Sand Dollars, Starfish, Stingrays and Sandy Sanibel

We're back home now and I thought I would make one last post to catch up and share some pictures from the week.  Have you ever noticed the older you get how time seems to fly by faster?  I can remember as a child summer vacations that seemed like  they went on forever.  Now a week is here and gone before you know it and a weekend goes by in the blink of an eye.  If I didn't know better I would swear the earth was turning faster.  One thing for sure when I was a kid it was a time when things were much simpler and took longer.  While technology is great, I think it will deprive some of our younger generation from some of the simpler joys in life.  Things like "kick the can" and staying out and playing all day just making sure you got home when the street lights came on.

The waters have been clear and full of sea life this trip.  You can stand in the ocean chest deep and see your feet!  We were concerned about how the week was going to go because the week before we came down was pretty much a rain out, but this past week was great.  Nothing spectacular in the shell department but it didn't keep us from looking.

On Wednesday we had several groups of Stingrays pass us while we were in the water.  What do you call a group of Stingrays?  A pod?, a flock?, A swarm?
A S_ _ _  Load?  Answer is a "fever".  Not making this up folks, found it on the Internet and we all know everything on the Internet is true.
Look close a fever of stingrays!
I was out in chest deep water and began seeing people frantically rush towards the shore. The only thing missing was the jaws music.  So I stood there still as possible and the "fever" passed me on both sides.  I was apparently in their way. There was probably close to 50 in the first group.  Nana and the Beach Angels soon joined me in the water and before you knew it the others that were rushing to get out of the water were back in trying to get a look as well.   The stingrays were all travelling west and word has it there was a lunch special at Mucky Duck on Captiva so I guess they were going to lunch.  There were several groups that passed us that day.  All headed west towards Captiva.  The last group had a manatee escort with them.  It was a cool sight.  Couldn't get a real clear picture and couldn't convince any of the stingrays to jump up on the boogie board for a photo.

Sand dollars and Starfish were all plentiful.  We persuaded a few of them to take a photo with us before returning them back to the ocean floor.  You know here they are sitting on the ocean floor minding their own business when all of a sudden an alien from above scoops them up for closer inspection before returning them back home again.
Lexi with Sand dollar

Close Encounters 2017

Taylor with starfish
Thursday we had to work on our beach art for 2017.  Let me introduce you all to Sandy Sanibel, (Sandy, get it?)  She is a lady of the sea also known as a mermaid. Sandy was quite popular this week.  She participated in several photo shoots but refused to sign any autographs.

Sandy Sanibel 2017
Hair care by Welk 






 
Keeping Sandy cool with some gulf water
Time on Sanibel/Captiva is not complete without taking some time to worship the Sun as it falls into the ocean and places a bookmark on your day with the promise of a new chapter in tomorrow's adventures.
Searching for Sunset

Sunset 2017




This week was filled with many memorable moments.  The youngest Beach Angel (Taylor) had recently seen Sushi being made on TV and said she wanted to try it!  Not wanting to deprive her the opportunity we got some while at Timbers.  Will she eat it?

Nope! Barely touched her tongue

Our Condo was on the third floor and had an elevator.  Taylor didn't care much for the elevator because it made a clunking noise when it took off.  She spent the week using the stairs rushing up or down to be at the elevator door when it opened.  Nana and I decided to prank her and act like we were making out in the elevator when the door opened and wouldn't you know it the one time we did it there was somebody else there waiting for the elevator!




Our oldest Beach Angel Lexi is going to be on the cheer squad in high-school next year. The beach was here acrobatic playground this week.  I think Nana still had bad memories of the sprained ankle she got during our last visit here.  She kept telling Lexi to knock it off cause she didn't want to go to urgent care this trip.



Practice makes perfect

Beach Angels 2015

Beach Angels 2017

When on Sanibel and Captiva there is so much treasure to find whether it be an exotic plant, bird, or gift from the sea.  This year the girls found a new dimension of treasure hunting while there.  On Thursday we decided to go to Cheeburger, Cheeburger for a late lunch/early dinner.  Our little Beach angel a.k.a. Rock hound came upon a painted rock that said "Rock On" on it.  There was also a note glued to it that had a facebook address with instruction to post your rock picture on their facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1822088544728380/ 

when you find a rock its yours to keep or you can post a picture and put it out for another to find. 
The cool thing would be to take it some place far away and see how far the rocks would travel. Kind of like a modern day message in a bottle.

After Taylor found her rock and we figured out what was going on, the hunt was on so they went out and found another. 

 1st find
2nd find

While our week went by entirely too fast we did enjoy every minute while on the island.  Someday  many many years from now I hope the girls will pull out these old post and remember some of the great times we had in our "Happy Place". 

Life is a highway and its not always about the destination but about the journey, except if your on Sanibel or Captiva.
















  






















Comments

Shelllady said…
Awesome post RC, Keep up the posts even when you aren't in paradise, would love to hear from you!! Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us!!
June 22, 2017 at 11:35 PM
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