Sanibel Saturday

 

No beach walk this morning, as it was moving out and in day.

Not for me, I was staying. One brother and spouse was leaving, another was arriving.  I helped clean out the fridg.

On the water at Ding Darling shortly after noon.

Sponge

Mating horseshoe crabs

Bald eagle in flight

Great egret in flight

Landed at 2:45

Gopher tortoise at the condo boardwalk.  It was a nice burrow right under it.  Must be deep, as the sand mound from the excavation is large.

Pat and Eileen were gone.  Derek and Stephanie had caught a flight in the morning.  Pete and Jackie arrived.  We had dinner at the Island Cow.  Outdoors, of course.  Earlier dinning outings during the week were at Traders and Granma Dots. One night, I cooked Italian sausages on the grill, and on another we had takeout from the Lazy Flamingo.

Sanibel Friday

The morning walk to the fishing pier.

 

Sunrise through the clouds.

Shell mound or just road building debris?  I think the latter.

Totem at the entrance to the condo

As it was Friday, I could not launch from Wildlife Drive in Ding Darling. Closed to give wildlife a break.  My first choice was to launch from the end of Dixie Beach Drive and paddle into Tarpon Bay. But, the waters looked a bit choppy, so I went to Tarpon Bay Explorers.

Paid the $7 launch fee, and was on Tarpon Bay at 11

The leaping dolphin in the opening photo.  I got the second leap. The first was within 15-20 yards of me.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Pelicans, herons and egrets roosting in the keys in Tarpon Bay

I missed the opportunity to get a photo of a sea turtle.  I saw it raise its head for a breath of air.   I paddle in the direction the head was pointing.  It came up again. Very near me.  I could see the entire body.  I lifted the camera, the lens pointing at me.  As I turned it around, the turtle dove deep into the Bay.

Into Commodore Creek

Happy Halloween

Landed at 1:30. Followed the paddle with a visit to the Bailey Tract.

I was biking

Back at the condo, the Gulf looked inviting.

Fort Myers Beach