Sanibel Island , the seashell capital of the world, is an island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers. In 2000, it had an estimated population of 6,064 people. Located within Lee County, Sanibel is a barrier island – a collection of sand on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from the more solid coral-rock of Pine Island.
The city of Sanibel incorporates the entire island, with most of the city proper at the east end of the island. The community of Santiva, a portmanteau of Sanibel and Captiva, is at the northwestern end of the island. After the Sanibel causeway was built to replace the ferry in May 1963, the residents fought back against overdevelopment by establishing the Sanibel Comprehensive Land Use Plan in 1974 helping to maintain a balance between development and preservation of the island's ecology. A new, higher bridge without a bascule (drawbridge) having to open for tall boats and sailboats, was completed in late 2007.
Thanks in part to the new causeway, Sanibel is rapidly becoming a popular tourist destination known for its beaches, shelling, and wildlife refugees. More than half of the island is made up of wildlife refugees, the largest one is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The Island also hosts the Sanibel Historical Village and a variety of other museums and theaters.In August 2004 Hurricane Charley hit the island causing mandatory evacuation for the island's residents and resulting in the most damage done to the island in 44 years.
History
Sanibel and Captiva formed as one island about 6000 years ago. The first humans in the area were the Calusa, who arrived about 2500 years ago. The Calusa were a powerful Indian nation who came to dominate most of southwest Florida through trade and their elaborate system of canals and waterways. Sanibel remained an important Calusa settlement until the collapse of their empire, soon after the arrival of the Europeans.
In 1765 the first known appearance of a harbor on Sanibel is labeled on a map, listed as Puerto de S. Nivel . An official Spanish map from 1768 identifies the island as Puerto de S. Nibel (the "v" and "b" being interchangeable); thus, the name may have evolved from "San Nibel". Alternately, the name may derive, as many believe, from "(Santa) Ybel", which survives in the old placename "Point Ybel", where the Sanibel Island Light is located. How it would have gotten this name, however is a matter of conjecture. One story says it was named by Juan Ponce de León for Queen Isabella I of Castile; the island may indeed be named for this queen or the saint whose name she shares, either by Ponce de León or someone later. Another tale says it was named by Roderigo Lopez, the first mate of José Gaspar (Gasparilla), after his beautiful lover Sanibel whom he had left behind in Spain. Like most of the lore surrounding Gasparilla, however, this story is apocryphal, as the above references to recognizable variants of the name predate the buccaneer's supposed reign.
Sanibel is not the only island in the area to figure prominently in the legends of Gaspar; Captiva, Useppa, and Gasparilla are also connected. Sanibel also appears in another tale, this one involving Gaspar's ally-turned-rival Black Caesar, said to have been a former Haitian slave who escaped during the Haitian Revolution to become a pirate. According to folklore, Black Caesar came to the Gulf of Mexico during the War of 1812 to avoid interference from the British. In the Gulf he became friends with Gasparilla, who allowed him to set up on Sanibel Island. Eventually the old Spaniard discovered Caesar had been stealing from him and chased him off, but not before his loot had been buried.
Legendary pirate's dens aside, the first modern settlement on Sanibel (then spelled "Sanybel") was established by the Florida Peninsular Land Company in 1832. The colony never took off, and was abandoned by 1849. It was this first group that first petitioned for a lighthouse on the island. The island was re-populated after the implementation of the Homestead Act in 1862, and again a lighthouse was petitioned. Construction on the Sanibel Island Lighthouse was completed in 1884, but the community remained small. In May 1963 a causeway linking Sanibel and Captiva to the mainland was opened, resulting in an explosion of growth. The City of Sanibel passed new restrictions on development after it was incorporated; these were challenged by developers, to no avail. Currently the only buildings on the island taller than two stories date before 1974, and there are no fast food or chain restaurants allowed on the island except a Dairy Queen, which was on the island before the laws were enacted. A new causeway was completed in 2007; it replaced the worn out 1963 spans, which were not designed to carry heavy loads or large numbers of vehicles. The new bridge features a "flyover" span tall enough for sailboats to pass under, replacing the old bridge's bascule drawbridge span. The original bridge was demolished and its remains were sunk into the water to create artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ecology
The island's curved shrimp-like shape forms Tarpon Bay on the north side of the island. It is linked to the mainland by the Sanibel Causeway, which runs across two small manmade islets and the Intracoastal Waterway. A short bridge links Sanibel Island to Captiva Island over Blind Pass. The Gulf side beaches are excellent on both islands, and are world renowned for their variety of seashells, which include coquinas, scallops, whelks, sand dollars, and other deeper-water mollusks, both univalve and bivalve. The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to the study of shells.
Sanibel Island is home to a good variety of birds, including the Roseate Spoonbill and several nesting pairs of Bald Eagles. Birds can be seen on the beaches, the causeway islands, and the reserves, including J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Common sights include pelicans, herons, egrets, and Anhingas, as well as the more common birds like terns, sandpipers, and seagulls. There is a population of American Alligators, and a lone rare American Crocodile has been seen at the refuge as well. Plants on the island include the native sea grape, sea oats, mangroves, and several types of palm trees. The Australian pine is an introduced species that has spread throughout the island, to some extent overpowering native vegetation and trees. Once mature, the pine blocks sunlight and drops a thick bed of pine needles that affect the soil's pH and prevents new native growth.The ground is very soft.
Wildlife Refuges
Preserving the island's natural ecology has always been important to its citizens and visitors alike. A driving force in the preservation of the island is the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation which was founded in 1967 with a mission to "preserve natural resources and wildlife habitat on and around the islands of Sanibel and Captiva." 1300 acres of land on Sanibel are under the supervision of the Foundation; included in this land there is a "Marine Laboratory which actively conducts research in areas including seagrasses, mangroves, harmful algal blooms, fish populations and shellfish restoration." Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation also has a project called RECON (River, Estuary and Coastal Observing Network) which includes a "network of eight in-water sensors that provide real-time, hourly readings of key water quality parameters." The foundation is also serves to protect the wildlife on the island and has a variety of education programs designed to instruct people about the island's unique ecology.
The biggest wildlife refuge on the island is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, around a million visitors a year come here making it one of the most visited refuges in the United States. Covering more than 5,200 acres of land, the refuge strives to ensure that these lands are "preserved, restored and maintained as a haven for indigenous and migratory wildlife as part of a nation-wide network of Refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" The lands also serve to provide a home for many endangered and threatened species. Currently the refuge provides a home for over 220 species of birds native to the island. Visitors to the refuge can walk, bike, drive, or kayak though the wildlife drive which takes you through five miles of mangrove tree forests and tidal flats, this drive is prefect for watching the island's wildlife and looking at the island's native vegetation. To show that preserving the wildlife really is important, the drive is closed one day every week, Friday, so that the wildlife can have a day to themselves where they can scavenge for food closer to the drive and not have to be bothered by or fearful of humans. There is also an education center which features "interactive exhibits on refuge ecosystems, the life and work of "Ding" Darling, migratory flyways, and the National Wildlife Refuge System."
Beaches
Known for their premium shelling, Sanibel beaches attract visitors from all around the world. The large amount of shells that wash up on the island happen as a result of Sanibel being a barrier island with an unusual layout having an "east-west orientation when most islands are north-south. Hence, the island is gifted with great sandy beaches and an abundance of shells." It is also due to the fact that Sanibel is "part of a large plateau that extends out into the Gulf of Mexico for miles. It is this plateau that acts like a shelf for seashells to gather." Throughout the year, many people come to the beaches of Sanibel to gather up these be
Welcome To Captiva Vacation Rentals - Captiva Island FL
Three luxury Captiva Island beach vacation homes on Florida's Gulf Coast available for a weekly rental and Holiday Lets.
Sanibel Captiva Accommodations Guide - the best places to stay.
Sanibel and Captiva Islands' most extensive directory of vacation rental condos and private homes. Professionally managed with hotel-style services.
Captiva Island VRBO® Vacation Rentals - Captiva Island Florida ...
Captiva Island Vacation Rentals - VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner - View a huge list of Captiva Island vacation rentals, hotels, beach cottages, house rentals and resort ...
Captiva Island Vacation Rentals, Captiva Island Florida Vacation ...
Find great deals on a family vacation to Captiva Island, Florida! Vacation Rentals.com has incredible Captiva Island vacation rental deals, discounts, and savings that will make ...
Sanibel Rentals and Captiva Rentals - Vacation Homes and Condos on ...
Homes and Condos for Rent on Sanibel and Captiva Islands on Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast.
Sanibel Captiva Vacation Rental House Guide
Vacation Rental House on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Florida! Plus information about other houses for rent.
Captiva Vacation Home - Captiva Island, Florida
Captiva Vacation Home Captiva Cutie is a deluxe cottage with 3 bedrooms and a private pool with spa. This Captiva vacation home is cute as a button and will captivate you!
Captiva Vacation Rentals by 411.com
Hello! Looking for vacation rentals in Captiva, Florida? We offer 19 Captiva private vacation homes, beach condos some rental lodging below $100 a night in Captiva, FL.
Sanibel and Captiva island vacation rentals Florida
Sanibel Captiva island vacation rental homes and condominiums
Captiva, Florida Vacation Rentals | Captiva Florida SmartSearch ...
If you are looking for Captiva Vacation Rentals in Florida, please visit rentalo.com. Vacation Rental SmartSearch Captiva Florida Listings 1 - 8 of 8