Sanibel

Rainbow at Bowman Beach, Sanibel Island, Florida. I'm at the Anchor Inn on the Island for a long weekend. Worked to 12:20.  Had to go home, as I forgot my wallet.  Not all bad, as I could remove my sandwich, apple and cookies from a cooler and replace them with another four beers. I think I was on the road at 1:50. Arrived at my lodging, I stayed here for one night in September. Checked in, unloaded the car, loaded the fridge, and headed to the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

Last night, I learned that, with a Duck Stamp, admission to the Refuge is free.  The stamp is $15, admission by car is $5.  I figure I'll recoup my investment in December. The Duck Stamp year began in June, so I do not have quite a full year.  I was told I could get a yearly  pass for Ding Darling, for 12 bucks.  But the Duck Stamp is good at all Federal Wildlife Refuges.. At least that is what the booth attendant told me.  And what better spot to purchase a Duck Stamp than the Refuge named for the artist who designed the first one?   I just looked, and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge does accept the Duck Stamp for admission to Black Point Wildlife Drive and the improved IE, the bumpy dirt road where I usually launch in Haulover Canal is free, boat ramps.  Those spots began to charge a fee last fall.  I bought a 15 dollar annual pass.  When that expires, I'll use the Duck Stamp until June. What a deal.

In the water at 5:20.

The osprey pic was taken from the kayak.  I paddled towards the Observation Tower, and before that, my secret spoonbill spot.

Always a good sight.  But, I've never seen a motor past the "lake" just west of where I launched.  I was headed east.

Good Friday morning.  A few more pics before I head to Lovers Key State Park.  Wildlife Drive in Ding Darling is closed  Fridays.  Gives the wildlife a break.

Back from Lovers Key State Park. I wanted to paddle to Mound Key. but could not find it. My navigational skills are lacking.  More about that later.

No spoonbills in the SSP. The last three pictures were taken in the area across from the observation tower.  An area too shallow to paddle during my December visits, the Refuge raises the water level in the summer.  Lots of spoonbills in June, none today. Good thing I saw one on the way in.

Sharks!

Little one in the shallow water, lemon or nurse is my guess.

One great blue heron among the great egrets on the mangrove island where spoonbills sometime roost.

Water levels are manipulated through the dike. AKA wildlife drive. No entry allowed on the other side.

Paddled past the launch

Hoped to see a dolphin or manatee.

Or, a giant ray, leaping out of the water in the gap to Pine Island Sound.  Saw that the first tine I paddled here. Not once, but twice.  One of the coolest things I've ever seen.  Did not paddle out to the Sound this time.

:Landed at 7:05, the Refuge closes at 7:30.

Yellow crowned night heron from Wildlife Drive.  I drove to Bowmans Beach  A spot where I got some great sunset pics last year.  From the beach.  A bit of a walk from the parking lot. I thought about walking to the beach to check conditions, but decided that would take too long.  So, I loaded 8 quarters in the meter, the kayak on the cart, and wheeled it across a couple boardwalks, a creek, an open area with showers and a playground, and a final boardwalk to the beach.  As I prepared to launch, "a rainbow"

In the eastern sky.  If I had checked conditions I may not have gone out. But, I was there, with kayak, so at 7:50, I set out into the Gulf of Mexico. 

Kind of tough to take photos when waves are crashing over the bow.  Some of the biggest I've paddled in.   I cut it short,  not just the waves, but a impressive lighting bolt.

The waves were at an angle to the beach.  A few yards from shore, one caught me, right to left, and over I went.   I could step out and walk, I thought.  Not in front of an audience, the people on the beach for sunset, said the devil with kayak paddle in lieu of pitchfork, on my other shoulder.  I leaned in the other direction, righted the kayak.  Cockpit half full of sea water, I paddled to shore. By the time I got to shore, it was overflowing, thanks to waves crashing over the back.  I lost sunglasses and sponge.  I could not turn it over to empty the water.  Fortunately, a Good Samaritan was on the beach.  Must have read my mind.  We were able to roll in over,pick it up, and drain most of the water.

Even with most of the water out, the kayak felt very heavy on the way back to the parking lot.  Or, maybe it was just my arms.  Or maybe, or the wet sand that adhered to the yak, top and bottom.  If not for other people,  I would have put the yak, as well as myself, under the shower.

The worst thing about the flip, I had not sealed my dry bag tight enough.  Two spare batteries got wet.  One has recovered. 

I got back to the Anchor Inn at 8:45.  Missed the Packer starters.  Put a semi frozen chicken Parmesan dinner (no freezer in the unit, fridg only), watched the game, wrote this Tale, and made plans for Friday.