate the fantastic shell finds. There were more than enough shells for all of us. More than enough.
For those of you wondering, yes, I am taking them back to Minnesota. Yes, we flew here, and yes, I have a VERY patient husband!
Here’s how I’m getting the shells home: Nate’s coworker and friend offered a carry-on suitcase that she no longer needs. For the price of a carry-on ($30) I get to keep all the shells! I’d much rather have my found shells than a t-shirt or tchotchky souvenir. You can read in this blog post how I transported home a vintage scale I found at an antique market here in FL.
We’ve left Sanibel, and are now in Jacksonville, which means I get at least one more shot at shell-seeking at Ponte Vedra Beach before we head home!
