A Postcard from Sanibel Island, Florida
The serenity we hoped for in our retirement years is already true right now in our second home on Sanibel. The untamed natural beauty, the pure white beaches and mild weather makes us want to move up our retirement date. Meanwhile, every visit here has a new charm.
About Sanibel Island, Florida
Almost one of a kind, Sanibel Island is an East-West oriented barrier reef (most are north/south) giving it unusual access wonderful beaches, shells and sea life. It is the larger of the two sister islands, Captiva, the other island being about a third of the size of Sanibel. A causeway connects Sanibel Island to the mainland. Second homes are common here, as many people use the area for their winter vacations. Equal in number are those who retire here. Costs are a bit above average compared to the rest of Florida, but the setting is even more above average.
Much of the island is set aside as wildlife preserves and wildlife refuge, so the development of new houses is limited and quite tightly controlled. The islands are more a sanctuary than anything else, and living on them is a privilege, allowing the residents to act as stewards to unsurpassable natural beauty and abundance. This is a place to come if you love nature and are happy to simply be in its awesome presence. The tenuous hold that the we have on the islands is demonstrated by the effects of the 2004 Hurricane Charley, where the major of the mangrove trees in the nature preserve were destroyed, affecting the nesting places of the migratory birds.
Local History
Settled first by Native American Indians, the islands supported their life well 2500 years ago. Then in the 1500's Ponce De Leon discovered the island while searching for the Fountain of Youth. The influx of western influence decimated the native population by 1700's. Indian raids and Pirates kept the island hopping until the settlers began to arrive around 1880.
An Average Lifestyle in Sanibel Island, Florida
The by-word here is Casual. Because much of the living is outdoors, things are informal and easy going all the time. This is a vacation paradise. Leave your business suits behind. This is a place where people just enjoy being on the beach, watching sunsets and meeting each other.
Housing
Options: Condos and single family homes, with a very strong rental market.
Costs: Median price, $480,000
Near-By Excursions
Calendar of Events
http://old.sanibel-captiva.org/newcalendar/
Location: Southwestern Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico
Elevation: Sea Level
Size: 12 miles long, 5 miles across. 15 miles of beachfront
Distance to other major cities:
Ft. Myers: 10.6
Cape Coral: 15 miles
St. Petersburg: 101
Getting To Sanibel Island, Florida:
Fly into Southwest Florida International Airport (45 minute drive), or Orlando, or Miami (longer drives)
Weather: Perfect weather. Warm and dry in the winters, in the 70's and 80's.
Annual Average Temperature: 74 degrees
Annual Average Rainfall: 42 inches, much of it in the late summer months.
Economics and Demographics
Population: 6,000 (seasonal 20,000)
Median Age, 2000: 60.5
Median Household Income: $79,044
Principle Industries: Recreation, Real Estate
More information
Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce
http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/