Casa Ybel Resort

Sanibel Island, Florida

Tag Archives: Sanibel


by

Historic Sinking of USS Mohawk Off Coast of Sanibel


The World War II ship the USS Mohawk was scuttled 28 miles off the coast of Sanibel Island in the early afternoon of Monday July 2nd. It is now an artificial reef for divers and anglers and is a veterans memorial.

The county’s Marine Services Program and Reefmakers LLC, a Key West company that specializes in sinking ships as artificial reefs, was scheduled to scuttle the 165-foot World War II Coast Guard cutter at 11 a.m., but it was delayed by nearly two hours.

Just before 1 p.m., there was a loud explosion, debris flew off the ship and it slowly descended to the bottom of the Gulf. It took just three minutes to sink below the water line.

“It’s a big day for us. We’ve done artificial reefs in the past, but we’ve done nothing that was like this. We’ve got the opportunity to take an old historic vessel and give her a final duty that’s fitting of the service that she’s given to this country,” said Steve Boutelle, with Lee County Natural Resources.

Joe Weatherby and his team spent two months in Fort Myers Beach preparing the rusted ship, removing hazardous oil and readying her for her final destination.

“She’s still got her propellers, she’s still got her guns and her life raft back on board and you never ever, ever see artificial reefs going into the sea looking like this,” Weatherby said.

Six charges were placed on the USS Mohawk and detonated at different times, allowing thousands of gallons of water to rush into the ship at once so that it will sit right side up.

Sunday morning crews towed the ship to its final destination and anchored it in preparation for the sinking.

“They spent a lot of time and a lot of money getting the ship ready environmentally – making sure it’s clean, there’s no oil leaking or any problems with that. The guns were taken off, decommissioned, and put back on. The props were put back on, so from a diver’s perceptive, it’s as if the boat did sink accidentally and it looks like it was operating when it went down,” explained Jeff Miller, President of the Coastal Conservation Association.

Similar artificial reef projects have created millions of tourism dollars throughout Florida.

The USS Mohawk will make the only artificial reef of its kind in Southwest Florida, and it’s the first to honor veterans.


by

We’re Number One!

January 12, 2012
BILL SCHILLER (bschiller@breezenewspapers.com ) , Island Reporter, Captiva Current, Sanibel-Captiva Islander

Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home, but sometimes, there’s good reason to brag. While the picturesque paradise that is Sanibel Island is well recognized by anyone who lives or works here, the community may attract a number of new admirers due to the release of several new reports that further herald Sanibel’s status as the most desirous of Florida destinations.

In a recent U.S. News & World Report ranking of the eight best beaches in Florida, Sanibel shined as the #1 spot. Neighboring communities like Naples (#2) and Fort Myers (#8) were included on the list. In accompanying text, travel writers said, “You’ll be hard-pressed to find a place in Florida with quieter and clamer shores than Sanibel Island.” Pleasant weather and low-cost lodging venues were credited with making Sanibel enjoyable all year long. Online media attached with the article also paid tribute to area attractions such as Captiva Island, the shops along Periwinkle Way, programs at Big Arts, Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum and J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The multimedia presentation is available on the Internet at www.travel.usnews.com.

Bowman’s Beach on Sanibel secured distinction for itself in a Top 10 of Most Secluded Beaches as surveyed by principals of the popular travel website known as “shermanstravel.com. Bowman’s, which is located along a corridor of the San-Cap Road took top honors. It was regarded as a great place to find shells, but not a lot of competition from other shell collectors.

TripAdvisor.com, which is reportedly the world’s most widely-used travel-related website, also recently announced their Top 15 U.S. Destinations for 2012. These were determined through a poll of TripAdvisor travelers and editors.

Fort Myers, which ranked in 3rd Place, was distinguished among the top vacation hot-spots. The accompanying text, however, regarded Sanibel and Captiva among the area’s top attractions.

Of course, Sanibel and Captiva remains first and foremost in the hearts and minds of so many who live here, but such polls have been shown to influence destination choices made by tourists. Given the degree that this community achieves favor in this kind of national reporting, locals may soon see even more visitors with which they can share their love of Sanibel.


by

Casa Ybel Kid’s Club Rocks

KidsClub

The Casa Kid’s Club is now featuring very popular theme days from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday.  Children ages 4 to 11 are welcome.  These mid morning to early afternoon adventures include a kid-friendly lunch.  Theme days include Treasure Island Day, with kiddies wearing pirate hats as they search for buried treasures and Luau Days, with children enjoying limbo and floral leis.  Also extremely popular is “It’s Your Birthday” with participants pretending it is their special day as they decorate their own cupcake surrounded by balloons.  Adding an international flair is Island Fiesta Day featuring pinatas, sombreros and maracas.

Afternoon crafts include perennial favorites of shell mirrors, shark tooth jewelry, tie-dye shirts and beach flip flops, which involve decorating their own sandals.  Recreation Coordinators Paula Daly, Lillie Clark and Erin Albin keep the Kid’s Club a fun place to visit as the children’s parents enjoy a few hours of  total relaxation on their own.