Pets are First on Sanibel: First Aid Hints for Visitors

A few weeks ago, the Red Cross offered a course in pet first aid. It was offered at the Sanibel Recreation Center and apparently quite popular. It has been offered before and brought back by because of the interest in the subject.

Because Sanibel is so pet friendly, many owners of properties, as well as rental guests, travel with dogs and cats. Small dogs especially, are welcomed in many condos and houses. One need only look for "pet friendly" and there will be a few nice places to choose from.

But going on vacation with your pooch necessitates a certain awareness of emergencies that might arise.

Bearing in mind that the ultimate goal is to get your best buddy to the vet asap, here are some guidelines for pet owners provided by the Red Cross on pet first aid.

Emergencies can occur suddenly and without warning. Knowing what to do in the initial moments can be critical to your pet's life. Thanks to the Red Cross, pet owners can equip themselves with first aid and CPR skills.

Everyone with a pet should have a "stash" of necessities for their pet as they do for family members. The pet "suitcase" should include the following:

• Sturdy leashes and carriers
• Medications and copies of medical records
• Current photos of your pet in the event that they get lost
• A first aid kit

Pet owners should also have a plan, anticipating what could go wrong and what to do at each stage of the emergency.

Pet owners should stay informed. Know where vets on Sanibel are located and what their hours are as well as where alternate 24/7 vet care is available.

Course participants in the Red Cross class received a Dog First Aid and a Cat First Aid Manual. The manuals each contained a 30 minute DVD with step-by-step information on safety procedures and dealing with medical emergencies.

What's New On/near The Island: Sanibel Is Just Waiting for You!

Because Sanibel Island is two thirds a nature preserve, low key with a moratorium on building of new condominium complexes, to a large degree it has kept the same feel for many years. It's a tropical, tranquil spot that is able to combine a great natural experience with all the comforts, and cultural experiences, of much larger and environments.



Despite its dedication to providing a great beach, shelling and animal viewing experience for vacationers, it does offer, on and immediately off island, some stimulation with new things to see, do, places to eat and adventures to take.

We'd like to highlight two exciting offerings, one on and one off Island----- and will from time to time focus on others via this blog.

Tomorrow night, January 22, the Island Community House will host "Dancing with the Stars of Sanibel and Captiva." The evening, created as a fund-raiser for the Sanibel Community Association, will feature six celebrity dancers from Sanibel & Captiva. There will be professional instructors from Fred Astaire Studios. Three local judges, a DJ, an Emcee and a Hostess will be part of the evening as well, and the winnner will be determined by the judges scores and the most votes (donations) raised by the dancers. The proceeds of this event will support the SCA in its vision to remodel and update The Community House. There will be several locations around Sanibel where the contest can be watched live on closed circuit TV:


Doc Fords
Lazy Flamingo
Matzaluna
Sweet Melissa's
The Dunes
The Sanctuary Golf Club
The Sanibel Grill at The Timbers

Call each location for specific details! The show begins at 7pm.

One of the most exciting things happening close by but off island is the new boat tour around Sanibel and Captiva. The Edison Estates now offers a tour of more than 25 miles of coastline from Captiva Island to Thomas Edison's famed Fort Myers estates. The tour takes you past Sanibel and by nearly 400 miles of canals that were nothing in Edison's era. It's a chance to look back on Florida's past and learn a little more about its current climate.

After a stop and tour of Edison and Ford's estate grounds, visitors get back on the boat and go home.
The tours leave Captiva every Wednesday at 10 am. They are $70 a person or $60 for children.

Future blog posts will feature new shops, restaurants, things to do and other news about Sanibel Island.

Wide Range of Events Available on Sanibel This Winter Season

For a 12 mile long barrier island, Sanibel is remarkable in a number of ways.

The Island philosophy emphasizes the natural wonders of the Island, and the preservation and conservation of wild life and natural island treasures is truly unique.

Just for the natural beauty, abundance of nature, low density population and low rise buildings as well as the shell strewn beaches, Sanibel would stand out from so many other attractive Florida destinations.

But Sanibel offers much more.

Where in Florida (or the world for that matter), can you find a menu of cultural events as diverse as Sanibel's wild life viewing?

Beginning on January 13, with The Euclid Quartet, Big Arts---the home of the arts on Sanibel----is hosting a wide variety of performances.

Classical concerts, in January alone, include a Sunday afternoon concert on January 16th featuring Pianist Julio Elizalde and Cellist Bonnie Hampton. The Bergonzi String Quartet performs at night on January 27. The New Arts Trio performs on Sunday afternoon, January 30. In addition to the live concerts in January, there is also a video production of Le Nozze di Figaro being shown on January 20.

February also offers a full range of impressive entertainment. In addition to the classical musical repertoires being offered, the world acclaimed video of Sleeping Beauty will be shown on the night of February 9. The play, Sylvia, about a stray dog, will be performed on February 3. The Persuasions will be performing classic soul on February 5. The music of Johnny Mercer will be performed on February 12 by Lee Lessack and Linda Purl. And concluding the month on the lighter side, The Kingston Trio will perform a matinee show as the evening one is sold out. Both performances are on February 19.

And for visitors coming in March, the show goes on. There is a Chamber Music Concert featuring the Southwest Florida Symphony on March 20. Tap Kids show off the nation's most talented tap dancers on March 26. A performance on March 9 by the Cardinal Stage Company of Souvenir, will tell the story of tone deaf diva Florence Foster Jenkins. And a very inviting marionette show on March 30 by Cashore Marionettes will be held on March 30 and feature music by such notable composers as Beethoven, Vivaldi, Strauss, and Copland.

And for those visitors accustomed to paying a kings ransom in big cities around the country and world for these kind of activities, take heart. The prices on the island are a bargain by any body's calculations!

Great Resolutions for a Sanibel Holiday

It's been a wild 2 weeks on Sanibel with every kind of weather you could imagine over the holidays.

We had sun.

We had warm.

We had cool.

We had wind.

But now we are pretty much back to normal with temps in the 70's, blue skies, warming rays and just the gentlest of breezes.

And there is the usual enormous surge of inquiries from vacation rental guests experiencing bitter cold elsewhere who have begun to look for a port in the winter storm. We can accommodate most, but not all of their needs, and we certainly don't like to turn any one away so we are working hard to find the perfect place for our visitors for the future. And we are working with our current guests to assure that they are comfortably settled in for their stay.

In talking to our guests, current and future, we realize that some resolutions might be in order for the best enjoyment of Sanibel.

Here are half a dozen we would suggest to all who know and appreciate how special a place the Island is:

1. I shall not wait until January of 2012 to look for a great place to stay on Island in February of 2012. Last minute "deals" can be found, but the best deals are usually discovered well in advance of the busiest month of the year.

2. I shall anticipate the weather flux and flows of winter on Sanibel and carry down more than colorful shorts and t-shirts for my stay.

3. I shall not forget my sun tan lotion for those (often experienced) glorious days when the sun is high and bright. Winter on Sanibel can result in a burn if the sun bather does not take care.

4. I shall bring my own entertainment (kindle, books, DVD's, games) for the rare days of wind and cool. Though most vacation rental properties offer entertainment in these forms, it's always nice to have your own play toys with you!

5. I shall be flexible on dining out, especially on a holiday night. Eating earlier or later than usual may help you find a comfortable table at your favorite restaurant. And calling ahead at some restaurants for a reservation can be a boon as well.

6. I shall enjoy the wild life of the island in passive form. I shall heed the directives to stay away from the banks of fresh water. I shall leave only foot prints on the sand and take only memories and (discarded shells) away.

Intergenerational Travel to Sanibel: Why's and Where fores

Because Sanibel is kid friendly, educationally advantageous and safe, it is a very popular tourist destination for families with young kids. Similarly, its quiet environment, intimate dining options and easy to navigate topography make it equally popular with seniors, from young retirees to seasoned elders. And for those "tweeners", the number of active sporting options from boating, to biking to para sailing, the Island is a magnet. So when mom, dad, grand ma and grand pa and the kids in the family--- ranging from 2 to 20---are looking for a winter break or summer holiday, Sanibel Island is often on the list of maybe's.

At Sanibel Holiday, we are able to offer a variety of accommodations that can be tailored to the needs and budget of our intergenerational family travelers.

When it's a larger party looking for ultimate "togetherness" and able to commit to a month on Island, we suggest our private home rentals. A house with 3 bedrooms, a lanai, a pool and all the amenities from fully stocked kitchens to well supplied media options, provides the family with the optimum in bedding, cooking and entertainment. It also allows for various members of the family to seek out and utilize their own space within the home. A larger condo might work as well, and the weekly rather monthly obligation, is more convenient for many vacationers, but the privacy of a home is often preferred by families who are looking to establish their own unique resort vacation.

Often, a larger group will opt for 2 or 3 condos in the same complex. Sanibel Holiday is happy to help in making these kind of arrangements. Condo units near each other but providing specific resolutions, are a very effective way for the big groups to vacation together. Those individuals who want the utmost in quietude, are directed to the last floors of a complex in order to avoid the possibility of "heavy stepping" upstairs neighbors. Similarly, the physically challenged as well as the moms and dads who want to walk right in after a day of shell collecting may be more attracted to first floor units and the easy access they provide.

So finding the right accommodation is relatively easy.

Another matter to consider is transportation on the Island.

It's always easy as the Island is small and slow going. But those seeking a larger condo or even a house might want to consider the issue of parking. Most condos come with one parking space per unit, and during busy times could not accommodate the 2 or 3 vehicles a larger group may need when staying in the same apartment. This should be discussed and explored to see if there are ample guest parking spaces where the additional cars can be parked. Some homes have enough driveway space to accommodate multiple cars, but this is not always the case and exploration on this matter should be accomplished before a booking is made.

Eating in is a great option in a vacation rental. All condos and homes come supplied to allow you to make meals in. But we do counsel our clients that meal planning with a intergenerational group may be a bit more complicated and communicating dietary preferences will make the job simpler and quicker. There are two large, lovely and diversified grocery stores on Island, and several smaller ones. It is unlikely you will not find what you like in these stores, it just takes time and consideration to make sure you have what you want in your rental accommodation.

One thing is for certain, regardless of the composition of your family, you will find a stay on the Island to be the best vacation you ever had!

Sounds in the Night on Sanibel

It has occurred to us that though there is great peace and tranquility on our little Island, that there are Island sounds all day long.

The singing of birds, the wind in the palms, the lapping of the Gulf, are familiar sunshine "songs" that we hear all day.

But the sounds actually increase after the sun sets.

Since the sounds we want to discuss have been recorded nicely, we hope that you might be sufficiently interested and that you will click on our links and take a listen.

One delightful bird that you will hear more often at night than in the day is the Chuck-Will's-Widow. Sometimes confused with the Whip-Poor-Will, they are actually two different birds. The Chuck-Will's Widow is found in pine woods and swamp lands and can actually be posted right outside your bedroom window saying good night to you in his chipper way.

Another bird that shows up at dusk and later is the Great Horned Owl. Great Horned Owls have a number of calls, but the males owl's territorial hoot can be heard miles away on a still night. Great Horned Owls can be quite large with the female the larger of the sexes. They attack, kill and eat a wide variety of fish and amphians and can snatch and kill smaller prey 2 to 3 times larger than themselves, including little dogs and cats. Fortunately, little dogs and cats do not roam at will on the Island and this is a word to the wise human owners for certain.


Not nearly as common, but a most startling sound of the night is the gray fox call. It is an eerie sound and varies in tone and duration. Foxes are generally nocturnal animals and have retractable claws, like cats. As you will see by clicking on the link, the call has a large number of variations. The dense, natural landscape of Sanibel makes the Island an ideal habitat for the gray fox though no one has yet documented their existense with photos.


Then there are the smaller critters. There are a variety of frogs, lizards, crickets and other little Sanibel residents whose calls, croaks, clicks and shrills during the night blend into one unending lullaby. The frogs may be nocturnal or diurnal, but it appears that rain at any time of day waters their urge to call out.

If you can envision a night free from the usual urban or suburban sounds of traffic, sirens, barking dogs and tv's blaring, you might want to try the evening and night time sounds of Sanibel Island.

A Perfect Place for Sanibel Holiday Shopping

Sanibel Island can't offer the snow covered, cozy streets of your childhood, but it sure can offer a great, green spot to do your winter holiday gift buying for your children...or anyone else.

There are many stores throughout the Island where you can find unique presents to take home to your friends, acquaintences and loved ones. Maybe even a bargain or two.

One particularly efficient area to begin your shopping is Periwinkle Place Shops.

This group of stores offers a wide variety of small shops where you can find treasures for everyone on your list, regardless of age. And, in many instances, you are able to not only find a nice gift but also bring home a touch of the Island with you.

Begin your search at Sanibel Sunglass Company. Here, you will find a significant array of unique and fun sunglasses. And, don't forget yourself. The brilliant sunshine on our little tropical island will remind you that a nice pair of sunglasses is just the thing you can pack and bring back to your crisp, cold environment at home. Imagine yourself building snowmen with the youngsters in your family wearing a stylish and colorful pair of "shades" you just brought home from vacation.

Still in a tropical mood? Then continue shopping with a stop at Congress Jewelers. This Island "gem" will offer you some traditional jewelry crafting as well as some items a little off the beaten path. Peruse the sea life jewelry. We're betting there is some lucky lady in your life who will love an unsual pair of earrings or pin.

Both Paradise Sanibel and Tiki Jim's have a great selection of t-shirts for men, women and children. And do browse the isles for more. Paradise Sanibel also sells sweatshirts and Tiki Jim's has some humorous items on sale as well.

If the children in your family are not t-shirt afficionados, take a look at Friday's Child, a most distinctive kids store for "way cool" kids. And not to be missed is Toy's Ahoy, where books, educational games and fun toys will keep you entertained as you seek the perfect present.

Want something to munch on, a quick snack or sweet treat, while you do your gift list check offs?

The Cheese Nook will most definitely have some wonderful tidbit for you to buy and eat. And for something a bit sweeter, you can stop into Chocolate Expressions, where you can buy cookies or ice cream....or both!

If you are hungry for something a little more substantial, don't overlook The Blue Giraffe, a restaurant growing in ranking among Sanibel natives and return visitors. Not hungry at all, but just needing to get off your feet? We understand and sympathize and suggest you take a break at the Sanibel Day Spa, guaranteed to pamper you to your heart's content.

Within the Periwinkle Shops and across the Island, you will find art, clothes, food items, books and every manner of gift you might imagine. Come down. Bring your gift list. Bring your enthusiasm for a wonderful vacation in an extraordinarily natural, tropical environment. We guarantee you will never have as nice a time shopping anywhere else.