Surrounded by the beautiful warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Sanibel & Captiva Islands are a boater's paradise. While our waters are enjoyed by many from all over the world, our local fishermen and sailors respect the tides, markers and their charts. With multiple sand bars and shallow sea grass beds, these waters can make navigation tricky.
As a boat owner here on Sanibel, I have had a few mishaps in the back bay that taught me to trust the charts and not rely on sight alone. After being pulled off a shoal by a seasoned Mullet fisherman along Woodring Point where the water depth went from 12' to 12" in less that my boat's length, I didn't need another reminder of how important my charts where!
Shown in this photo is the latest sailboat to meet with trouble Southeast of Sanibel's Toll Bridge. This is the third sailboat I have seen grounded in this area where the markers clearly indicate shallow waters.