in the POD - Pine Island

Pine Island Canals

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Pine Island - 18 miles long and 3 miles wide, a quiet spot in the intercostal just north of Sanibel. It is peaceful, made up mostly of farms (palms, exotic plants, mangos) and low density village like pockets of humans, dogs and way too many boats.  Surrounded by mangroves it is an island with no beaches; walkable, bike able, warm air filled with breezes off the sound, and an actual small scale bridge connecting it to the rest of Florida. 

Tim and I fell in love with this island 15 years ago. We bought a house here that was first our vacation home and then became our full time residence in 2005. 

It was heaven. 

We sold the house and moved on in 2010.....

because life changes.

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Kim and Claudia

Sunset cruise on Pine Island Sound

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So here we are back again and staying under a palm in the side yard of our very good friends Claudia and Kim. Claudia is a New Englander. She is a Rossi from Rhode Island....how could I not love her! A great cook, a force of energy, an optimist and a great friend. Kim is from Minnesota, by way of Arkansas, who, despite his Swedish roots is also a great cook, a amazing boater and ..... I cannot get enough of his laugh! 

Cooking together, relaxing, a little bit of work, walks in the morning sun, waking up to the cooing of the doves, the afternoon cries of the osprey looking for dinner, bikes out on the trail, and a bit of boating - all the good things.  So why does Pine Island feel so foreign now?

A motorcycle destination

Ragged Ass Saloon, Pine Island

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It feels like a place that time forgot - which might be cool if the time was a particularly amazing one! Or maybe each individual person that moved here brought with them a personal "best" time that they continue to relive and those that grew up here are like indigenous people of the rainforest .....never having had contact with outside world. 

I realized that while I lived here - and worked off island in a crazy business - coming home to Pine Island was my sanctuary, my peace. It made sense then. Wrapped in the cocoon of my little house with only Tim and the quiet to surround myself with - there was balance.

Tim enjoying the "no snow zone"

the new dock at Schooner Lane

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Tomorrow morning we pack up and head north along the Gulf of Mexico. We will be heading to Ochlockonee River State Park in Sopchoppy, FL. and then continuing along the waters edge into New Orleans. 

I am so glad to know that Pine Island is here. But for now there are

so many other places to see.

the POD at rest

Pine Island, FL

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