Dave's Yak Tales: Sanibel and Collier-Seminole State Park

Visiting Sanibel for the first time since Hurricane Ian. The destruction was/is tremendous. Lots of things are still closed, 5 months later. Baileys, The Lazy Flamingo, Ding Darling, most public beach access parks, to name just a few

Tarpon Bay Explorers is open.

It was very, very windy.

No photos until I got to the islands, 2/3 of the way across Tarpon Bay

Merganser

Approaching Commodore Creek. I was told it was open, but would not be accessible until 11, due to low tide. Which is why I began paddling into the gale.

At 10 past 11, the water level was fine.

Landed at 12:26. Put the kayak on the roof, then sat at a picnic table and ate lunch. I asked if I could leave the car and trailer in the parking lot as I biked. Permission granted. A very slow day. One tandem kayak rental, and a couple of visitors to the gift shop. Tarpon Bay Explorers reopened 2 weeks ago. The only part of the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge to have done so.

The beach at the end of Tarpon Bay Road is the only public beach open on Sanibel, post Ian

Beach front condos have roof and facade damage. Out of respect, I did not take close up photos.

The Bailey Tract, on the left, is closed. As is Bailey's store and all the businesses at the corner of Tarpon Bay Road and Periwinkle Way

Frannie's Preserve, a place I had never visited, is open. It is a Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation tract

Well, not completely open

Doc Ford's opened on Friday. I stopped in. No room at the bar, and lots of folks outside, waiting for a table. I left.

.Bike path blocked at, of all places, "TIMBER"s

Back at Tarpon Bay Explorers

There were two workers at Tarpon Bay Explorers. Wendy, who owns the concession and runs the place, was inside the building. A lone employee, Adam, was working the outside. I assume he is the one who tied my cookies to the car door. Must have left them on the picnic table when I ate lunch.

Scenes from the rebuilt causeway. It will be a while before it is open for pleasure in the water and not just a link to the mainland.

Arrived at Collier Seminole State Park. Went to my campsite, took the trailer off the car, pushed it into place. Went to the back of the trailer...... my rear bike tire was gone. This happened once before. On the Sanibel Causeway. That time, I saw it bouncing on the road as I looked in the rear view mirror. I bounced onto the grass, and I was able to recover it. This time, with the rear view mirror blocked by the trailer, I did not see it happen. It could have happened any time between Tarpon Bay and Collier-Seminole State Park. There was one time when a car was honking, but that was at a back up to enter I-75 and he was several cars behind me.