Sanibel Island is about 12 miles long and 3 miles across… but the majority of the island is a protected wildlife preserve (a.k.a., an alligator infested swamp). There are no fast food restaurants, no stoplights, and nothing to interest someone looking for a wild time.
Still, Sanibel provides 15 miles of unspoiled beaches, 22 miles of bike paths, and an awesome golf course -- where I was almost bit by an alligator, no kidding. But let me start with the bike trails, which are truly amazing. The paved trails traverse the whole island… in fact, some parts of the island are only accessible via the bike trails. But you’d better be prepared to peddle because no motorized vehicles are permitted on these paths. As you can see, Jackhammer had to resort to “peddle power” to get around… but at least I got to spend the entire week on two wheels.
The beaches are pristine and unspoiled, as advertised. Those looking for empty beer cans, discarded liquor bottles, soiled condoms, loud music, and vomiting teenagers will have to journey north. The view of the Gulf of Mexico is splendid. As you can see from these photos, it was the perfect place for an aging Jackhammer to relax and unwind.
Sanibel can be extraordinarily hot and humid… probably because it’s in Southern Florida. But whenever it got too hot, Jackhammer would try to cool off by taking a swim in the ocean. It helped some… but as my grandfather proclaimed, “this water is as warm as piss.” And watch out for hungry bull sharks.
In summation, Sanibel is the prefect place to get away from it all. The days were spent biking, golfing, swimming, whatever. But in the evening Jackhammer would shower to wash away the day’s accumulation of sweat, sand, salt, and sunblock. After a good meal, he could stroll along the beach, savor a spectacular sunset, and think pensive thoughts. Sanibel Island is a great place to lose yourself, and a great place to find yourself. By the end of the week I felt so centered and so focused. I could really dig living there all year long, and hated to see the vacation come to an end.
