Located just 30 minutes west of Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast of Florida, the sister islands of Sanibel and Captiva are renowned for their natural beauty, spectacular white sand beaches ,, breathtaking sunrises and sunsets and exotic shells and wildlife. Both barrier islands are unique in their own right, while having in common rich intrigue and adventure, laidback atmosphere and low development. The story of Sanibel and Captiva Islands goes back all the way to some three hundred years ago, to a period when Native Americans inhabited the islands and Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon first encountered the Calusa Indians in 1513. Other stories give accounts of infamous pirates who sought a safe haven, and pioneers, fishermen and clergymen who ventured into the wilderness to prospect for a better way of life. …show more content…
The Spanish, in the 1500s, first called the islands Costa de Caracoles, which translates, “Coast of Sea Shells,” rightfully so because of the colorful shells that abound on the shoreline of the island. Some time in the late 1760s, sailors began referring to Sanibel as “Nibel,” a Spanish word meaning level because of the seemingly parallel position of the islands to the horizon. A “S” on a map was later interpreted to mean san or saint, leading to San Nibel, but that did not stick, and in the mid-1770s, San Nibel was changed to Sanibel by a mapmaker. Captiva is believed to have been mapped by the Spanish for the first time as “Cautivo”, meaning “single male