Sanibel-Captiva Daily

Hospitality industry awards honor exceptional customer service in Lee County, “E” Awards

To increase public awareness of extraordinary customer service provided by hospitality employees throughout Lee County, seven workers were recognized by receiving the Elaine McLaughlin Outstanding Hospitality Service Awards at the 10th annual ceremony in Fort Myers today.

Visitors from across America, throughout Florida, along with visitors from Ireland, Norway, and Germany, submitted a record 371 nominations, giving high praise to those local employees who provided outstanding customer service. Sponsored by the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) and The News-Press, the “E” Awards is a collaboration with various local businesses to encourage and support service excellence being provided by Lee County hospitality professionals.
Accommodations
Winner: Mr. Sylvester Jennings, South Seas Island Resort
Honorable Mention: Ms. Janeen Costello, Country Inn & Suites Sanibel Gateway
Mr. Bob Fodor, Beachview Cottages
Mr. Bill McAdams, South Seas Island Resort
Attractions
Winner: Ms. Maryann Brown, Edison & Ford Winter Estates
Honorable Mention: Mr. Manfred Dangel, Everglades Day Safari
Ms. Wendy Erler-Schnapp, Tarpon Bay Explorers
Mr. Tim Monahan, Tarpon Bay Explorers
Good Samaritan
Winner: Ms. Karen Barker, Sandalfoot Condominums
Retail
Winner: Mr. Marcos DeAraujo, Shiny Objects
Restaurants
Honorable Mention: Ms. Leslie Fellner, Traders Store & Cafe
Ms. Dominique Kuhn, Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa
Person of Distinction
Winner: Mr. Ernesto Anaya, Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa
Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce nominees
Mr. Pete Bukowick
Mr. Charlie Riley
Mr. Barry Solomon
Ms. Lisa Williams

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Where all visitors must go! Tuttles Sea Horse Shell Shop

Sanibel Islands east end is home to the legendary Tuttles Sea Horse Shell Shop . Every visitor to Sanibel owes it to themselves to stop in and check out this place. Tuttles has been around for over 32 years and has the awesome selection to show it! Check out their silver selection, you’ll find more goodies than you even know about! Tuttles Sea Horse Shell Shop has something for everyone and something for every price!

Tuttle’s Sea Horse Shell Shop
362 Periwinkle Way
Sanibel FL 33957
(239) 472-0707
Toll Free: (866) 472-0707

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The Best of the Week from SanibelCaptivaDaily

As the weather becomes more tropical and the flowers are coming out, Sanibel & Captiva Islands are gorgeous this time of year. If you do not live here in paradise, you should definitely drive or boat over and enjoy all of the great things we have here. Below is a review of our post from last week.

• Aug 21 – Sanibel Island Grog Shop, Sanibel Liquor & Cigar Store
• Aug 19 – Sanibel & Captiva, City’s Hurricane Plan and Personal Hurricane Planning
• Aug 18 – Sanibel Captiva, Top 10 Beaches
• Aug 17 – The Official Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce After Hours Event at Sanibel Harbour Resort
• Aug 16 – The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, Sanibel FL, Evelyn Spencer
• Aug 15 – Sanibel Island FL, The Monk Family
• Aug 14 – Sanibel & Captiva Nature
• Aug 13 – SCCF Sea Turtle Watch on Sanibel & Captiva
• Aug 12 – Special Savings at the Mucky Duck on Captiva Island

Sanibel Captiva, Top 10 Beaches

Every time I watch the Travel Channel or read a travel magazine about the top 10 beaches, Sanibel and Captiva are ALWAYS on that list! Sometimes, I forget how lucky we are to be living and vacationing on some of best beaches in the world! Yesterday I took my “lunch break” by the Sanibel Pier and did a little fishing and sun bathing. I have been living in Florida for 10 years and I am still blown away by the beauty of our beaches and water. Here are just a couple quick shots of what I was experiencing around 11am. Just amazing! 

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The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, Sanibel FL, Evelyn Spencer

95 ½ Year Old Sanibel Resident Shines For Shells

The very first question of the interview yielded a response of robust laughter. It was a simple enough inquiry about where she and her husband lived before moving to Sanibel. “As a Navy wife for 32 years it might be easier to say where we didn’t live. We were in Hawaii at the beginning of World War II, then it was on to New Hampshire, California, and Key West to name a few.” In fact her husband, Gene, was stationed in Key West twice and they stopped at Sanibel on their way to his assignment on both occasions. The lure of the island paradise and intrigue with the tiny treasures dotting Sanibel’s pristine beaches convinced Gene and Evelyn Spencer that one day they would call Sanibel home.

When Gene retired from the Navy they bought a small house in New Hampshire and built their first of three Sanibel homes. Eventually the hassles of dual residency got to be too much so they sold their home in New Hampshire, and took up full-time residence on Sanibel.

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Sanibel Island FL, The Monk Family

Yesterday, we went over to Edward & Mildred Monk’s beach condo to take some pictures. The Monk family has been coming down to Sanibel for 40 years! Their son, Attorney Robert Monk loves Sanibel so much he moved down too! Coming from their home state of Kentucky (You could probably tell by the UK shirt, go Wildcats), they spend much of their time on Sanibel. For Edward, his hobby is fishing while Mildred enjoys needle work, shelling and of course giving away her famous zucchini bread. The Monks are some of the nicest people you will ever meet and we enjoyed spending time with them yesterday. If you want to learn how to throw a cast net or make a zucchini bread, just ask Edward & Mildred Monk because they are the experts!

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SCCF Sea Turtle Watch on Sanibel & Captiva

Kiwanian, Les Boyle and his wife Sandy go out every Sunday at 6 AM as part of the SCCF Turtle Watch program and last Sunday 8/8/2010 they watch these 80 hatchlings leave the nest for the Gulf. Click here to go to Jerry Edelman’s Facebook video.

Special Savings at the Mucky Duck on Captiva Island

The Mucky Duck invites you to enjoy anytime during the month of August 2010 20% off your lunch or dinner! Click on our coupon page and print the coupon out! Then save 20% this month! Tell them that you got this from the SanibelCaptivaDaily.com and enjoy your great food!

11546 Andy Rosse Lane ~ Captiva Island, FL

Does not include beverages or retail items 18% gratuity added to check before discount.
239-472-3434
www.muckyduck.com

Lunch 11:30 ~ 3:00

Dinner 5:00 ~ 9:30

Closed Sunday’s

• Discount is applied to food only
• One time use only
• Expires August 31, 2010



Royal Shell Vacations Sweepstakes, Beach Condo

Royal Shell Vacations, Sanibel and Captiva Islands largest vacation rentals company, has announced a new sweepstakes offer of 7 nights free in a two-bedroom beach condo on the grounds of Captiva Island’s popular South Seas Resort.

Entries can be made by signing up, free of charge, for Royal Shell’s e-newsletter, The Islands Telegraph. No purchase is necessary, but only one entry will be accepted per email address. Entrants may sign-up by visiting the Royal Shell Vacations web site, completing a sign-up form and submitting it to Royal Shell via the Internet.

The winner, which will be selected at random from the full list of people who have signed up for the e-newsletter, will be entitled to a 7-night stay (Saturday to Saturday) in a beach condo on Captiva, during January and February, 2010. The award is subject to availability at the time of booking, and must be used during this time or will be invalidated. Entries must be made no later than November 30, 2011, Eastern time. Entrants must be at least 25 years old and must supply proof of age. The winner will be notified by email at the email address provided.

Click below for more information!

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Amazing photo of a Captiva Sunrise from Mike Mullins

Mike Mullins from OurCaptiva Reservations, LLC sent us this Amazing photo of a Captiva sunrise. “I took this Captiva Sunrise over Blind Pass this am 7-23-2010″
www.ourcaptiva.com
1-888-395-0852, cell:  (203)-249-2770

SanCap One Source Realty, Sanibel & Captiva Real Estate

SanCap One Source Realty. Robert Coscia, is the Broker/Realtor having over 31 years experience of buying, selling, and living on the Island, and Sandy Ramseth is a Realtor and an AICP Certified Land Planner with over 17 years in the commercial and residential land planning field. With this many years of experience and the merging of the talents, we will truly provide you with a pleasant “One Source” Real Estate experience.

When you are looking to buy or sell your house on Sanibel or Captiva, you got to check out SanCap One Source. With one of the best real estate teams on Sanibel, SanCap One Source has more than 30 years on Sanibel and Captiva, they know just about everything there is to about real estate on and off of the Islands.

Where is a great place stay on Captiva? Captiva Island Vacation Rentals!

We’re glad to report our beaches in South West Florida are absolutely pristine and unaffected by the oil.

“Don’t miss out on a typically wonderful summer beach vacation on Sanibel or Captiva. If you’ve delayed your plans based to visit SW Florida on fear from the media, don’t let yourself be a victim. You’ll get a discounted rate for the last minute reservation, you’ll have a wonderful time, and your presence here will be appreciated by all. Lastly – should oil spoil our beaches during your visit, we guarantee a full refund of your vacation rental if requested.” Captiva Island Vacation Rentals

Click here to see live beach cams and see for yourself how great our Islands are. It is a GREAT time to schedule your next Captiva Island Vacation Rental!

The drive over the Blind Pass Bridge from joining Sanibel to Captiva is stunningly beautiful. The birds, fish, dolphins, manatees and turtles are all happy here, as well as the visitors! It is absolute perfection, and expected to remain so!

For personal assistance, please send an e-mail at captivavacation@yahoo.com or call us toll free at 1.877.727.7100 (US Canada) or +1 239.590.0707 from elsewhere.

The Best of the Week from SanibelCaptivaDaily

As the weather becomes more tropical and the flowers are coming out, Sanibel & Captiva Islands are gorgeous this time of year. If you do not live here in paradise, you should definitely drive or boat over and enjoy all of the great things we have here. Below is a review of our post from last week.

• Jul 24 – Sanibel Dogs
• Jul 24 – Sanibel Dogs
• Jul 23 – Sanibel Sunrise
• Jul 22 – Happy Birthday Rusty Farst
• Jul 21 – Save Money by Eating Breakfast at Courtney’s On Sanibel
• Jul 20 – Official Sanibel & Captiva, Florida Chamber of Commerce, After Hours at Twilight Cafe
• Jul 19 – Sanibel and Captiva BP Oil Update, Our Beaches are Clean!
• Jul 19 – Royal Shell Hosts “Love That Dress” Collection Party on Sanibel
• Jul 18 – The Best of the Week from SanibelCaptivaDaily
• Jul 17 – 31st Annual Optimist Club’s Road Rally, Sanibel & Captiva
• Jul 16 – Sanibel Fishing with Venture Out, Sanibel Fish
• Jul 15 – Where to find great vacation deals on Sanibel, Sanibel Holiday
• Jul 14 – Royal Shell and SanibelCaptivaDaily.com
• Jul 14 – Twilight Cafe, Where Food Is Art, Sanibel Restaurant
• Jul 14 – How Do You Get In Shape? Sanibel Beach Retreats
• Jul 13 – Sanibel & Captiva Nature
• Jul 13 – Royal Shell Hosts “Love That Dress” Collection Party on Sanibel
• Jul 12 – Sanibel Helps Louisiana Oil Spill Clean Up, Animal Oil Spill Release on Sanibel

Sanibel Sunrise

It is not everyday that I am up to see the sunrise. But when I am up early enough to see the sky,  I have to take a snap shot. There is nothing like a Sanibel Sunrise!

Sanibel and Captiva BP Oil Update, Our Beaches are Clean!

Less Than 1% Chance of Oil on Our Beaches

This great information was provided by the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce. Photo Credit Gary Biltgen.

The Best of the Week from SanibelCaptivaDaily

As the weather becomes more tropical and the flowers are coming out, Sanibel & Captiva Islands are gorgeous this time of year. If you do not live here in paradise, you should definitely drive or boat over and enjoy all of the great things we have here. Below is a review of our post from last week.

• Jul 17 – 31st Annual Optimist Club’s Road Rally, Sanibel & Captiva
• Jul 16 – Sanibel Fishing with Venture Out, Sanibel Fish
• Jul 15 – Where to find great vacation deals on Sanibel, Sanibel Holiday
• Jul 14 – Royal Shell and SanibelCaptivaDaily.com
• Jul 14 – Twilight Cafe, Where Food Is Art, Sanibel Restaurant
• Jul 14 – How Do You Get In Shape? Sanibel Beach Retreats
• Jul 13 – Sanibel & Captiva Nature
• Jul 13 – Royal Shell Hosts “Love That Dress” Collection Party on Sanibel
• Jul 12 – Sanibel Helps Louisiana Oil Spill Clean Up, Animal Oil Spill Release on Sanibel
• Jul 11 – Cool People on Sanibel
• Jul 10 – Sanibel Dogs

Where to find great vacation deals on Sanibel, Sanibel Holiday

This is a great time to look for accommodation deals on Sanibel! Sanibel Holiday has a huge selection of vacation rentals located in wonderful spots! Here is one of them, nestled on the far East end of Sanibel, Shell Island Beach Club 6A is the perfect family friendly, resort style destination! This modern, bright & comfortable 2 bedroom 2 bathroom unit has the affordability of a condo with the amenities of a private club. Beautiful Gulf views, exciting dining opportunities and the historic Sanibel Lighthouse are literally at the doorstep! With its world famous shell filled beaches Sanibel and Shell Island Beach Club are a winning combination for a charming vacation.

For more information at:

Sanibel Holiday
630 Tarpon Bay Road, Unit 9
Sanibel Island, Florida 33957

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How Do You Get In Shape? Sanibel Beach Retreats

What is the best way to get into shape? We at the daily, believe it is the Sanibel Beach Retreats! The well trained staff of the Sanibel Health Club has recently been doing Sanibel Beach Retreats!

Sanibel Beach Retreats gives you the ultimate health and fitness experience, their expert staff is here with one goal in mind, to change your life. You will leave Sanibel Excited about fitness, Confident with your own abilities, Willing to push yourself and ready for a better way of life!

Call (239) 395-BODY(2639) or click here for more information and transform yourself!

The fun, challenging and exciting work out program includes:

• Training One on One
• Beach Cardio Sessions
• J-Fit (On the beach, Test your limits)
• Team Competitions
• Nutritional Counseling
• Gourmet Meals
• Completely equipped Sanibel Health Club
• Group Bike Rides
• Swimming
• Kayaking
• Yoga (studio and beach)
• Pilates
• Wind Surfing
• Massage Therapy
• Take home custom workouts and diet

“Give your dreams all that you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you. Look at your life… Is it everything that you want it to be? Let us show you how to unleash your energy to make you more productive, successful and in better shape than you ever thought possible.”

Sanibel Beach Retreats
975 Rabbit Road unit 1A
Sanibel, FL 33957
PHONE: (239) 395-BODY(2639)
FAX: (239) 579-0669

Sanibel Helps Louisiana Oil Spill Clean Up, Animal Oil Spill Release on Sanibel

Just a hour ago, around 30 birds were released back into the wild today, after coming into contact with oil in the Louisiana. Sanibel is Oil Free and this was a great clean place for the birds to be let go. The Pelicans and Northern gannets were all loaded onto a Coast Guard plane came to Sanibel. If you were at Algiers Beach, you were one of the lucky people who got see these birds being let back into the wild. Click below to see the Oil Free birds on our Oil Free Beach!

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Sanibel 4th of July Parade

Today was the Sanibel 4th of July Parade! Tons of people came out to enjoy of of the Island’s most popular event! The parade went great with over 50 parade members driving down the street! Below is the first of a whole series of photographs taken at today’s events! More to come tonight! Photo Credit Lisa of Island Grooming!

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Sanibel & Captiva BP Oil Spill Update

The other day we interviewed Victor Mayeron, of the world famous Mucky Duck on Captiva Island. We got him on video talking about the condition of our water and beaches. Watch the short video and hear some good news from one of the experts on Captiva and Sanibel. The Mucky Duck is located on Captiva beach and Victor gets to see the Gulf of Mexico everyday, hearing that the beach is clean from him really means a lot! Thank you Victor for the update! Click the Mucky Duck logo on the right hand side of our website to see live video of the beach for yourself!  Click below to hear more about the BP Oil Spill.

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Sanibel & Captiva Beaches

It is a great weekend for the Beach on Sanibel & Captiva Island. With warm weather and clean beaches, you are always gonna have a great time. Summer is the perfect time for a beach day!

Sanibel Sunset

It was another beautiful Sanibel Sunset as we were driving over the Sanibel Causeway. The Causeway provides one of the best views of the water and sky around, especially during sunsets.

Dolphins seen from Sanibel Beach

Here is a wonderful picture from Terry Waldorf, who was able to capture this dolphin. It is great to see that our waters are clean and we are able to see the marine life only a couple yards away! Sanibel and Captiva have some of the best places to watch wildlife in all of Florida. If you have pictures of your own, send them our way!

Sanibel Beaches, Shells and Sunsets

You just have to love Sanibel Beaches, Shells and Sunsets! This was tonights sunset. ty ILR Keep the pictures coming! Gotta love the Iphone.

Plane Landing on Bowman’s Beach

While taking pictures of the Sea Turtle Nests on the beach, we saw a plane that had landed off of Bowman’s Beach. The Sanibel Police  Major Michael F. Murray said “A single engine Sea Plane lost it’s tail wing 30 miles off shore. It Landed off of Bowman’s Beach. The Passenger and Pilot were safe and there was no environmental impact”. We learned that this type of plane is amphibious and is made for water landings.

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Cool Drinks on the Beach at Courtney’s Tiki Bar

Of the best places around to get cool drinks right on the Beach is Courtney’s Tiki Bar. The Tiki bar is right next to the pool and right on one of the beautiful Sanibel Beaches! We saw Randy and Jessica chilling out the other day like most locals do at Courtney’s, enjoying the sun and water!

First Day of Summer, Beach Day on Sanibel & Captiva

It is officially the first day of summer and where better to spend it than the great Beaches of Sanibel & Captiva. With the weather warming up, the beach is the best place to spend your warm days! The water is perfect on Sanibel & Captiva, it is between 74 – 88° F. It feels great to be in the Gulf of Mexico right now! Happy Summer everyone!

Great times with Great Friends on Sanibel Island Florida at Courtney’s Tiki Bar

More pictures to come soon. Sign up for the ebook to see what is happening on the Islands of Sanibel and Captiva.

Update on the Deep Horizon Florida Oil Spill. What is happening to Sanibel & Captiva because of the BP Oil Spill? Our Beaches are still Beautiful and our water is Clean! Great time for a Island Vacation!

Yesterday, we talked to Lee County Florida District 4 Commissioner, Tammy Hall. We were extremely happy to hear what she had to say! Although the Deep Horizon Florida Oil Spill has harmed a lot of things, Sanibel and Captiva are still SAFE! We learned that our water is clean and our beaches are still beautiful and this is actually a great time to visit Sanibel & Captiva. Check out our backyard and enjoy a wonderful Island Vacation!

Tamara Pigott, Executive Director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau also talked to us on camera to express what a great time it is to take a vacation in our unspoiled waters of SWFL. Not only are the beaches on Sanibel & Captiva OIL FREE, there are lots of other great reasons to visit! There are great deals on accommodations, shopping, restaurants and services. If you are thinking about visiting Sanibel & Captiva, now is the time to do it! Watch the video and see for yourself! Once you do that, explore our site more and start planning your next PERFECT vacation on the Islands!

What is your Favorite Beach on Sanibel or Captiva?

What is your Favorite Beach on Sanibel or Captiva? The SanibelCaptivaDaily.com is taking a poll on every one’s favorite Sanibel or Captiva Beach! Send us your name and your favorite beach on the Islands and we will calculate all of the answers we get!

Sanibel & Captiva Beaches

With the weather heating up, you really can tell that Sanibel & Captiva are tropical Islands! We at the SanibelCaptivaDaily.com highly recommended you spend any of your free time at the beach. With clean water, pristine beaches and beautiful trees, these islands are one of the best vacation destinations in the world. If you have any great beach pictures yourself, send them our way!

The Official Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce, Update on the Deep Horizon Florida Oil Spill – Our Beaches are Clean

The information below was provided by The Official Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce about the Florida Oil Spill.

“Our function is to keep everyone informed with on going information with continual updates” – Ric Base, President of The Official Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce.

Our Beaches are Clean and Open
The only oil on our beaches is suntan oil!

Updated June 11, 2010 1:30 p.m.
At this time, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has not impacted Sanibel, Captiva or Fort Myers Beach. The Florida Division of Emergency Management does not expect the oil to impact the Sanibel/Captiva/Fort Myers Beach area between now and Monday, June 14. Forecasts are being made in 72 hour increments. There are no projections beyond that time frame.

Officials on Sanibel, Captiva and Fort Myers Beach are monitoring the situation closely and will respond accordingly to any potential impact on our area. If you are traveling to the destination within the next few days, you can monitor the websites below for the latest updates on the spill and check back with this site for specific information regarding Sanibel, Captiva and Fort Myers Beach .

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island is reporting, “There are currently no impacts to our refuge waters. The beaches are clean and open.”

Click below to learn more about the Oil Spill and some of the Frequently Asked Questions that The Official Sanibel Island & Captiva Island Chamber of Commerce.

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Great day to be on Sanibel! Picture of the Sanibel Causeway

We just drove over the Sanibel Causeway moments ago and stopped to take a photo. It is a great day to be outside and soaking the up the sun. We got really lucky when we saw this bird walking along the beach, so we quickly pulled out our iPod touch and snapped some quick shots. These iPod touchs rock, they are capable of basically everything, check them out if you are looking for a really cool gadget!

The Best of the Week from SanibelCaptivaDaily

As the weather becomes more tropical and the flowers are coming out, Sanibel & Captiva Islands are gorgeous this time of year. If you do not live here in paradise, you should definitely drive or boat over and enjoy all of the great things we have here. Below is a review of our post from last week.

Nice day to be out on a Sanibel Beach!

The days are getting nicer and nicer. One of the best places to be in Florida is on a Sanibel Beach! We saw these guys about to go in the water and had to take a picture!

Beach & Shelling Cruise From Captiva Cruises

Beach & Shelling Cruise From Captiva Cruises. We went on a great boat trip with Captiva Cruises for a three hour cruise to the secluded Cayo Costa State Park Islands. The trip was GREAT! We at the SanibelCaptivaDaily highly recommend Captiva Cruises to anyone interested in shelling. Check out our photos below and see the quiet beaches of the islands of North Captiva or Cayo Costa.

Captiva Cruises

Captiva Island, Florida 33924
(239) 472-5300
(239) 472-6405 FAX

The Best of the Week from SanibelCaptivaDaily

As the weather becomes more tropical and the flowers are coming out, Sanibel & Captiva Islands are gorgeous this time of year. If you do not live here in paradise, you should definitely drive or boat over and enjoy all of the great things we have here. Below is a review of our post from last week.

• Jun 05 – Sanibel & Captiva Sports, Belmont Stakes
• Jun 05 – Sanibel Beaches
• Jun 04 – The Best of Sanibel Shopping Starts with Shops on Sanibel
• Jun 03 – Sanibel Baby
• Jun 03 – Breast Cancer Benefit for a Sanibel Local at Ellington’s
• Jun 02 – Memorial Day Weekend at The Mucky Duck, The Best Restaurant on Captiva
• Jun 01 – Shopping on Sanibel Starts with Shop On Sanibel, Retail Centers

May 2010

• May 31 – Amanda’s Island Jewels, Local Island Jeweler
• May 31 – Happy Memorial Day Sanibel & Captiva

Sanibel Beaches

If you are looking for something to today, your answer should be simple. Visit one of the many beautiful Sanibel Beaches. This weekend is going to be perfect beach weather, so put your feet in the sand and kick back!

Sanibel & Captiva BP Oil Spill Update, Clean Beaches, Shells and Fish

We have been covering the BP Oil Spill and its effect on Sanibel & Captiva. This is the second video we have done, we went around Sanibel and Captiva to ask some business owners what they have been seeing. The Beaches are clean, the shells are out and the fish are biting. We have learned our water quality is still great! Thank you very much Paul McCarthy, Robert Coscia, Sandy Ramseth and Bob Tuttle for the information! More updates to come.

The Best of the Week from SanibelCaptivaDaily

As the weather becomes more tropical and the flowers are coming out, Sanibel & Captiva Islands are gorgeous this time of year. If you do not live here in paradise, you should definitely drive or boat over and enjoy all of the great things we have here. Below is a review of our post from last week.

• May 22 – Sanibel & Captiva Entertainment, The Island Cinema
• May 22 – Sanibel & Captiva BP Oil Spill
• May 22 – Captiva Island Vacation
• May 21 – Why is Sanibel-Captiva one of the top vacation destinations? Because of Companies like Royal Shell Vacations
• May 21 – Happy Birthday Cameron Michael
• May 21 – What is one of the best Sanibel Island Beaches?
• May 20 – Courtney’s Tiki Bar, Sanibel Island
• May 19 – Sanibel & Captiva Shells and Beach Life
• May 18 – Twilight Cafe, Sanibel Restaurant and Entertainment, Jazz and Sushi
• May 17 – Sanibel & Captiva Children’s Clothing Store, Giggles, Unique Kidz Boutique, Island Shopping

Sanibel & Captiva BP Oil Spill

Sanibel & Captiva are known for great beaches, shopping, shelling, vacationing and wildlife.

We’ve had several inquiries regarding the BP Oil Spill and if it is affecting our beautiful Islands.

The photographer/videographer that I am Max Soto, decided to go around yesterday by myself to ask some island locals their thoughts and observations on the issue. I was pleased to hear what they said and what I personally saw. The fish are still biting, the beaches are pristine and beach goers are out! The only oil I saw was people applying tropical sun tanning oil while catching some sun. Watch the video for yourself.

After hearing how Sandy relaxes at the beach. I HAD to put my gear away and spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the white sands and blue waters for myself.

Thank you Ric Base of the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce, Les Boyle of the Bait Box, and Sandy Kostick of the SanibelCaptivaDaily.com, for the interviews.

P.S. Please join us in this endeavor! Through the lens of our camera, we invite you to explore and experience our special island community, and to capture the fun and essence of Sanibel and Captiva Islands. Whether you are young, old, a resident or a visitor… this site is for you! Stay tuned for more photos and videos as we keep you visually informed daily.

For information, go to www.mysanibel.com

Video Credit: Max Soto

Why is Sanibel-Captiva one of the top vacation destinations? Because of Companies like Royal Shell Vacations

“We can assure our renters that their vacation investments will not be at risk” states Royal Shell CEO, Randy Bacik

Royal Shell Vacations, Sanibel and Captiva Islands’ premiere vacation rental firm, reports that there is no oil from the Deepwater Horizon blowout currently on any Sanibel or Captiva beaches. As a precaution, however, Royal Shell has mounted a beach watch to assure potential visitors that Sanibel and Captiva Island beaches continue to stay oil-free, with nothing but sand and shells.

In addition, Royal Shell has announced a special refund policy in the event oil does wash onto the beaches, and the beaches are closed by local health officials. This policy assures renters of Royal Shell Vacations properties that official closure of the beaches by City of Sanibel or Lee County authorities will qualify those renters for a proportionate refund for days remaining in their rental period.

“This is a major commitment by our company”, says Royal Shell CEO, Randy Bacik.

“We understand that all the media coverage about the oil spill in the north Gulf has people concerned about their Florida vacations. While we can’t guarantee that extreme weather conditions will not drive oil towards our beaches, we can assure our renters that their vacation investments will not be at risk” states Randy Bacik.

Royal Shell Vacations manages more than 400 privately owned rental accommodations on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, from beachfront condos and homes to homes on Sanibel that are available for longer stays.

For more information and details about the refund policy, contact Royal Shell at 800-656-9111 or at www.RoyalShell.com.

P.S Stay tuned tomorrow for a video of what we found on the Sanibel-Captiva  BP Oil Spill.

What is one of the best Sanibel Island Beaches?

Sanibel Island Beaches are famous for great shelling and family fun for locals and visitors. We think one of the best Sanibel beaches is the gorgeous and secluded Bowman’s Beach guarantees a fun filled day for the whole family.Whether you are a  sun worshipper, conservationist, or just love to build sandcastles, this beach is great place to visit. There are showers, barbecue grills, and picnic tables available for public use. Parking is available for $2.00 per hour and has space for RV owners. Come and experience one of the world’s most beautiful beaches! Keep your eye open for more photos of the great beaches on Sanibel and Captiva Island later this month and next.

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Courtney’s Tiki Bar, Sanibel Island

Here is a shot of Mike and Deb Stewart, with Vinnie Nastasia hanging out at Courtney’s Tiki Bar. Come Check out Courtney’s Tiki Bar. It is one of the best places to enjoy the Florida Sun, Gulf of Mexico, and some of the best drinks ever!

1231 Middle Gulf Drive
Sanibel, FL 33957
(239) 472-4646

Terry Waldorf’s Sanibel Photography, Nature Photography

The Islands Best Wildlife Photographer, Terry Waldorf. Yep, he has done it again! He always seems to capture amazing photos while on Sanibel and Captiva! Click here to see more of his photos and learn about him from a post we did a little while ago! You will see much more Sanibel Nature Photography!

Sanibel & Captiva Sunset Photo Contest Winner, Alicia Galante

A little while ago, we at the SanibelCaptivaDaily.com held our first annual Sunset Photo contest. 25 year Sanibel resident Alicia Galante, was the winner with beautiful sunset photo. Alicia is a Realtor with RE/MAX Realty Group and a amateur photographer. She shoots all of her own Real Estate photos herself. Originally from Staten Island, she moved to Southwest Florida and loves it her! She has been shooting since 1980 and her favorite things to photograph are sunsets & plants. Alicia has her wonderful family down here, Carl (husband), Rachel (Daughter) and Murphy (pet Terrier). Congratulations again Alicia!

Alicia Galante

aliciagalante@att.net

239.850.7653

5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Summery of all 5 tips

• Apr 14 – Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva – the eBook!
• Apr 15 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva Tip 1
• Apr 16 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva, Tip 2
• Apr 20 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva, Tip 3
• Apr 24 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva Tip 4
• Apr 26 – 5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva Tip 5

5 Ways to Enjoy Sanibel & Captiva Islands! Sanibel & Captiva Tip 4

Because Itʼs Probably Nicer Weather Here, Get Outside! Captiva & Sanibel Sailing, Cruising and Fishing. If you’re on a Captiva & Sanibel vacation, it’s probably because it’s nicer weather here than from where you came. So enjoy it! Get outside! Your TiVo or DVR will record that Real Housewives of Orange County episode you’re waiting for… not that we watch that stuff… Captiva & Sanibel beaches offer an assortment of outdoor activities from the more tranquil to the more adventurous—whatever kind of activity you’re up for.

For those of you who prefer a calm day out, Sanibel fishing is calling your name! Sanibel & Captiva Islands are known for its wonderful fishing environment, especially their superb grouper fishing, which provides an opportunity for fishermen of all skill levels. Check out the size of the fish just waiting for the bait!

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Cute Sanibel Kids

Here are Mackenzie and Zachary Orsino, two cute Sanibel kids! Thank you Tiffany for the photo! If any of you have a great picture of your island family, send them our way!