North Captiva Island Sailing
Sometimes I take for granted how beautiful it is where I live. While I am often too busy to take a beach day or relax for more than a few hours poolside, it is important to relish in the nice weather while it is here. Florida can be moody. Some days will be foggy and cold before spring hits, while others will be unbearably humid. I believe we are past our mild “winter,” as the days have been sunny and clear.
I had the rare opportunity to enjoy the area beaches this past week as I hopped onboard a sailing catamaran. This boat was large enough to seat 24, but we were a small group.
The weather and water were unusually beautiful on this day. The water was the clearest I had seen it in this area lately, and the weather was hot but not too hot.
Our boat left out of Captiva Island which is one of my favorite places to spend the day sipping cocktails. I don’t do that nearly enough. While in theory it is close to my home, the traffic and two-way road makes it a two hour trek. I rarely make the trip, so this was a nice way to enjoy the island! After leaving Captiva Island, we headed toward North Captiva Island.
Captiva and North Captiva are actually separated by a small channel that was created in a hurricane. The only way to get to North Captiva is by boat or small airplane! I love how remote it is, and this was my first time visiting the island. When we arrived, we anchored on the bay side and took a small inflatable boat to shore.
We looked for mollusks and explored the murky waters before heading down a small path to the beach. This was what I was waiting for!
Most of the beaches I go to are not as undisturbed as this. It was peaceful, and there were few people on the island.
The water was cold but refreshing. I was not brave enough to go in, but I enjoyed relaxing as the waves came through.
If you are trying to plan a Florida vacation, I always recommend the Gulf coast. Not only do we have amazing sunsets, but some of my favorite beaches are on this side of Florida. While I prefer Clearwater for parties, sunny southwest Florida is quickly becoming my favorite. Siesta Key (near Sarasota) has white sand and beautiful water, but Sanibel and Captiva Islands have a small town charm that I adore.
Have you ever visited Florida? What’s your favorite beach?
