Captiva Cruise to Useppa Island

We try to go on a Captiva Cruise at least once a year to either Cabbage Key or Useppa Island. And we usually do this when we have company. So of course with company here, we went on a cruise last Friday. We had taken him on a cruise to Cabbage Key last year so we took him to Useppa this year. (Or should I say he took us--thanks Bob!)

The trip was packed. There was a large group of Red Hatters along also. We were lucky enough to be the first ones on the boat so we got the choice of seats on the upper level. Unfortunately coming back we couldn't sit up top because it was filled but it wasn't so bad really--it got really cold and windy up there and a lot of people came back down where it was warm.
The trip leaves from South Seas Plantation--excuse me South Seas Island Resort (they changed their name). This is a VERY gated community on Captiva island and the only way you can get in there is if you are staying there, live there, or are going on a Captiva Cruise. If you are on the cruise, you go through the security gate and immediately pull into a parking lot. Then a trolley picks you up and takes you to the boat. Hurricane Charley pretty much wiped out South Seas and the boat was anchored at McCarthy's Marina on Captiva for several years following the hurricane. The following picture is of Land's End at South Seas. These buildings are pretty much all new since Charley. On Sanibel and Captiva, we often refer to pre and post Charley.
It's always interesting what you see out on Pine Island Sound. Many of the islands including Useppa and Cabbage Key do not allow cars. In fact some of the smaller island don't even have electricity or city water. They use generators and dig their own wells. This barge kind of gives you an idea of how they move stuff around. This was probably coming back from North Captiva.
Pine Island Sound is only about 4 feet deep in most places. They have dug a channel for the bigger boats like the Lady Chadwick. When you get on the boat, they always give the mandatory safety speech about where to find life jackets but then tell you that if the boat sinks, just go to the upper deck and have a Bloody Mary (they have yummy ones!!!) until help comes. There were lots and lots of boats on the Sound Friday including some beautiful sailboats under full sail.
Until 1926, Captiva was one big long island. Then a hurricane came through and created Redfish Pass so now there is Captiva and North Captiva. On Friday the 13th, 2004 when Hurricane Charley roared through it cut another pass which is called Charley's Pass. We joked about it now being Captiva, North Captiva and North North Captiva. Charley's Pass is beginning to fill back in now but it is still dangerous for boats to go too close because of all the trees that were blown out into the sound.
North Captiva is quite unique. The only way you can reach it is by boat or by small plane. I know of one lady who lives there and works on Sanibel. She takes her boat to McCarthy's Marina every morning, gets in her car that is parked there then drives to work. Then in the evening she repeats the process. Not sure I would want to do that is lousy weather! There is a tiny little grass landing strip for small airplanes. Apparently this is one of the most dangerous airports to land at because you come in and take off right over the water and there isn't a whole lot of room for error. In the picture below you can see one plane parked on the beach and another one just starting to take off.
The first stop the Lady Chadwick makes is at Cabbage Key. Those who are going there get off the boat while those going to Useppa stay on. Cabbage Key is a unique little island. It was owned by the author Mary Roberts Rinehart. The main house is now a restaurant and there are several cottages which you can rent. Fishermen used to come to the restaurant and hang a few dollars behind the bar which they could use if they didn't have any money when they returned. Today, people still put their names on a dollar bill and hang it on the walls. There are thousands of dollars hanging there. Any money that falls on the floor goes to charity. Cabbage Key took a hit from Charley. It is amazing though--there is a little greenhouse there that never lost one pane of glass.
The rest of us traveled on across the sound to Useppa. Useppa is a private island and unless you own a home there or are staying at the Baron Collier Inn, Captiva Cruises is the only way to get on the island. We had a very nice lunch in the hotel then went to their excellent little museum. The museum covers the Calusa Indians which used to inhabit this area and the Bay of Pigs invasion. Useppa is where they trained for the invasion.
We had about 2 1/2 hours on the island and then got back on the boat for our trip home. It was a very relaxing trip and we were greeted by our feathered friends when we arrived back at the dock.