Month: July 2019

2018 top prize went to Frank Brinker of Oberageri, Switzerland, for his great blue heron portrait titled “Shakin’.”

It’s that time again!  The 27th annual “Ding” Darling Day Amateur Nature Photography Contest is now underway!

Deadline for submission is Sept. 15, 2019; all entries must be submitted electronically. This year, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the refuge, cash award prizes increase to $300 for first place,  » Read more

“We dream in colors borrowed by the sea.“  

– Anonymous

Should you have any photos you’d like to share, please email them to [email protected].

Today’s Guest Photographers:  Dan Ferrell and Mary Dameron

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If you’re on the island this week, stop by the BIG ARTS construction site to sign a 65-foot beam that will be hoisted and installed in the BIG ARTS new home later this month.

You can write any type of message you’d like!  Scribble a poem, saying, memory or best wishes.  Remember a family member, honor a friend or sign your own name.  Whatever message you leave,  » Read more

What a treat it was to hear from Sharon and Chuck L. from Lawrenceville, GA!

They sent us this absolutely beautiful family photo along with a note that said:

We have celebrated our anniversary at Oceans’s Reach for many years, so we were very excited to be able to celebrate our 50th anniversary here this year.

We found the perfect spot near the pond to have our vow renewals with our grandchildren as bridesmaids and best man.  » Read more

The historic Old Captiva House on Captiva Island recently reopened its doors to the public after a multimillion-dollar renovation.

The venue has been re-envisioned and recreated to once again stand as a top island dining destination for its classic styling, contemporary design, breathtaking beauty and mouthwatering cuisine. A National Register of Historic Places landmark, the restaurant features breakfast and dinner service.

The Old Captiva House stands on the site of the island’s first schoolhouse,  » Read more

It’s not “Fourth of July” at Ocean’s Reach without some of our favorite guests of the year!

The Manor family — or “The Georgia Clan,” as we call them — have spent two weeks pre- and post- Independence Day with us for decades.  We’re always excited to welcome them back and simply awe at how each of the generations has grown.

It’s wonderful to see them enjoying the island festivities,  » Read more

Sky above. Sand below. Peace within.

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Photo from Florida Weekly

May we think of freedom,

not as the right to do as we please,

but as the opportunity to do what is right.

– Peter Marshall

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Photo by Brian Tietz for Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau.

As many of our guests know, tomorrow is one of our favorite days of the year on the island!

Independence Day on Sanibel delivers about as much fun as it does fireworks, and we wanted to give you a rundown of the island holiday festivities in store:

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We’re not the only ones to blog about our incredible neighbors at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW)!

We found this recent blog on “Ask Grandcarol” highlighting how her tour of CROW this month was both educational and heartwarming.

Carol Conway, who adopted the moniker “Grandcarol” at her husband’s suggestion more than 20 years ago when she became a young grandmother,  » Read more