"If once you have slept on an island, you'll never be quite the same again" is a quote from a favorite poem of mine by Rachel Field. It is thought that she wrote this in the 1920's about an island off the coast of Maine, but every time I read it I think of Sanibel Island. Sanibel is by far one of my favorite places to sleep and shell and eat and rest and walk and bicycle and shop and read and relax!! It is my favorite place hands down.
I first visited the island in February of 1959 with my parents and my five year old brother. We had never been to Sanibel and decided it would be a little adventure. We took the ferry across and after boarding, discovered it was the last one of the day, so we were staying. Luckily, we found a small motel on the beach, and I wish I could remember the name of it, it was two story, sitting in a "V", facing the beach. There really weren't many places there at that time. In the morning we went out to look for shells and it was the most incredible sight I have ever seen. There were huge shells everywhere! We had never seen so many shells. Sanibel immediately became my dream, and I was never quite the same again!
I was not able to return until about 1992, so it was a little bit of a shock to discover the causeway, all the Sanibel Island Condos, and see all the change that had come about, but the thrill was still there. We discovered Ocean's Reach Condominiums, a wonderfully serene place to park our flip-flops. In fact, the feeling at Ocean's reach is quite reminiscent of days gone by. It is rather secluded compared to a few of the larger properties and it has only sixty-four units in all. There are four buildings with four stories each and all of the units are unique and brand new, courtesy of Hurricane Charlie. Ocean's Reach offers a beautiful view of the ocean from each of their screened porches and it is only 19 steps to the beach. Nineteen steps to paradise! In fact, it is only a step in any direction on Sanibel to a part of paradise. Every where you look the bountiful vegetation is lush with flowers of all colors, and the beaches are teeming with shore birds looking for their meals. I remember one morning, leaving Ocean's Reach for my morning beach walk, there was a line of trees just to the right of Ocean's Reach in front of Casa Ybel, that were so full of pelicans that they looked sure to topple. Of course, as usual I had forgotten my camera and only have the picture in my mind, but I was never quite the same again.
Sanibel Island today, unlike the Sanibel I first met, is abounding with rentals to suite any need. It is not necessarily an inexpensive place to vacation, but then again, it is not like any other place I have been. I have never been anywhere before where I was able to stroll along the beach and have a dolphin swim beside me. I swear it was so close I could touch it and it seemed to know that it was "walking" with me, and once again, no camera. Sometimes, I feel like my Sanibel stories are rather like "the one that got away", but to me, they are what keep my dreams of Sanibel alive until the next time. Try staying just one night on Sanibel and know that you'll never be quite the same again.
If you would like to visit Sanibel Island, more information is available about Sanibel Island Condos and Sanibel Island Accomodations
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