CBJ's Big Adventure, Part 1!

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Today we had some errands to do so decided to add some adventure to it! I had to go to our house in Ft. Myers to meet a man who was working on it so we decided we would do a little grocery shopping (at non-island prices) and then go to Blind Pass to do some shelling. Mind you, timing is everything....low tide is at 3:00 so we had to work that into the equation also!!

While I was dealing with the workers Jess heard a bird in the back by the pond and grabbed my camera and ran across this guy!

 It is a hawk of some sort, I believe, with some sort of field mouse or rodent, and he's having lunch!! *(Note to self, yet another reason not to walk Lily around the pond!!)

Our Bird of paradise plant in full Bloom against our Pond!!

After grocery shopping (and grabbing some sushi for a quick lunch) we headed back to the island to drop off the groceries and head to Blind Pass.  As we were approaching the bridge, we decided to stop at the causeway to look around....we have been there only once or twice, and it hadn't been good, but we wanted to try it again.  I always wanted to shell that little beach on the right that you see while coming over the bridge! So we did!!

We think this is a tiny Puffer fish! Luckily I had my waterproof camera and we got a good pic of him....he's only 1/2 in long!!

Horse Conch mini eating a cerith 

Yes!! That's a Rose Tellin!! I haven't found ANY of those since our honeymoon in 1997!! I was SOOOO excited!! 

I saw this guy, and just knew it was a fish....but it's not, it's just a pile of oyster shells!!

Testing out my underwater camera!

Brad with Ft. Myers in the background

Turtle Grass and sandy bottom (underwater!)

This is a syphon for something.....I dug down beside it for many inches, and never found out what it was for....I assumed it was an Angel Wing...

Jess found this BEAUTIFUL Lightning Whelk, it was a gorgeous rose color....of course, we put it back after it's photo op! Jess has always had an eye for finding cool stuff, especially live shells....I guess that's the Veterinarian in her!! :)

I thought this was awesome! It's a rock covered in Oyster shells!!!

Closer up view of the rock

We had found Pear Whelks, Rose Tellins (woohoo) and saw so many amazing things but we got worried about the groceries in the car, so we headed back in and dropped them off at the condo and headed out for Blind Pass! 

Standing on the Sanibel Side of Blind Pass

 We had NO luck at Blind Pass, it was rough, and although there were lots of shells, none of us found anything special so we decided to go to the lighthouse and use up the remaining time on the parking pass....

The adventure continued here with lots of live stuff!

Sea Stars

Live Lightning whelks by the bushels!!

Lots of Fighting Conchs Too!! See his eye looking at you???

This Ibis was leading the way with his Beautiful colors!! According to Captain Brian, these are his mating season colors!! He wants to be noticed!! :)

Jess did some bonding with this live olive!

We had a great day!! Notice, I put part 1 on this post, I anticipate that we will be doing this again....we're going back to the causeway and check more out there!! We didn't get lots of shells, but we saw lots of wonderful and amazing things!!

Brad and Jess' finds since we arrived on Sanibel, plus from our Adventures today!! 

Hubby and My finds since we got here...

Sunray Venus and Turkey wings!

Pear Whelks, Olives, fighting conch, sunray mini, scallops and a nutmeg

Rose Tellins...a little faded, but I'll take them!!

Brad found this King's Crown at the Lighthouse beach!

Hubby had to work (telecommute) all day, so we stopped at Schnappers Hot on the way home and grabbed some hotdogs and hamburgers, fries and onion rings and pigged out when we got home! We really had a great time.....and hope you did too! :)

More tomorrow!

::Hugs::

Cheri