Snorkeling in Sanibel Island is not ideal as these pristine, sandy beaches do not support a suitable marine life and coral ecosystem, similar to other locations in southwest Florida.
You can find some of the most beautiful beaches in the country in southwest Florida. Some of the most notable beaches are Marco Island, Boca Grande, and Siesta Key. But Sanibel Island deserves to be mentioned as one of the best. This barrier island off the coast of Cap Coral features pristine, sandy beaches littered with shells and a massive wildlife refuge on the northern end of the island. There isn’t much that this island does not have.
However, snorkeling in Sanibel Island leaves much to be desired. All the sand and seashells on the beach does not provide a proper ecosystem for significant marine life. As such, all you will see is sand here. And this is a common theme across southwest Florida, unfortunately.
Sanibel Island, Florida Aquatic Profile:
- Water Visibility: Fair
- Current Strength: Below Average. While southwest Florida has some areas with strong waves, such as Bradenton up north, Sanibel Island’s currents are pretty mild.
- Reef Presence: No natural or artificial reefs around.
- Marine Life: Not much marine life around, aside from a few critters here and there. There are some bigger fishes up near Captiva Island for fishing.
- Crowd: As one of the most beautiful beaches in the country, there is usually a crowd here. But if you pick your spots, you can have the whole beach to yourself.
- Water Temperature: Sits at mid-80s during the summer and can get as low as low 60s during the winter. Still a tad bit cold for coral reefs to grow.
Getting There:
Closest Airports: Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, FL)- 25 miles away east, 45 minute drive
- Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers is the closest airport to Sanibel Island. The airport has flights from most major cities across the country, so you shouldn’t face any issues catching a flight. You will go across the Sanibel Causeway from the mainland to the island, a 3-mile long bridge with a $6 toll fee.
Nearest Major City: Cape Coral and Fort Myers
- The nearest major cities to the island are Cape Coral and Fort Myers, which are located about 20 and 25 miles east, respectively. Cape Coral is the biggest city between Miami and Tampa, the two biggest metro areas in Florida. There are plenty of activities to do in the area, so it would make sense to plan a trip that encompasses the metro. If you are planning on a south Florida trip, Sanibel Island would be a great stop on your excursion.
Preferred Transportation to Destination: Fly into Southwest Florida International Airport
Introduction
This shrimp-shaped island off the coast of southwest Florida is a wildlife treasure. Prior to the development of Sanibel Causeway, all attempts to populate the island had been unsuccessful. It was originally purchased by Florida Peninsula Land Company in 1832, but abandoned quickly thereafter. Upon passing of the Homestead Act in 1862, there were additional attempts to populate the island but it remained small.
Once the Causeway was built in 1963 to replace the ferry, people came in droves to reside on the island. The inflow of residents and growth in development propelled the city to shut down efforts to overdevelop the island. The Sanibel-Captive Conservation Foundation, which oversees the wildlife refugees on the island, has played a major role in curbing the development of the island.
So let’s do a quick geography lesson here on Sanibel Island. The entire island is shaped like a shrimp and Sanibel Island is located on the bottom curve. Captiva Island is the sister island to Sanibel Island and is the head of the shrimp. The two are separated by the Blind Pass and are connected by a small bridge. And then you have North Captiva Island on top of Captiva Island which is only accessible via ferry. Given that Sanibel is the main island within this archipelago, that will be the focal point, but we will also touch on Captiva Island.
Areas for Snorkeling in Sanibel Island
There are two main points that many bring up as potential areas for snorkeling in Sanibel Island and Captiva Island. The two are Bowman’s Beach, one of the most popular beaches on Sanibel Island, and Captiva Beach on Captiva Island. Both beaches face the Gulf of Mexico.
Bowman’s Beach is beautiful and filled with shells laying on the sand. It is a slice of sandy heaven on Earth. But the beach simply does not have any reefs to support a proper marine life. You can snorkel here and look at shells, but that is about it. Same thing goes for Captiva Beach. This isolated beach is amazing to lie and enjoy the sun, but little reefs and marine life surrounds it.
On top of that, you may run into poor visibility at times as the waters here are slightly murky. If you do decide to snorkel, make sure you get enough of shell viewing to last you a lifetime. There is very few places in the world with an extensive shell collection like the one you find on Sanibel and Captiva Islands.
JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
I would be remiss if I did not briefly discuss the JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This 5200 acre refuge is one of the largest mangrove ecosystems in the entire country. The refuge protects more than 230 species of animals, and is famous for birdwatching opportunities as it is a well-known migrating location. Of course, it is probably obvious but I will reiterate that any type of snorkeling or diving is not permitted in this area. But with the limited amount of marine life in the area, taking a quick visit to JN Ding Darling is a great alternative for viewing wildlife.
Final Word:
The snorkeling in Sanibel Island leaves much to be desired. This is a common theme in southwest Florida which has low quality visibility with minimal reefs. But if you are in the area and want to do some snorkeling, you can always go look at the wide diversity of shells on the island.
I highly suggest that rather than spending time underwater, go visit JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. It is a fantastic attraction, especially for bird watchers, and one of the largest sanctuaries for wildlife in the country. Best to save your snorkeling for visits to crystal clear waters in the Florida Keys or the Caribbean, and go watch the true wildlife wonders in Sanibel Island.
Snorkeling in Sanibel Island Rating: 1/5 Snorkels – Yuck, Stay Away!
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