"The Warehouse never gets filled": 31 years for some, 12 years for others. This is where it's at?

This morning my mother and I set out on a mini adventure.

Well, not adventure adventure. Just a little hour's detour of a trip to a side beach that we've not attempted to see until last week.

And the unexpected hour diversion is all my fault.

Last weekend, we had gone to the Bunche Beach area, to check out a possible rental unit for my uncle. Rather than turn around at the gate and drive back home, I suggested we follow the road to see where it ends.

Sure enough, the sign saying "Road Ends 500'" showed us a turn around spot close enough to sand, yet far enough to park and walk. We didn't stop, but I asked if we could go back at some point and actually have my camera and I can take pictures.

That some point was today and almost 200 snaps later, I whittled it down to 60, starting with naked lights (they're missing their covers) and ending with a cabinet door in the trees. There are probably some I could have left out, but they alter slightly and are kind of cool.

To give context, Bunche Beach is a preserve that is part of San Carlos Bay, and according to the Lee County Website, the area is host for being a "718-acre facility" and "is a natural tidal wetlands area that is located on San Carlos Bay. It is a natural area that is indicative of the entire area before the introduction of exotic plant species; it is "Old Florida." This is a living ecosystem that ranges from a sandy beach to Mangrove forests to salt flats and contains a wide variety of wildlife for viewing and offers great photographic opportunities from the flora & fauna to fantastic sunsets." San Carlos Bay - Bunche Beach Preserve

In the twelve years we have been in Fort Myers, my mother and I have not been down to this particular area, even though it is relatively close to where we live. We've heard about it, but we've never gone. Which is why I asked if we can visit with my camera.

Due to the fact the city is still dealing with the aftermath of Ian, the walking trails were closed off for pedestrian use. Totally fine, as mangroves can give you more than a fresh air of stink - the mosquitos like to hang out in the low lying areas. So there's that to contend with.

Not being able to walk the bridges was fine by us, as it really was a chance to go see the beach itself, with the sprawling view of both Fort Myers Beach to the left and Sanibel to the right. The middle was a no man's land of a horizon... Just ocean and a thought.

Although both sides had views of great big buildings, they also showed views of the bridges being rebuilt with massive cranes, and loads of boat traffic launching from various points. Kayakers were out with jet skis and it was nice to point out the Sanibel Lighthouse and see it's currently in good standing (literally, as Ian had not been a good boy with the metal light fixture, and locals were quite worried about losing their landmark).

I followed a group of birds having a party near the Sanibel Causeway, just as I followed another one fly solo towards the Fort Myers Beach Bridge. It was hard to keep people out of pictures, as we were there from 9:30ish to 10:30ish and the day was starting to heat up (closing in at 90°).

I had intended on being there for half an hour, but people see a camera and sometimes they think you're a tourist.

So the first guy (I will later learn is "Steve") tells me he sees me actively taking photos and that "there's an inlet a few yards down that looks exactly like Gilligan's Isle" and that "they've really cleaned up the beach immensely". He said he "came by after the hurricane and it was an absolute mess". I said that it looks pretty well kept up and I thanked him for the suggestion of the inlet and start walking that way. I get quite a few paces down, and I get stopped by another guy named Joe.

Joe stops me because he's by himself under a makeshift canopy thing (kind of like one of these) and I was nice and said "good morning" as I was walking by. He smiled and asked me if I'd like him to take my picture with the bridge or something behind me. I thanked him and said no, I was just walking around, but I appreciate it. I thought this would be the end of the conversation, but he kept the conversation going.

He told me about this being the nicest spot to be in as it's clean and quiet and such a difference was made since the hurricane. Joe goes on to explain how he has been through every hurricane since Andrew (1992 for those who don't know), and Ian was definitely the worst for our area. When Andrew hit, Joe's mother was in the Keys and Andrew devastated the Keys. I was told, from this stranger, part of his Florida life story - how he had to rush and figure out how to get his mother out of her house and off the island, when he wasn't even in this state, to how Irma was theoretically a category five hurricane and didn't do as much damage as Ian did. Considering Irma took a different path than Ian, the latter was the one who stayed out in the ocean longer to gain traction for southwest Florida, versus the former going straight for the jugular in other parts of the state.

Joe also told me he lives locally now, and the place he was in for this past storm, he was lucky he could get to the second floor of the house, as the first totally flooded out. He's glad to be alive and to talk about it. He went on to explain other things about the area and how he and his best friend / roommate come to this section of the beach every weekend when they can, just to unwind. It's church for them, especially after experiencing the 2022 storm season.

We exchanged some ideas and thoughts about how we all survived the crazy storm, and he had some choice words to about the big build up on the Beach - how Margaritaville is taking over and it's a down right shame because amount of real estate being put in, is ruining the view from the bridge. We had talked some more about that, and it got to a point where he asked me where I'm from, as I think he thought I was a tourist.

I told him I live here, only "down the road" and I'm originally from Massachusetts. He tells me his buddy "is a Masshole and should be back any minute". He thought I'd enjoy talking to the friend. Joe described his friend, saying "his name is Steve".

It was at this point, my phone was being blown up because I had left my mom at the entrance to the beach and I was taking way too long. I didn't want to be rude to this guy, but he's also a stranger, and we are always taught to never talk to strangers?

I said I'd look out for Steve, as I had to get back to the entrance - my phone keeps going off and I need to respond back to the messages. Joe said okay, thanked me for talking to him and said if I "see Steve, he'd die laughing if you just said 'Hey Steve' and kept walking. It'd be hysterical". I said I would, as it didn't register that Steve and I had already talked.

I wished Joe a good day and that I hope his friends and family stay well as he does too. He thanked me and wished me the same. I walked back to the entrance and sure enough, Steve passed me and asked if I made it to the inlet. I said I started to, but my phone keeps getting blown up, and I need to go.

This caused me another 10 minutes of conversation, now with Steve. We talked about photography and painting, artist stuff. He had his phone with him, so he showed me some work he's done on canvas. He's telling me all the ideas he has for bigger and better things as well as he always tells his buddy Joe about new work too.

All his ideas were neat and stuff that people are doing. The new fads and fashion with paints, acrylics, metals, canvas... I've seen it done and after he showed me pictures of his work, I could see where the future might go.

I thanked Steve for telling me about the spot and said I really had to go as my phone was still going off.

My mother didn't know what was happening, as she had seen me walk down the beach, but then she sees me stop. She didn't know what was going on and was getting hot. Since we weren't prepared to spend an hour at the beach, we were fully dressed with no water. Had we known I'd get myself into a socializing predicament, she would have brought her bathing suit, a beach chair and a gallon of water.

I deeply apologized for that, as I truly didn't expect it either. All I wanted to do was snap photos, but ended up learning some more about the humans we share this area with.

So without much further ado, I present to the Midnight Society* my pictures:

(note: I didn't edit anything except sharpen the photos in Photoshop and add my name. WYSIWYG. All taken on a [discontinued because it's old already Canon Rebel T71] with alternating stock lens and [another discontinued because it's old already EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens])