Rammed 2017 (I'm so shiny) Day 9

[wizzo]

Day Nine - 24th August 2017

The index is HERE

So today was our first (and only) full day on Captiva Island. This two night stay was very much just to try somewhere new rather than our usual St Pete’s Beach trip and to add more places to visit on future trips for a bit of variety. Originally we planned to have a couple of these resort trials but we decided to add just one as a taster knowing we would have a decent stint on St Pete beach just in case the trial/trials weren’t as good.

So far, we liked the island although we’d only really eaten food on it and had the nice view of the boat dock from our room.

We were up at 8am with a beach day in front of us. Unfortunately, the weather might have a say in this and we awoke to news of a tropical wave sitting right over the top of us. This minor little meteorological event would dog us for days! The wave was dragging moisture into the whole of Florida from the gulf but mainly wherever we were 😊

The following photo doesn’t capture it (in fact it looks quite nice) but it was chucking it down.

We had a bit of breakfast thanks to our kitchenette. No idea what we had as my note don’t mention it but it’s a safe bet it was Lucky Charms and/or Pop Tarts.

After breakfast I managed to trip over the coffee table on my way to the balcony. As Dad’s do, I tried to style it out and managed to accelerate towards the open patio door. This was fine unit I reached the threshold of the patio doors, tripped on that as well and slammed my shoulder into the partly opened door.

My notes read “My shoulder absolutely knacked (northern expression?), all the rest of the family could do was wet themselves laughing.

Before long, the rain stopped and we headed to the beach. The sky was still mainly black but given that we only had one day here and we’d spend it in the water, it was worth the risk.

We found a pitch with sun loungers and got ourselves some towels. The loungers and towels were only for resort guests but the beach is open to everyone (not that many people would drive all the way to the top of Captiva when there are miles of beach further south on Sanibel).

Captiva is known for its ‘shelling’. This didn’t interest the rest of us but Maddy had planned to go shelling here for months, so she did.

Lauren and I tried to take a selfie in the sea with varying degrees of success and interference from others (Lynn).

It was hot but drizzling ever so slightly. Not your ideal beach day but made little difference to us in the sea.

Before long Maddy joined us in the water and we had our first animal encounter of the holiday. It was a jellyfish which swam harmlessly past us. The kids had a fit and thought they were going to get stung. Little did they know, the jellyfish were the least of the problems.

Just a few minutes later, we were all stood up in waste deep water, I was slightly further out than the girls and without warning the kids started screaming. These were proper terrified screams. My first thought was ‘shark’. Let’s face, there are plenty of sharks in Florida waters. They won’t hurt you and you may never see one but it’s the sea, it’s tropical and it’s got wildlife in it.

The screams continued and the three of them huddled together looking directly down at the water. I started walking towards them as fast as I could but I only got a couple of steps in before something caught my eye in the water right next to me too.

There, surrounding me (and the ladies) was a massive shoal of stingrays. They were just below the surface and swimming past us flowing around us very close but never touching us. We were just an obstacle in their way as they moved down the coast.

I was pleased to see that is wasn’t something frightening and watched in wonder as what I think would have been a good hundred or so rays swam by.

I reassured the girls that it was fine and to just stand still and let them pass. They won’t agree but it was an amazing experience. It was like something out of Moana.

Once they had passed, the kids got out………………and wouldn’t return. Lynn was really brave and stayed in the water, even though she’d nearly pooped herself too.

We tried to coax the kids back in but they weren’t having it so opted for a walk up the beach for a bit instead. We found lots of shells and turtle nests. We weren’t lucky enough to see any turtles hatch!

After a half hour walk, I returned to the water and tried to tempt Lauren back in. It took a while, but eventually she came in for a snorkel.

It took a lot longer to tempt Maddy back in, the pair of them weren’t very happy about what lurks beneath!

Before long, the kids were out, sitting on loungers and whinging.

It was approaching 12 o’clock now which meant everyone was hungry. The beach had absolutely zero when it came to food and drink establishments. This is a good thing. This perfect coast doesn’t need burger joints and cocktail bars.

Instead we got in the car and drove to the top part of the resort that houses the resort pool and many other facilities. Including cocktails for my good lady wife!

Once at the main resort pool we headed straight for the Tiki Bar (The Crooked Snook) that overlooks the sea and ordered cocktails and food.

This was the highlight of our couple of days here for me. Sat looking out over the water back to the mainland enjoying a ‘Mudslide’. And before long the food tuned up, it’s brought from the main kitchen over to the bar and you don’t even need to leave your barstool. I had a burger, Lynn had a turkey wrap, Lauren the sliders and Maddy had a cheese quesadilla.

Good food, good cocktails and dolphins swimming past, what more could you want from a Wednesday lunchtime?

Another round of cocktails followed, we found some sun loungers (you’ll notice the sun was out now), the kids bought themselves inflatables (Wavey man and a giant Tootsie Roll)

I had a dad nap while the kids went on the slides.

This was my view………….

And this was captured without my knowledge!

I don’t remember the photo being taken but I do remember waking up and sweating for England. After my 20 minute (an hour) power nap, I caught up with the others for a swim and to get some photos of the girls.

After a couple of hours messing about in the pools we went back to the room/apartment/studio thing. I watched some baseball, Lynn had a nap and the kids tortured me to take them to the quiet pool near our room.

We left Lynn to her nap and I took the kids after much badgering. They went in, I remained on a lounger.

Photo in little pool – 36

The quiet pool was nice, private and well looked after. All around the resort (including by the pools) there are BBQs for people to use and both of them beside this pool were being used. This is a cashless resort, everything is charged to your room and you settle up at the end of your stay. I’m sure you can guess already that I’m going to say “and this is deliberate, as it’s quite expensive”. It’s not phenomenally expensive but I’d say it was twice the price of our favourite haunt on St Pete beach. I liked this resort, the facilities are excellent, the beaches stunning (I’d imagine when the sky was blue) but it was VERY quiet. I like a bit of an atmosphere and something to watch going on.

Before long, Lynn joined us. She too sat on a lounger and watched the kids, no chance of her going in the pool now either. We sat for another half an hour or so and the smell of grilled meat was too much for us all and we called it a day at around 6pm and headed bac to the room to get ready to go and get some food.

Once back at the room, everyone was tired. Outside it was starting to drizzle again and rather than get showered and changed to go for a sit down meal, I was tasked with going out and bringing something back.

After a brief discussion it was agreed that I would just go to ‘Scoops and Slices’ (where we went last night) and bring pizza back. I pressganged Lauren into coming with me.

I didn’t take any photo of the pizza as it was the same as last night but in a box. It was lovely again and for dessert we had a selection of American sweets, which included (but wasn’t limited too) Ding Dongs, Zingers, Almond Snickers and Paydays.

We were shattered. With the morning at the beach and the afternoon at the pool, we were done in.

We slobbed about and watched ‘The Wall’ on TV and absolutely loved it. As I type this, I can’t’ remember anything about it, so it can’t have been that good! I’ll google it later. I do however remember the advert for a ground breaking new asthma medicine in a break that’s listed side effects included “Can increase the risk of death from asthma symptoms”

America’s funniest home videos and other trash TV followed and we turned in for 10pm with the rain lashing down outside and thunder and lightning in the distance.

Tomorrow – A morning on Captiva in the sunshine (Don’t hold your breath) and the journey up to St Pete Beach.

[mick]

Shame the weather hadn’t been better but sounds like you made the most of it

Joan

[wizzo]

Originally Posted by mick

Shame the weather hadn’t been better but sounds like you made the most of it

Joan

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We always do Joan. You know us!

[loves2plan]

Sounds like you made the most of things despite the weather - hardy Brits At least it wasn't grey and drizzly all day - would have been like being back home!

I have a fear of going in the sea because of sharks and jellyfish. Might need to add stingrays to that now. The jellyfish would have freaked me out, but being a stingray 'obstacle' would have just about done me in!

[Excitedx4]

Great day apart from the grey skies, sometimes you just have to troop on hey 😜

The stingray story had me laughing. When I was around 14 we stayed on treasure island and were warned about the stingrays and taught to do the stingray shuffle across the seabed!

[wizzo]

Originally Posted by Excitedx4

Great day apart from the grey skies, sometimes you just have to troop on hey 😜

The stingray story had me laughing. When I was around 14 we stayed on treasure island and were warned about the stingrays and taught to do the stingray shuffle across the seabed!

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The kids always do the stingray shuffle. I take my chances

[ziggyzag]

I'm in two minds to do a beach trip this year, then saw the news about the sharks, don't like jelly fish and now you said about Stingrays, I probably won't bother!

[yellowrose78]

Fab day! Think I'd have been scared of the stingrays too. It looks lovely there, shame about the weather though.

[i love jack]

The trouble with august weather! But hey may as well get wet in the sea and pool
Lunch looks good with a great view.
I’d have freaked out at the rays too!

[samhugs]

Great day.