SANIBEL ISLAND AVAILABILITY - WEEKLY OR LONG TERM

#SANIBEL ISLAND AVAILABILITY - LOGGERHEAD CAY 153 

CALL 877 643 3387 OR VISIT US AT WWW.VIPRENTAL.COM 

 Location, Location, Location, Loggerhead Cay 153 has it all. Fantastic Gulf view is featured in this updated two bedroom two bath third floor condo. This is a top floor condo with high vaulted ceilings. The furnishings are very Florida oriented and gives this condo a great beachy feel. All the creature comforts of home are here all you need is your suitcase. Come on down and enjoy all that Sanibel has to offer. Call now for a vacation of a life time. Weekly rental 7 night Minimum

Halloween on Sanibel

Fall Family Carnival Returns!

If you are looking for a great place to spend Halloween, The Community House is the place to be. The fall Family Carnival will take place on Sunday Oct.31 from 5 - 7 pm. Admission is one bag of wrapped candy per family.
There will be trick or treating at carnival booths, crafts, games and food. Prizes will be awarded for best costumes and there will be a hayride. visit www.sanibelcommunityhouse.net or check out The Community House on facebook!

"Sea plane makes crash landing off Bowman's Beach"

A small sea plane made an emergency landing in the waters off Bowman Beach on Wednesday afternoon, with the pilot and his passenger escaping serious injury.

According to eyewitnesses to the incident, the aircraft appeared to be in distress as it approached the Sanibel shoreline, which was filled with hundreds of beachgoers enjoying a warm summer day in Southwest Florida.

"We were in the water, and we saw the plane coming up the beach," said Gloria McCauley, who was visiting from Columbus, Ohio. "It was flying very low and it was flying very close to the shore. We knew something wasn't right because we could see the pilot waving his hands, like he was signaling to people to move away."

Around 2:30 p.m., the pilot — identified as John Parks — landed the plane in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 100 yards off the coast and one-half mile north of the public beach access of Bowman's Beach.

"He did a pretty good job landing it," added McCauley. "The belly of the plane hit first, and then the right wing hit the water. It made a huge splash."

The passenger of the plane was identified as Desi Dreffin, who is the registered owner of the aircraft.

Robert Szanto of Naples, another eyewitness to the crash, called 9-1-1 when he saw the plane heading towad the shoreline.

"I had never seen anything like that before," he said. "When it landed, it looked like it took a really big hit."

Within minutes, the Sanibel Fire & Rescue District, Sanibel Police Department, Lee County Fire Department, Lee County EMS and the United States Coast Guard arrived on the scene to assist in the rescue effort. No injuries were reported.

"I was really impressed with the emergency response," added Szanto. "There were planes and helicopters here about five minutes after the crash."

Chris Danzi also watched the incident from the beach. He walked out in the waist-high water and helped Parks pull the sea plane into the shallows.

"I talked to (Parks) and he said that he had a problem with the tail, so he had to put it down," said Danzi, a resident of Long Island, N.Y. "When we saw the crash, we thought there were going to be some major injuries, but there he was, about 20 yards out, pulling his plane it. He even swam back out to get some of the pieces that broke off."

The aircraft, a Sea Wind 3000, is based out of Osprey, Fla. The two-seat plane has not been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and given an airworthiness certificate at the time of the incident.

Lucky 7 Offer

WOW! Lucky 7 Offer - Stay 7 nights in a 2 bedroom, 2 bath Gulf Front Complex for $777. Mention the Lucky 7 offer and receive a beach cooler bag. Certain restrictions and limitations apply.

Sanibel pair publishes new book detailing everything Disney World has to offer

Sanibel residents and co-authors Mike and Julie Neal.

WDW insider tips from Mike and Julie Neal

Get to a park before it opens. The first two hours are precious, with short lines nearly everywhere.

Make your dining reservations early, a few days or more if possible. You can make reservations online at disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

Use the free Fastpass automated reservation system. It can save literally hours of time waiting in line. And Disney doesn't advertise it, but the end time for using your Fastpass is the end of the day, not the time of the hour window printed on your Fastpass.

Don't try to do everything. It's impossible. Relax and have fun!

After literally hundreds of trips and thousands of photographs, island residents Mike and Julie Neal know Walt Disney World inside and out.

In fact, they probably have more experience from their frequent visits to the Orlando theme park complex in researching the latest edition of their book, entitled "The Complete Walt Disney World 2010," than most of the cast members and Imagineers that work there!

Released earlier this year to book stores worldwide, the Neal's newest edition follows a successful run of guidebooks detailing the nearly 700 rides, attractions, restaurants, shops and hotels in an around the most visited park on the planet.

But what's the biggest difference between publishing a new book and publishing a new edition?

"The obvious answer is the amount of time it takes," Julie Neal said. "The first edition of the Disney book, which came out in 2007, took us a full five years to finish. Each new edition takes between four and six months to publish, although we do research and photography year-round. One of the best things about producing a yearly guidebook is that we can listen to feedback and make the book better each year."

However, coming up with a few new ideas for every book and keeping track with all of the changes that happen at Walt Disney World is not without its challenges.

"With Walt Disney World as our subject, keeping up with the myriad changes is a constant issue," she added. "We also have a hard time hitting our publishing deadline; we always want more time to tweak our writing or add another photo."

For the most part, Julie writes the text of the books while Mike is responsible for the photography. And with more than 550 full-color images included within the latest version of their guidebook, that keeps the Neals in the Orlando area almost as long as the time they spend on Sanibel.

As they have done in past editions, "The Complete Walt Disney World 2010" provides up-to-date information on new and refurbished attractions at the parks, Downtown Disney shopping area and partner hotels, which seem to change with every visit they make.

"One big change is the new emphasis on interactive experiences for guests," said Julie. "Disney is focusing more and more on having guests be a part of the show, such as in the street party attractions like Block Party Bash at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! in Magic Kingdom. In both cases, guests are encouraged to join the characters and cast members in the street to dance."

Another example Neal noted is the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot, where guests use a cell-phone-like "Kimmunicator" to trigger hidden effects in a secret-agent scavenger hunt.

"Another change is the spotlight on Disney characters, with more and more opportunities for guests to meet their favorites and get autographs and photos," she added. "One of the newest characters, Tinker Bell, has her own meet-and-greet spot called Pixie Hollow, with wait times usually exceeding an hour."

So, what makes Walt Disney World such a great destination for residents of Sanibel and Captiva?

"Walt Disney World is perfect for island residents because it is so different from here," said Neal. "It's like a combination of the two places adds up to the ultimate experience. Islanders can go to Disney for a dose of the world's biggest and best choreographed fun, and then come back home to our peace and quiet. It's really the best of both worlds."

But having visited Walt Disney World several hundred times per year (including more than 1,400 visits total), Julie explained that the theme parks offer her something new nearly each time she has passed through the opening gates.

"I wondered if I would grow tired or bored with going to Walt Disney World after so many trips, but instead familiarity has made me appreciate the place more," she said. "It's like an old friend. And I keep discovering new little gems I hadn't noticed before."

For example, Neal explained, on Soarin' in Epcot, guests can faintly hear a voice that sounds like it's coming from another guest yelling out "Catch anything?" to a fisherman onscreen. Another example: On Pirates of the Caribbean in the Magic Kingdom, painted on the exit ramp's moving walkway, "shoeprints" that indicate where to step consist of a normal right shoe and a peg-leg left mark.

As for her favorite attractions at "The House of Mouse," Neal offered some definitive picks.

"At Magic Kingdom, I love PhilharMagic, which is Disney's best 3-D movie celebrating the best Disney songs. At Epcot is Soarin,' which replicates the sensation of flying. Disney's Hollywood Studios has the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which always succeeds at being Disney's creepiest and most thrilling ride. And at Animal Kingdom - my favorite park - I love the animal trails and the Festival of the Lion King, Disney's best live show."

And if Walt Disney World weren't the happiest place on Earth, the Neals wouldn't keep on going and going and going.

"The Complete Walt Disney World 2010" ($24.95 MSRP) is available for purchase online at Amazon.com as well as at island and area book stores.
By JEFF LYSIAK

Council approves purchase of lighthouse - City to buy landmark, property for $447.70

Council approves purchase of lighthouse

City to buy landmark, property for $447.70

After waiting more than five and a half years, the City of Sanibel has finally been given the opportunity to purchase the most recognizable landmark on the island.

And without hesitation, local leaders immediately opened up their wallets and bought the Sanibel Lighthouse - and the surrounding 44.7 acres of property - from the United States Department of the Interior for $10 per acre, or a total cost of $447.70.

"I'm hoping to see some good things from the lighthouse," councilman Jim Jennings said after the resolution to purchase the landmark was unanimously approved. "I think there are some good ideas in use around the country with other lighthouses."

On Feb. 5, the city received a letter from the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management, which stated that the land on which the lighthouse sits has been classified suitable for use under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act of 1926.

"The Sanibel Lighthouse & Keeper's Quarters site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places," the letter states. "All future rehabilitation of buildings and/or structures on the site must be carried out in a manner that is compatible with their historic and architectural qualities and consistent with the recommended approaches for rehabilitation set forth in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines."

Among the conditions of approval for the sale, which must be completed within 30 days of the official notice, is requiring a licensed archaeologist to be present during any an all ground-disturbing activities and requiring revenue generated through usage fees or lease of the facility to be utilized in the management and maintenance of the properties.

According to City Manager Judie Zimomra, the city will now be able to apply for historical preservation grants to assist in the funding of repainting the Sanibel Lighthouse. The city is also working on developing a long-term master plan for the property and cottages at the site.

In other business, councilors continued their discussions of issued related to land development regulations which may affect redevelopment in the resort housing sector, which is expected to be handed over to the city's Planning Commission in the coming weeks.

"We're not going to go into grand detail about this," said Mayor Mick Denham. "I think we'd prefer to leave that to the Planning Commission to handle. I think what we are doing is painting a broad brushstroke of the issues."

The six primary issues brought up for debate included density, short-term occupancy, lot coverage of impermeable areas, setbacks, height limits and coastal construction.

Denham suggested that the city maintain the existing density for all hotels, motels, condominiums and resort properties, as long as the structures remained within their current 3-D footprint. Fellow councilor Peter Pappas offered that extending "grandfathered" policies to the owners of those properties might encourage investors to keep their short-term stay units the same.

"I think we're all in agreement that we don't want to see any density increases," added Marty Harrity.

One topic that will likely become an issue is maintaining the city's height restrictions for commercial properties. Since the release of the new Flood Insurance Maps in 2008, some properties - especially three- and four-floor structures - may require a variance to exceed the current 45-foot restriction.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, several members of the audience offered their suggestions on resort housing redevelopment. Resident Herb Rubin noted that the presence of swimming pools on a property may affect density but added, "I think this is a wonderful way to start."

Planning Commissioner Holly Smith also reiterated her request for a map indicating all properties affected by the upcoming discussions, and submitted an additional request for clarification on "redevelopment vs. modernization."

Lee Olsen, a Pointe Santo resident for the past 35 years, offered that the council should "think as broadly as you can."

"I appreciate your point of view," he added. "And I think you're right on the money."

Planning Department Director Jimmy Jordan told the council that his staff will consider the suggestions posed by the council and prepare a report in time for their next session, on Tuesday, March 2.

The council also unanimously approved the re-allocation of $65,000 from the city's Shared Use Path maintenance budget in order to extend Sanibel's bike path to Captiva, the final step in connecting the pathway between the adjoining islands.

An estimated $80,000 is required to complete the work, which will extend the path along Sanibel Captiva Road between Pine Avenue and the bridge at Blind Pass. The Sanibel Bicycle Club has agreed to pay the remaining $15,000 portion through its Trails In Motion fund.

On Jan. 28, Sanibel's Parks and Recreation Committee approved staff recommendations to move forward with the path extension due to safety concerns for people who use the roadway to travel from one island to the other.

By JEFF LYSIAK