I was in Fort Myers for the weekend, so brought my kayak with me to get in some paddling time around Sanibel. I left home early Friday morning and arrived at the Sanibel Causeway around 12:00.
From the causeway, I could see Fort Myers Beach in the distance, as well as the Sanibel lighthouse on the southern tip of the island.
I paddled toward the nearest channel marker to have the last time in the channel as possible. The bayside was flat calm with no wind or waves, at least until boats started coming through the channel.
Rounded the point to paddle the Gulf side.
A pod of dolphins passed between me and the beach.
A little while after the dolphins a huge loggerhead sea turtle surfaced about twenty feet from me – no picture because he got his breath and went back under before I could turn the camera on.
I took a break on the beach on the way out and on the return.
The calm water of the bay was gone when I rounded the point, the wind had picked up and the tide was going out, so it was over a mile into the wind against the current.
Once off the water, I discovered two things:
First, the front hatch of my boat has a leak, so I was shipping water when waves broke over the bow. I drained quite a bit before loading up, but still had saltwater hitting my windshield in every decelerating, right-turn for two days.
Second, my sunscreen was less than effective.
Ow.
