South of St. Petersburg, north of Naples, and not far from the Fort Myers, Florida airport, are two very beautiful islands, Sanibel and Captiva. They are right along the coast of the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico. As soon as you cross the Causeway Bridge and enter Sanibel Island, you can begin to experience the special environment and local culture. Hardly anyone wears a watch, because no one cares what time it is, you are now on “Island Time”!

Sanibel and Captiva are known by many, as one of the top ten areas, of the world, for collecting seashells. There are miles of beautiful, free, uncrowded public beaches to walk, while picking up a wide variety of amazing seashells. Bowmans Beach is one of our favorites for solitude and shell collecting.

As you travel several miles towards Captiva, you will pass the famous Ding Darling National Wildlife Preserve, a must for all nature lovers. Their visitor center is fabulous and Wildlife Drive is often filled with other surprises. Also, the nearby Bailey - Matthews Shell Museum is a fascinating and educational stop.

As you cross the Blind Pass Bridge and enter Captiva, you soon arrive at what my wife and I consider our favorite hideaway, for sunshine and relaxation, Jensen’s Twin Palm Cottages and Marina. On our first Captiva visit, we stayed at one of the high-end, high priced resorts, for megabucks a night. By chance, when we used Jensen’s water taxi service to visit the pristine Island of Cayo Costa, we surveyed their cottages underneath the swaying palm trees and fell in love. We have been back twice a year for nearly fifteen years.

Jensen’s cottages are super clean and comfortable and the Jensen family has tried hard to preserve a peaceful setting that is reminiscent of a time when the world seemed less complicated.

Nearby are great restaurants and fabulous shopping exists on both Islands. Boat rentals for pleasure or fishing are a popular activity. You can go by yourself or let the Jensen’s recommend an expert guide.

If you are a nature lover, you will be amazed at the variety of egrets, herons, pelicans, and many other species of birds. They are all for view right there at the Marina. Eagles are in the area, and Osprey’s are abundant, both in flight and perched in the palms on the property.

In the right season, you can see many manatees along with their babies, right in front of your eyes. Otters and dolphins swim playfully just a little bit from the shoreline. Sunrise on the bayside is right outside your front door, and you can walk down the street to the Gulf side, for a beautiful sunset.

The main key to the simple beauty and serenity of this special place is the Jensen family. Their warmth and helpfulness is something you remember long after your stay. It is no accident that you meet other guests that have been coming from all over the country for their same week, or month, for over twenty-five years. Perhaps their sign should include a warning, “Be Prepared, This Place Can Become Habit Forming!”