Our first morning on Sanibel Island was January 1. We got up at dawn to watch the sunrise... and ended up doing this each morning. Then we'd go on a biking adventure... saw an alligator 5 minutes after the bike shot!
we'd return to our home for a little down time and tree-climbing...
and then off to the beach for the best shell collecting you can imagine.
We'd play at the beach until the sun went down...
I have so many amazing pictures, but I don't want to go on and on. I'll be uploading them to flickr and creating a Sanibel set if you are interested. This was by far the best vacation we've ever had!
Oh wow! I love shell collecting! My mum has one of the biggest private collections in QLD, Australia, and has passed on the love of them to me. Speaking of Australia, we don't have alligators here. Only crocodiles. But guess what wandered out of the bush(forest) south of Sydney NSW into a camping ground!! A gator! someone had illegally imported it and then dumped him in the bush. So the campers caught the 1.5 meter guy and he is now very happy in his new home at the Australian Reptile Park. I've found a link of the story for you: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/30/2456825.htm?section=justin
ReplyDeleteeek! at the alligator(s). But it looks an sounds like you had a fabulous time :-)
ReplyDeleteI honestly think that those are some of the most magical sunrise on the beach pictures I have ever seen. They warmed me up on this winter storm morning instantly. I haven't even had my morning coffee yet. Please share them all with us, please !!!
ReplyDeleteHi Maya!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos and amazing place!
Your spanish is good! ;)
Have a great time!
María Paula
Fabulous! I love the pelican shot. I'm going to have to save up my pennies and go somewhere warm for a vacation!
ReplyDeleteSanibel is definitely a paradise for shell collectors. It's been years since I've been there but I'd love to return!
ReplyDeleteWe have been going to Sanibel every year for the past 15 years. My husband's family started going over 40 years ago. It is such a wonderful place on Earth. It is like a second home to us. Your pictures immediately took me back there to the warm sand and relaxing waves!
ReplyDeleteI am creeping out after weeks of LOVING your blog and all of your great ideas. My sister kikbee.blogspot.com told me about you...I'd love to know where you stayed on Sanibel. Beautiful photos and inspiring blog...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures - a perfect tonic when it's grey and -2 outside, which it is here.
ReplyDeleteHope you don't mind but we made your newspaper bunting and I've put some photos of work in progress and the end result on my blog. My son loved doing it (as did I) so we'll be checking back in for more good ideas!
Thanks
wow some beautiful photos. I wish i had a vacation like that!
ReplyDeletegorgeous first sunrise. i'm so enamored with the shells. i have NEVER been to a beach with shells like that.
ReplyDeleteFL is amazing in the winter and you of course can truly appreciate it coming from the snowy north. ahhh these images make me homesick for FL i lived there for 4 years. and these make me want to go back right now. happy new year to you and your lovely family! so glad you had a wonderful vacation.
ReplyDeleteswoon swoon swoon
ReplyDelete*note to self: GET THEE TO SANIBEL!*
~Elizabeth
Oh Maya! What an amazing trip! I do love beachcombing, and that is simply to die for! How very very lovely. You can go on and on if you want... I'll dream about it. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to welcome the new year. So serene. Oh my.
ReplyDeleteIt's looks amazing, many blessings to you and yours in the new year!!
ReplyDeletewowwww those shots ar just.. wowsome. wish i could see smth like that so upclose. it's so pretty!
ReplyDeleteWhat a truly wonderful break you had!
ReplyDeleteWow! I hadn't wanted to bore you with vacation photos... thanks! I posted more on flickr if you need some more sunshine and play shots.
ReplyDeleteSo jealous! It is FREEZING at my house today! Such pretty pictures!
ReplyDeleteJust looking at your pictures brings the smells of Sanibel/Captiva to my nose and washes nostalgia over my heart.
ReplyDeleteMy family has a time share in Captiva and we go there every year, even though we live all so far away from Florida (it is raining in Seattle today).
If you go again, make sure you hit the Lazy Flamingo!
Love that sunset! Looks like a fabulous time - I love Sanibel!
ReplyDeletei thought those shells looked familiar! i had the most insane spiritual experience during sunrise at fort meyers beach, right nearby. we were hurting financially. i jumped out of bed & ran down the beach ~ so unlike me with a new baby & then clingy 4 y.o. i did a sun salutation & prayed. there were no shells as i ran. people walked with empty bags. i asked the universe what it wanted me to know. i heard a voice in my head ~ "there is more abundance than we can hold." i was in 2 feet of water & looked down. there were tons of those same shells half-buried just where i stood. i filled my arms, including 8 perfect conch shells! & things turned around for. i forget about that. thanks for the beautiful reminder. xoxo
ReplyDeleteoh ms. maya...I love them all...thank you so, so much for sharing! I will be stalking your flickr page as well...we are not able to travel to a warmer destination this winter..so I will live vicariously through you and your magnificent photos! xo t
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous trip! The colors you captured are just amazing. I'm glad it was restful and fun for all of you.
ReplyDeletegorgeous pictorial. What a lovely way to celebrate the beginning of 09.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I have that same camera! but your pictures come out so gorgeous, you definitely have talent for photography! and again I love your pictures, I feel like I'm right there at the beach lol....and that program picnik is a wonder, so that is definitely a help! =)
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures! And that pelican-shot...WAW! We spent some time at the seaside too over the holidays (http://pm-betweenthelines.blogspot.com/2009/01/2009.html). A totally different experience than yours as it was extremely cold where we stayed (North Sea). An icy wind, white frost on the beach, the sand hard as stone, but we had so much fun! One evening, we watched a bonfire and fireworks at the beach and had freshly grilled sprat with potato in the peel. YUM!
ReplyDeletelooks wonderful indeed! so glad you had a great time - and glad you're back too :)
ReplyDeleteOh Maya... your photos are beautiful! They bring back so many memories. I was in that area years ago and collected so many shells. My girlfriend's parents own a home on Sanibel and she always brought me seashells as well. What a great place to relax and enjoy each other!
ReplyDeleteSanibel and Captiva are some of my favorite places...ever! Gorgeous pictures.
ReplyDeleteI am sooo happy that you all had such a wonderful & WARM trip!!! I love the first sunrise of the year picture...so magical!!!
ReplyDeleteI know you posted this a while ago, but as I am new to your blog, I just had to comment...
ReplyDeleteThese photographs are incredible. Sunrise on the beach with your family; I don't think it gets much better than that. As it's in the low-teens right now here in Providence, that Sanibel beach is looking like a mighty fine idea.
I scrolled through your photos and somehow realized it was Sanibel before I even read the text. I haven't been there since I was a child but I have many fond memories of going there.
ReplyDelete