Observations at the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival

Though it's been a few weeks since the Festival took place, it was such a lovely setting and such nice weather, we have to look back at the history and the highlights as a heads up for next year.  We know our rental guests, even if not kayakers, canoe enthusiasts or paddle boarders themselves, would love the feel and the sight of this special time.

Almost every section of Florida offers great places to kayak or canoe. But the southwestern section along Lee County is doing more than any other to promote itself as a great kayaking destination.

The 2013 Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival is a good example of how to bring attention to kayaking and canoeing.

The Calusa Blueway Paddling trail is a 190-mile marked and meandering saltwater trail. The annual Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival is designed to draw attention to what a great place it is to kayak.

The 2013 Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival, was held November 1 to 3. The event, which started in 2006, was named one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events for 2012.  And for good reason.

The festival included demos, competitive canoe/kayak races, a kayak fishing tournament, paddling clinics and demonstrations, seminars, family activities, environmental events, guided tours, and celebrations along The Great Calusa Blueway.

Matlacha’s Bluegrass for a Blueway and A Taste of Matlacha were certainly highlights of the Festival.   Free to the public, the events featured music from Wild Caught and served as a fundraiser for the Pine Island Food Pantry. There were “tastes” from area restaurants and event attenders were offered a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddle board for free courtesy of Florida Paddle Sports and Gulf Coast Kayak.

As interesting as the planned activities were, however, we were smitten with the unplanned images that typify the Festival.

We took home in our mind's eye, so many picture perfect moments.

There were the numerous couples sharing a kayak or paddle board and exemplifying the concept that couples who play together stay together.

And there were dads, and even moms, who paddled along with a youngster en board.

But our favorites "co-paddlers" were those with their pet pooch along for the ride.

Those that achieved the biggest kudos were the great gymnasts who flaunted their accomplishments on their paddle boards,  and the courageous wheel chair paddlers who managed to keep their balance even with their equipment on board.

To the organizers of this iconic event, we applaud you all.  To all those who have not yet attended, keep a look out for the dates set for 2014.  You will not be disappointed!

Sanibel Island a great place for seeing Butterflies

“Butterflies are self propelled flowers. ”
― R.H. Heinlein

And so we who love Sanibel would agree.  While there is so much wild life on Sanibel Island that the "mere" butterfly can easily be missed, those who love these self propelled flowers will not be disappointed.

When it comes to the sheer variety in butterflies, Sanibel stands tall.  In fact, there are approximately 28,000 butterfly species worldwide. In the United States and Canada there are about 725 species. 80% are in the tropics, and Sanibel has quite a few to brag about.

In fact, one nice aspect of a Sanibel holiday is the tour of the Butterfly House at the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF). 

The Butterfly House was conceived by the Native Plant Nursery as an extension of the Landscaping for Wildlife program. It was constructed by Foundation Volunteers (the screen enclosure was subcontracted), and financed through the Lolly Cohen Memorial Fund and donations.

One of the exhibit’s primary functions is to educate residents and visitors about butterfly biology and wildlife ecology. One can observe butterflies at all stages of their life cycle, from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult. Plants within the exhibit provide nectar for adults from flowers and leaves as food for their caterpillars. The larval plants for the caterpillars are essential to the completion of a butterfly’s life cycle. .
 
Butterfly House Tours are Tuesdays at 10 a.m. for a suggested $1 donation. A guide will teach you about the life cycle and behavior of butterflies. The butterfly house is open year-round to all visitors without a guide.  It's a very special place, and we highly recommend a visit.

Some of the Butterflies you will learn about at the Butterfly House are those you will see commonly throughout the Island.

The Dingy Purplewing has an upperside  that is brown-black with a slight purple sheen. Dull, blurry white spots on forewing apex. Underside is brownish gray with no distinct pattern.  The purplewing in caterpillar stage can be found in Gumbo Limbo trees, quite prevalent on the Island.  As adult butterflies they eat otting fruit, dung, and sap; seldom flower nectar.

More brilliant in appearance is the Ruddy Daggerwing. The tip of  Ruddy Daggerwing's forewing is elongated. The hindwing has long dagger-like tails. Upperside is orange with 3 thin black lines. Underside is mottled brown and black, resembling a dead leaf. In caterpillar stage, the Daggerwing can be found living in Common fig trees (Ficus carica) and wild banyan tree (F. citrifolia) in the fig family (Moraceae).  As adults their diets are largely nectar from giant milkweed in Florida; Cordia, Casearia, Lantana, and Mikania in the tropics.

But perhaps our favorite on the Island is the Gulf Fritillary, easily and often seen. This "popular" guy has an upperside bright orange with black markings; 3 black-encircled white dots on forewing leading edge. Underside brown; forewing with orange at base; both wings with elongated, iridescent silver spots.  As caterpillars, they can be found in various species of passion-vine including maypops (Passiflora incarnata) and running pop (P. foetida).  As adult butterflies, their food is nectar from lantana, shepherd\'s needle, cordias, composites, and others.

Sanibel is a "tasty" place, and this past Sunday proved the point!

Generally when it comes to a Sanibel event, we like to announce it before, rather than report on it after the fact.

But the Annual Taste of the Islands bears reporting even though it is over.

It appeared to us that this was the largest of the annual tastings, and we think there may have been a couple of reasons for the growth in attendance that are very relevant to vacations on Sanibel.

Looking at all the not only happy but familiar faces, we are left suspecting that some vacationers choose this time of year because of the event.  And why not?

Being on Sanibel in November is always a joy.  The weather is usually great, the Gulf is often still warm, there are no crowds and accommodations are still at low season rates.  It's the best combination of an island vacation, and very special time in this sweet tropical place.

In addition, the combination of the "Taste" being on a three day week-end, at a time when visitors from the USA have school conventions and time off for the kids, and when Europeans are starting to experience the cool and gray weather so common in November in places like Germany and northern France.

We also wonder if the change of venues might have been a draw as well.  The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club was an excellent choice with a lovely, spacious setting ....and free parking to boot. 

And some of our favorites were again in play.  Cip's , Traders, Jacaranda nearly 20 other restaurants were there with their great fare.  Food that helps to

But perhaps the most compelling reason for the attention and popularity was the opportunity to support the Center for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife.  C.R.O.W relies heavily on this event.  It is their premier fund-raiser of the year.  And as C.R.O.W. continues to get known for the wonderful work they do, more and more people want to attend Taste of the Islands as a way to support C.R.O.W. and get to see their friends who are there for the same reason.

So, as a heads up for next year, you might want to consider a fall vacation on Sanibel for you and your family.  And there might not be a better time to be here than for the Taste of the Islands.

Meet some of our crabby neighbors on Sanibel!

We have a lot of nice people living on and visiting our tropical Island.

But we also have a lot of crabs.

No, not human crabs, but the kind that live in our lush vegetation, or crawl on or beaches or live in our trees.

We'd like to introduce you to a few of our favorites as well as hear from you on your favorites as well.

One of  most unique neighbors is the hermit crab.  What makes the hermit crab so unusual is that he borrows "homes" from other sea creatures.  Most frequently hermit crabs use the shells of sea snails .  The tip of the hermit crab's abdomen is adapted to clasp strongly onto the columella (central axis) of the snail shell.

As the hermit crab grows in size, it has to find a larger shell and abandon the previous one. This habit of living in a second hand shell gives rise to the popular name "hermit crab", by analogy to a hermit who lives alone. Several hermit crab species, both terrestrial and marine, use vacancy chains to find new shells: when a new, bigger shell becomes available, hermit crabs gather around it and form a kind of queue from largest to smallest. When the largest crab moves into the new shell, the second biggest crab moves into the newly vacated shell, thereby making its previous shell available to the third crab, and so on. Hermit crabs often "gang up" on a hermit crab that has what they perceive to be a better shell, where they will actually pry its home (shell) away from it and then compete for it, and one will ultimately take it over.

Now how is that for strategic living?

The horse shoe crab is another favorite of ours, perhaps the most unusual looking of all our island crabs.  The entire body of the horseshoe crab is protected by a hard carapace. It has two compound lateral eyes ,  plus a pair of median eyes that are able to detect both visible light and UV-light, a single endoparietal eye and a pair of rudimentary lateral eyes on the top. The latter becomes functional just before the embryo hatches. There is also a pair of ventral eyes located near the mouth. But despite all these eyes, the poor horseshoe crab has relatively poor eyesight. The mouth is located in the center of the legs, where their base have the same function as jaws and helps grinding up food. It has five pairs of legs for walking, swimming, and moving food into the mouth, each with a claw at the tip except the last pair. The long, straight, rigid tail can be used to flip itself over if turned upside down.

Horseshoe crabs are the most commonly seen shell in the area because they are so large and many raccoons like to dine on them.

And speaking of fine dining, we must admit that our number one special crab is the blue crab. Oh, maybe they don't have the wit of the hermit crab or the looks of the horse shoe crab but they sure taste good~!

What is your favorite crab on Sanibel Island?

Biking Safety and other Tips for enjoying Sanibel Island

A 12 mile long tropical island, mostly a nature preserve, is an idyllic hide-out from the rest of the world. 

Traffic moves slowly, crime is close to non existent, and life is good. Very good.

But no place as natural as Sanibel Island is completely free of concern.

There are the usual considerations one would give to any place in the sun.  One must pay attention to being hydrated while walking, biking or beaching.  And covering up to avoid both sun burn and bug bites is clearly a good step to take.

As for the alligators, the rule is simple.  Stay away from still waters.  Walking close to the edge of a bayou or lake is never a good idea in any tropical climate.

All this said, we recently came across an article with detailed and excellent bike safety rules that we would like to share with you.  Though Sanibel is one of the best and safest places to ride a bike, with 22 miles of bike trails to entertain the eye and ear, it is always advisable to heed the special direction of experts.  And this is what they say.

If riders decide to use the public roadways, it should be noted that in Florida bicycles are considered vehicles and subject to the same rules of the roads as vehicles. Hand signals should be used when turning; headsets are not allowed; lights must be used at night, and bicyclists under sixteen must wear helmets.

On the bike paths, riders should yield to pedestrians and demonstrate courtesy when overtaking other cyclists. An audible signal should be used to alert people on foot, and passing should be done to the left. In marked crosswalks, bicyclists have the same rights as pedestrians. Treating each other with respect keeps everyone safe and enhances the vacation experience.

In a nut shell: Florida Bicycle Safety
• All bicyclists under the age of 16 must wear helmets.
• On the roadways, bicycles are considered vehicles and must follow the same rules of the road.
• Use hand signals when turning.
• Headsets are not allowed.
• Lights must be used at night.
• Yield to pedestrians.

Bicycling is a great way to visit the many shopping areas along Periwinkle Way. It is also a fun way to explore the beaches of the islands. By using an island map, you can make your own itinerary. Be sure to bring along water and sunscreen. And above all, have a great ride.

Leaping Lemurs: The strangest sighting yet on Sanibel

As a nature island dedicated to the preservation of wild life, we are always happy to learn that a new species has been spotted on Sanibel...or that a species thought long gone is back again.

In the past couple of years, there have been some delightful sightings.  There  was the bear who made it over to visit, gray fox have been heard in the night, and the indigo snake believed long gone is enjoying the Island once again.

But all the above are critters indigenous to the Island, or at least the area.

The sightings last month have certainly created much more of a stir.

Ring tailed Lemurs are only found on Madagascar, so imagine the surprise when there were a couple of calls into the city's environmental office reporting their appearance.

The first report was largely dismissed, the thought being that the person who saw them mistook 2 raccoons for lemurs.  Even the second call did not raise real concern.

But when a third sighting was reported, by a city employee well versed in just what a lemur looks like, the reality set in. 

There could really be a pair of Lemurs roaming the Island!  Though no one has yet been able to capture a photo of the special couple, the accuracy in detailing their appearance leaves little doubt after the third sighting.

If it does turn out lemurs are roaming Sanibel, the city will work with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to decide what to do.    Holly Milbrandt, the city’s environmental biologist says the Island's WCC will probably catch and move them. Milbrandt thinks it’s most likely that someone let them go on the island or they’re escaped pets, though none have been reported missing.

Thanks to their fuzzy coats, big golden eyes and black button noses (remember King Julian in “Madagascar”?) ring-tailed lemurs easily win human hearts. They star in zoos and preserves around the world and in Southwest Florida, live at the Naples Zoo, North Fort Myers’ Shell Factory and Sanibel’s Periwinkle Park Campground, — and yes, all of the park’s lemurs are accounted for.

With rounded fingernails instead of claws and fused lower teeth, Milbrandt doubts the lemurs pose a major threat to humans, “though we do want the public to be safe.”

“If they’ve escaped from somewhere, they’re probably more scared than we are,” she says. “We just want to be sure the animals are safe. It doesn’t make sense to just let them fend for themselves.”

So keep your eyes  and mind open and pay attention to movement in the bushes.  You might just find a rare visitor in your midst!

Issues on National Stage Effect Little Sanibel: The Toll of the Government Shut Down

Please be aware that this blog post is not going to take sides on the Government shut down.  We believe all parties in our capital have contributed to an environment that has allowed this shut down to happen. 

We also believe that greater struggles in our country have been addressed and overcome. So we are hopeful that agreements can and will be reached.

But we can not ignore the fact that our tropical island paradise has been effected by conversations that are , or are not taking, place hundreds of miles away.

It is easy to live and work on Sanibel and feel shielded from the problems in the world.  The beautiful weather, the lush environment, the belief that time is passing more slowly than on the main land all lull us into an almost dream like state.

Indeed, it is almost a shock when anything bad happens to or on the Island as we are so accustomed to life being just about perfect.

But the impasse in Washington D.C. has landed with a heavy thud on our soft territory.

The closure of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island hasn’t just inconvenienced visitors hoping to bike its trails or glimpse magnificent birds such as the roseate spoonbill. It’s costing jobs.

Tarpon Bay Explorers, a tour business that caters to the refuge’s nearly 800,000 yearly visitors, has had to cease operations, leaving 23 workers with no paycheck until Congress ends a government shutdown that has closed hundreds of national parks and preserves since October 1.

Obviously, everyone is concerned about the shut down and pulling for as quick an opening of Ding Darling as possible.  We recognize particularly the special nature of our preserve.

Everyone, however, except the creatures who live in the preserve are worried.  And that is a big exception.

The alligators, the Roseate Spoonbills, the four legged creatures and fish in the lagoons are going about their business as usual.  They do not need us at all, and are perfectly content not to have cars or bikes or walkers strolling through their neighborhood.

The preserve is not a zoo, or a circus or a national museum that can not sustain itself with out the upright residents of the earth.  Everything a Ding Darling resident needs is right there within their grasp.

Clearly, the shutdown is dumping buckets of cold water on the heads of business owners, vacation guests and those who cater to the visitor trade.

But the animals?  No, they have hardly even noticed the signs saying Ding Darling is shut down.  That, at least, does give us some peace.