Sanibel, Day 4

Sanibel Sunday started with this complete breakfast.

The left over salad from Jerry's, plus steak and green pepper.

My room.  This was my second time at the Anchor Inn.  The first, last September, my room had microwave, coffee pot,  and refrigerator only.  This had that, and a two burner stove top.  And toaster.  No freezer, but the ice machine was just 4 doors away.  No maid service, I got more coffee at the office.  All the utensils, pots, pans, towels I required. $280.83 for three nights. "Low" for Sanibel because its 3/4 of a mile from the beach.

On Wildlife Drive in Ding Darling at 9:15. My third visit of the weekend, the Duck Stamp has paid for itself.

As I wrote on Thursday, the Duck Stamp also gets me into the fee areas at the Merritt Island NWR.  Just checked the Canaveral National Seashore.  The Duck Stamp does not grant admission, but lowers the  price of an annual Seashore Pass from 35 to 20 bucks.  I think chances are pretty good I'll be there 5 times between now and June.  Should I buy an annual pass, I'll make sure I do.

Not from the kayak, still driving to the launch.

On the water at 9:45

I paddled about halfway across the "lake", saw it was a bit choppy on Pine Island Sound, so I turned around.  I had wanted to paddle to the end of the Wulfert Trail, and maybe see the manatees I watched Saturday.

Great egret in the secret spoonbill spot.

Barely visible, one of three manatees just off the overlook between the observation tower and the secret spoonbill spot.  Much more visible when one swam beneath the yak.

I was alerted to the manatees presence by a group of people on the overlook. Folks who I had chatted with on the drive in.  They told me spoonbills were on the island across from the Observation Tower.  I was headed that way anyway, but it was good info to have.

Brown pelican.  Unable to get a pic of a sortie of five magnificent frigate birds.

This is what the sky looked like, so I turned around.

But as you can see, the bad weather as moving in fast.  If the manatees were still off the overlook, they were laying low.

Paddled out into the "lake" but the rain caught me, so I turned back.  On Thursday I wrote I've never seen motor boats east of here.  So of course, today I saw two.  Jon boats with trolling motors.  I told them they were cheating.  At the launch site, the busiest I have ever seen it. Me, the two boats, and another kayaker.  All landing about the same time to beat the rain.  We failed.

Great egret through the car window.

The rain let up a little so I stopped to walk the Wulfert Keys Trail. Would the manatees I saw Saturday be off the end of the trail?

Let up a little, I said.

 I saw manatees, again. Not long enough for a photo.

On to the Bailey Tract for a bike ride

Finished the short ride, just over a mile, at 1:15. Lots of daylight left, but I decided to head home.

If I did anything more, these Sanibel Tales would not have been completed until next week.  As it is, it took until Thursday.

The 220 mile drive took longer than usual.  Passed through 3 or 4 very heavy thunderstorms on the way home. Too bad everyone doesn't think of driving with emergency flashers on.  Makes it a lot easier to see the car in front of you.

Looking forward to my next long weekend.  Five days for Labor Day.  I was thinking of visiting family in Key West, then Oleta River State Park in Miami.  And a Brewers-Marlins game.  But, some of the family will be out of town, so I'll save Key West for later.  Probably Thanksgiving.  Labor Day weekend may be a Cedar Key trip.  Stay tuned.