Someone left their mark on the beach in front of Ocean’s Reach! What would your mark look like if you could leave one? Lots of beautiful nature on the beach to spark your creativity!

A beach seems to be a lovely and romantic destination for a wedding, and the beaches of Sanibel fit that description perfectly! Recently, the Hughes family from Ohio, held the wedding for their daughter and new son-in-law on this beautiful Sanibel beach. This had long been a dream of the couple as they had both vacationed here many times as children.

If you are dreaming of a beach wedding on Sanibel, Ocean’s Reach has a lot of helpful information to help you make the perfect decisions!

A yearly tradition with the January Ocean’s Reach gang is to visit the Cracker Box Restaurant. It is located on McGregor Boulevard across from the Sanibel Outlet Stores. It is a family run business where Jim, the owner, has been entertaining guests with his country music for the past 50 years. Everything about the place is right out of a Charles Kuralt travelogue.

Pictured are owners Dru Doyle and Chuck and Barb Bryden. Old friends having a good time!

It’s always a special treat to play golf at the Dunes Country Club during the winter season. The course is in excellent shape and there is always an abundance of wildlife to be seen. Pictured are just a few of the local inhabitants. Also pictured is Chuck Bryden watching his 300 plus yard drive on the 14th tee. Notice above Chuck’s head, the Osprey watching the art of a great golf swing.

There are many very special, quiet spots on Sanibel where you can sit, relax and just enjoy the surroundings. These special places can also give us a feeling of peace that we all need in our daily lives to, “Stop and Smell the Roses” as they saying goes. Do you have a special spot?

On one of my latest bike trips, which actually took place on New Year’s Day, I rode through the Sanibel Gardens Preserve and had to stop and watch for several minutes, the large flock of Turkey Vultures. Quite a site! As they fly, they use the thermals to navigate, flapping their wings very infrequently, and as they don’t have the vocal organ that most birds have, the only sounds they make are grunts or low hisses. Not the prettiest bird you will ever see, but very graceful in their flight.

The Sanibel Gardens Preserve is, as I have mentioned before, well worth a visit with much to see!

This past Thursday morning, Ocean’s Reach bird enthusiasts had the chance to experience Sanibel’s special winter visitors with our own Walt McNairy, resident bird expert. The day was a bit crisp, but bright and beautifully clear – optimal for birding. We started at The Grove at Ocean’s Reach, then loaded up for a drive over to J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge to really get started. Birds, birds, birds everywhere!! We logged 20 different species at the very first pond we visited! Our final count was at least 35 varieties. Walt was full of all kinds of great avian information and fielded all “birdy” questions so knowledgeably. He introduced us all to another great way to enjoy the incredible beauty of Sanibel! Ocean’s Reach will sponsor this trip every Thursday morning at 8:30 am till the end of January. Be sure to join us!

A new beachfront live streaming video cam will let you experience the beautiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico any time you wish. Not nearly as good as being there, the camera will stream pictures from earliest dawn to past sunset.

See happy vacationers sunning or shelling on the beach. Check on day-breaking sunrises. Enjoy spectacular sunsets. If you’ve stayed at Ocean’s Reach beachfront condominiums, the pictures will bring back treasured memories. And if you’re looking for a secluded vacation spot for a quiet getaway, or one with enough activities for a great family vacation, Ocean’s Reach is the place.

Known for its shelling beaches, Sanibel Island is a sanctuary island, boasting the J. N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge where more than 300 bird species are reported annually. One of the top ten birding destinations in the country, Sanibel provides sanctuary for birds and humans, with more than 70% of the island in sanctuary or preserve land.

Click on the camera link often and give yourself a virtual beach front vacation any time you feel the need.

A new, live streaming osprey cam is revealing the secrets of the osprey pair who are making Ocean’s Reach their home for the 4th season. Mounted above the nesting platform, the camera showed the appearance of Egg #1 on Christmas. Egg #2 was laid the following day and now the pair is alternating sitting on three eggs. Tune in often to see the family change as the chicks are born, fed, and finally test their wings.

Wild Osprey now in Live Streaming Video

The osprey pair that nests at Ocean’s Reach can’t hide any more. Their actions on the nest are covered by a live streaming video cam. Ospreys are also known as fish eagles or sea hawks. Male and female are nearly identical, with the female having a stouter body and broader wings. Their golden brown eyes can see fish beneath the waves from heights of 130 feet (40 meters) above the ocean. And now we can watch them up close and personal.

Amazing Birds of Prey

Mating for life, this osprey pair who lives at Ocean’s Reach will likely make this location their home for many years to come. If all goes well, chicks should begin to hatch around the middle of February. Being fed often – and you can watch them in the nest – these kids will grow rapidly and will “fledge” or fly away some time in early April. Click in often to watch their activities.

Nest Watching

Ocean’s Reach’s osprey pair is in its fourth year using this nest which sits on a human-built platform above the Ocean’s Reach property. From there, they have been observing the condominium complex’s guest activities. And now the guests – and you – can observe theirs. Join the live streaming feed often to observe the birds sitting on the eggs, feeding, the eggs hatching and the progress the chicks make as they grow.

There is more than one way to raise money for a very worthy cause! This family stays on the island every year and they enjoy the Ding Darling Refuge so much that they decided they wanted to help the refuge in some way. So… they set up a lemonade stand on the bike path on Periwinkle Way to raise money to help support the refuge. What a great family activity!