A Sanibel Tuesday

After checking outside for rain clouds this afternoon, seeing a lot of fluffy white ones and plenty of sunshine, we made our way to the beach.






Walking out to the beach at access 5, we literally ran into a spider web and these spiders. The one in the middle was very strange. It had red peaks on it. After searching for it on the net, I found out what kind it is, a Crablike Spiny Orb Weaver. All spiders have venom, but these are non violent. Their mouths are so small, they cant inject the venom into you, and there spikes are only there to protect them from predators. They catch whiteflies, flies, moths, mosquitoes, and beetles in their webs, so they are not all bad. :) I just wouldn't want to run into it's web at night. I think that could cause a heart attack!


When we got near the beach, we could see the clouds looked a little different than the ones we saw from home.






There weren't many people around, only a few in either direction.


Not a lot of shells this afternoon, except at the high tide line.












Why do you build me up, buttercup, baby just to let me down......


This piece of an Angel Wing made me think it was huge, when intact.


I ran my hands through a few shells and came up with a Mac 'n cheese! Oh, happy day!




Despite the 92 degree temperature today, it was very pleasant on the beach, when I was there. There was no hot sun and plenty of cooling wind.


Walking back to the access path, I noticed the Inkberry (Scaevola plumieri), otherwise known as beachberry, Bay Balsam, fanflower, half flower, gullfeed, and waxy bush, had lots of berries on it. It is one of the flowering plants that form along the shore in loose sand just above the high tide line, trapping and stabilizing the sand. It also provides food for wildlife, who in turn spread seeds to grow more plants. The native plant is tolerant of drought, salt, wind, and sunlight. I think you can tell from the picture that the small white flowers are only one-half of a normal flower, which is what first caught my attention and the reason for a couple of the names it's called. The shrub grows to 3 feet high, but its true size may be hidden by a mounds of sand, covering parts of it. small whitish flowers that


About half way through the path...........


this two to three foot, Black Racer crossed in front of us.


Other than running into spiders,a snake, and feeling a few raindrops off and on, it was a perfect beach visit.