This video is about going back to Sanibel Island in the spring of 2024 and I wanted to see the rebuild In this video were showing before pictures after Ian and today
I had been prior to Ian and was returning a year later. I was flying from LA to Ft Lauderdale as Ian was blowing through. After my stay of five weeks on the Atlantic coast I was due in Ft Myers/Sanibel and Captiva but my stay was cancelled. The hotel was closed and the area was devastated. I extended my stay in Ft Lauderdale before flying back to the UK. A year on (September 2023) I returned. The Ft Myers hotel had reopened and I drove across the causeway and visited again. There were still signs of the destruction, largely woodland areas. The buildings that I saw were fine. The beaches and restaurants were up and running but it was quiter than what I was used to. Back in Ft Myers it was still undergoing extensive renovations. I am back again this September (2024) and I hope that it is even better.
Thank you for your reply and giving me an update. I sure would like to be going back this year and seeing how they’re recovering and maybe go right down to Captiva and see how they’re doing too on this trip. It was just kind of too late in the day for drive all the way down and the traffic was pretty heavy thanks for watching and your comments.
Yes, from my first video that I did there to the last video things are still totally changed. Landmasses are a little bit different but I’m hoping in a few more years for them to totally recover. They’ve been working on all the roadways and bridges and the Causeway of course I got washed out. Thank you for your comments.
Thank you for a fantastic video, we spent 3 days on Sanibel 20 years ago and hope to return one day, its a holiday forever etched in my memory. my sunny place to head to on a wet day in Wales.
Thank you for watching in your comments. It was quite devastating what Ian did to that area and that’s why I had to go back and check things out, but they’re on the mend. Give them a few more years and they’ll be back to what that glorious place was. And also, it’s quite a difference between my three videos that I have on my channel. Have you seen all three of them before after and this one thanks again
My husband and I went to Sanibel and Captiva Islands in the beginning of July. It is really beautiful, I’m ready to sell my soul to move there. We stayed at a resort right on the beach, and we went to Captiva Island to the beach. The bridge is still closed to non-motorized vehicles.
I totally agree with you. It’s a beautiful beautiful area and I’ve been going down there for quite a few years. That’s why I was down there the first time before the hurricane and then I wanted to go see it a little bit after and then now just with this posting of this video, totally gorgeous. Loved it from the first time I saw it. Thank you for watching and your comments
Wonderful video, thank you for this. My wife and I took our honeymoon on Sanibel nearly 25 years ago, and have been back many times since. SI is our favorite place to spend time other than home (in Kentucky). What was your impression of the condition of the island overall? As in terms of, what % would you estimate the island is back to any semblance of normal? Again, thank you for this video, extremely well done!
Thank you for your kind words from what I saw and didn’t see a lot of Kiva because I was just too late for me to go down there my other two videos I believe cover a little more but I would say 50 to 60% was recovered, but they still had a ways to go, and some of the areas that were just totally flooded, and it burnt all the trees and foliage with the salt water. I would love to go back one more time say maybe next year and do more of the island once again, thank you for your kind words and watching our video.
Thanks for this video. I grew up in. Sw Florida and Sanibel was a weekly visit by boat year round. One of my favorite places, as a competitive swimmer, I frequently swam down by the lighthouse even with the undertow from the tides😂 I did get pulled out to the causeway once😂 Hoping to make my way down to see it again soon.
I also have a love for that area and it was so devastated with Ian going through there. I just wanted to go back down and have a look when I did this video things are looking up. Going to take some more time. Thank you for watching and your comments.
@ACanadianRVereh I know a few places down there that are a treasure to me. Sanibel is certainly one of them some of them you cannot get to buy car. Secrets of the swamp 🤣
I just found this video. Are you going to Captiva at some point? Maybe I missed it. I haven't been down there since Ian so am anxious to see the progress!
I had all good intentions of going right down to Captiva and doing the follow up video to that part but it was quite late in the day and traffic was crazy. Stupid coming off the island so unfortunately no I didn’t go down all the way like my second video after Ian. And now I’ve even left the US so that would be another trip down with another video
12:03 After I moved to Port Charlotte, FL, in Nov 2021, I went to Sanabel Island, and as I was leaving, I parked under those trees. I thought it was interesting that the water on the right side of the bridge was ice cold, but then I crossed the bridge, and the water was amazing.
