In a Flip-Flop State of Mind.

Photo of “Cappuccino” from Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

We’re having a banner sea turtle year on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, already surpassing our previous loggerhead nest count records with months of nesting season still to go!

As of the latest tally from SCCF sea turtle patrol volunteers:

• 1,078 sea turtle nests have been laid across the islands.
• 1,056 nests were laid by loggerheads (Caretta caretta),

 » Read more

2022 First Place Winner:  Frank Brinker of Oberageri, Switzerland, for his photo titled “Speedy”

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”

– Laura Ingalls Wilder

Do you have a favorite photo from “Ding” Darling taken within the past two years?  If so, consider entering this year’s “Ding” Darling Amateur Photo Contest!  » Read more

A Ligurean coast sunrise forecasting renewal.  Photo by longtime guest Laura G.

We can’t tell you how uplifting it is to receive emails from our guests, reminding us of the special friends we have made over the years at Ocean’s Reach.

We wanted to share one from longtime guest Laura G. from Nyon, Switzerland, who sent us greetings from the Italian Riveria.   » Read more

Lighthouse Beach Park reopening photo by Adventures in Paradise

Lighthouse Beach Park photo by ABC-7

Work in progress at Ocean’s Reach!

New materials are coming in every day

A view that never gets old!

“Not perfect,  » Read more

Celebrated today on the first day of summer, National Seashell Day serves as a gentle reminder that treasures arrive every day in the form of simple things.

On behalf of all of us at Ocean’s Reach, we can’t wait until we can help you once again to “always have a shell in your pocket and sand between your toes”!

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After celebrating more than 50 business reopenings over the past several months, friends at the Sanibel-Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce were finally able to snip their own yellow ribbon last week, commemorating the reopening of the Chamber Visitor Center near the entrance to the island.

“It’s hard to believe that on October 5, the first day we were allowed back on the island after Ian,  » Read more

“Junonia”

There’s no place like home, just ask our Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation friends who are part of the nighttime sea turtle tagging team.

“Generally, sea turtles exhibit ‘natal homing,’ which means nesting females will lay nests near the same beach they hatched from,” explains SCCF Sea Turtle Biologist Savannah Weber.  “Some turtles have very precise natal homing, where they lay nests within a few miles from the exact spot of beach from which they hatched.   » Read more

Slowly but surely, we’re making progress at Ocean’s Reach, where today we find ourselves at the eight-month anniversary mark of Hurricane Ian.

Andy and Lisa are our “boots on the ground” working daily to help rebuild the resort that we all miss and love so dearly.

They’re reporting progress on several fronts.  We’ve received our first batch of insurance checks,  » Read more

Photo from Sanibel-Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce

Although the Sanibel Causeway was re-opened to emergency workers only 15 days after Hurricane Ian hit last fall, that was just the beginning of a long road ahead (forgive the pun) for those who love our island.

Work on the three-mile-long bridge hasn’t stopped since.  Temporary repairs should be completed by next month (the start of this year’s hurricane season) and then permanent repairs will begin.  » Read more

Photos from SCCF

More encouraging news from Mother Nature! 

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation biologists have recently located least tern nests on Sanibel and Captiva, reporting that this is the first time the birds have nested on the islands since 2020.

According to SCCF, least terns — the smallest terns in the world — are state-threatened seabirds that can be found along Florida’s coasts during late spring and summer.   » Read more