SANIBEL ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE
Sanibel Island, Florida
Sanibel Island is just a short and very scenic drive over a causeway from Fort Meyers, Florida. Stayed in Fort Meyers the night before Thanksgiving. The signs are easy to follow to the park. You can't go in the keeper's house or the tower, but you can walk all around the grounds. Beautiful beach there to. The light sits right at the point of the island, called Point Ybel. It is pretty much the same as other lights built in this fashion.
As with the tower to the north at Cape San Blas, the ship bringing the iron tower sank just miles offshore. Most of the material was recovered and on August 20th, 1884, the third order Fresnel lens cast out its first rays to the sea. The tower stands 102 feet high with a focal plane of 98 feet so it pretty much sits at sea level. The light was automated in 1946 and the took out the lens in 1965 and replaced it with a drum lens. The light is still active. We could see it flashing the night before from the beach at our hotel in Ft. Meyers. It was a lovely Thanksgiving Day.
Here's how I saw it:
SI1
SI2
SI3
SI4
SI5
SI6
SI7
SI8
SI9
SI10
SI11
SI12
SI13
SI14
SI15
OF THE MOUNTAINS
John B Caddell
Copyright 2001