Welcome to the Captain's Blog
A view of paradise...
Created With Quick Blogcast
The Captain's Blog
Renewing Wedding Vows
Hello and thank you again for reading the original Captain's Blog.
Today was an absolutely perfect day to be on the water. Even better when you are renewing your wedding vows!
A special thanks goes out to our Rev. Shawn Critser - Pastor, Beach Baptist Church of Fort Myers Beach who provided a glorious ceremony.
This is just another way that we try to do whatever it takes to make your private charter with us as special and memorial as possible.
Below is an email that Amy sent to me after their trip with us:
Captain Mark -
Thank you so much for the pictures! It was wonderful - really a beautiful ceremony, perfect location, and gorgeous day. Please thank Captain Steve, Shawn and Terresa all again for me. The trip was the highlight of our whole vacation - I knew doing it first thing was going to be trouble! Oh well, no reason not to start with the best. The kids are still trying to figure out how to get a boat with a top seat like yours.
Thank you again for all your help making our renewal and our trip so special.
Amy
Today was an absolutely perfect day to be on the water. Even better when you are renewing your wedding vows!
A special thanks goes out to our Rev. Shawn Critser - Pastor, Beach Baptist Church of Fort Myers Beach who provided a glorious ceremony.
This is just another way that we try to do whatever it takes to make your private charter with us as special and memorial as possible.
Below is an email that Amy sent to me after their trip with us:
Captain Mark -
Thank you so much for the pictures! It was wonderful - really a beautiful ceremony, perfect location, and gorgeous day. Please thank Captain Steve, Shawn and Terresa all again for me. The trip was the highlight of our whole vacation - I knew doing it first thing was going to be trouble! Oh well, no reason not to start with the best. The kids are still trying to figure out how to get a boat with a top seat like yours.
Thank you again for all your help making our renewal and our trip so special.
Amy
Swimming with manatees and dolphin mania!
Thank you for reading the original Captain's Blog.
It was a wonderful Sunday with a wonderful family on the boat today!
Within minutes we were all so comfortable; like old friends and that made it a very magical day indeed!
David, Danny and Shelly were huge animal lovers and we were able to spend over an hour swimming with the manatees. They really got close to David at one point it looked as if they wanted him to touch them but he didn't get quite that close.
And the dolphins were so happy to see us today, they leaped and twirled to Bob Marley and for at least half an hour (twice). I truly believe the dolphins can sense and reciprocate the enthusiasm in the boat. Often the dolphins splash water into the boat and I have a feeling that this family may be cleaning some salt water off their camera lenses this eveing!!!
The kids all agreed that mom made a good choice today!!!
David swimming with a momma and baby manatee
It was hard to get Shelly to look away from those happy happy dolphins
First Mate Terresa caught us feeding the "Pet Snook" of Fish Tale Marina
It was a wonderful Sunday with a wonderful family on the boat today!
Within minutes we were all so comfortable; like old friends and that made it a very magical day indeed!
David, Danny and Shelly were huge animal lovers and we were able to spend over an hour swimming with the manatees. They really got close to David at one point it looked as if they wanted him to touch them but he didn't get quite that close.
And the dolphins were so happy to see us today, they leaped and twirled to Bob Marley and for at least half an hour (twice). I truly believe the dolphins can sense and reciprocate the enthusiasm in the boat. Often the dolphins splash water into the boat and I have a feeling that this family may be cleaning some salt water off their camera lenses this eveing!!!
The kids all agreed that mom made a good choice today!!!
David swimming with a momma and baby manatee
It was hard to get Shelly to look away from those happy happy dolphins
The Homes of Doctor's Pass
Thank you for checking out the original Captain's Blog!
We took out our best and favorite friends John and Linda on their 4th charter with us in 4 years and this time they chose to do our 8 hour trip to Naples. We had such a great time with them and John must have taken over a thousand photos on this trip. One of our stops was the Village on Venetian Bay which is located inside Doctors Pass. This is a beautiful place to visit, whether it be by boat or by car. We will definitely be coming back to this area soon!
It is just like Venice!!!
This house must belong to the Havemores.
Can you see the swimming pool?
Simply Amazing!!!!!
We took out our best and favorite friends John and Linda on their 4th charter with us in 4 years and this time they chose to do our 8 hour trip to Naples. We had such a great time with them and John must have taken over a thousand photos on this trip. One of our stops was the Village on Venetian Bay which is located inside Doctors Pass. This is a beautiful place to visit, whether it be by boat or by car. We will definitely be coming back to this area soon!
It is just like Venice!!!
Swimming with Manatees
Terresa was taking pictures from high up on the boat as a curious "gentle giant" swam up to Michelle and her family. The pictures turned out great and that was one big manatee. Terresa said that it was interesting how well she could see the manatee from the boat, but that they were having a really hard time seeing it from their vantage points in the water. I am sure that Michelle and her family are happy to know that manatees are strict vegetarians!!!
Below is an exerpt from Michelle's review on Trip Advisor:
"My husband, father, 8 year old twins and I cruised for 4 hours with Captain Jay and Terresa and had an amazing trip. We saw dolphins jumping just behind our boat, swam with manatees, and collected beautiful shells. Snorkeling in the ocean was also amazing. Great snacks and music! They go above and beyond to ensure that you have a wonderful trip. Don't miss this wonderful experience! This was definitely the highlight of our week in Sanibel"
Winning the Junonia lottery
Hello and thanks for reading the Captain's Blog!
This is such a great story!!!
Morris and his wife Cheryl, their children and grandchildren have been chartering with us for a few years now and you may recall that Morris found the first Junonia shell ever found on one of our charters last year on April 25th 2008.
Well this year, Morris hurt his back so he couldn't come along on his family's big adventure with us on April 23rd, 2009 almost a year to the day from last years charter. Now I bet he wishes he wouldn't have hurt his back, because he may have been able to find another Junonia and made history with us. You see, Morris's wife Cheryl found a Junonia that day and it is only the 3rd one ever to be found on our thousands of charter expeditions.
In the past, we have played a few tricks on First Mate Terresa by producing rare shells found in other countries, so Terresa thought that Cheryl was playing a prank on her by bringing along the Junonia that Morris found the previous year. This however is not the case! Cheryl found her own Junonia!!!
A husband and wife finding their own Junonias a year apart almost to the day is like a husband and wife each winning the lottery. Simply hard to fathom! Speaking of the lottery, I hope Cheryl went out and purchased a lottery ticket, because she is one lucky lady.
Terresa and I have never found a Junonia of our own. Until that day comes, we can only dream...
This is such a great story!!!
Morris and his wife Cheryl, their children and grandchildren have been chartering with us for a few years now and you may recall that Morris found the first Junonia shell ever found on one of our charters last year on April 25th 2008.
Well this year, Morris hurt his back so he couldn't come along on his family's big adventure with us on April 23rd, 2009 almost a year to the day from last years charter. Now I bet he wishes he wouldn't have hurt his back, because he may have been able to find another Junonia and made history with us. You see, Morris's wife Cheryl found a Junonia that day and it is only the 3rd one ever to be found on our thousands of charter expeditions.
In the past, we have played a few tricks on First Mate Terresa by producing rare shells found in other countries, so Terresa thought that Cheryl was playing a prank on her by bringing along the Junonia that Morris found the previous year. This however is not the case! Cheryl found her own Junonia!!!
A husband and wife finding their own Junonias a year apart almost to the day is like a husband and wife each winning the lottery. Simply hard to fathom! Speaking of the lottery, I hope Cheryl went out and purchased a lottery ticket, because she is one lucky lady.
Terresa and I have never found a Junonia of our own. Until that day comes, we can only dream...
Junonia! Again!!!
Our second Junonia in over 4 years of charters was found by Conner yesterday morning!!!
The rare Junonia is such a great find that it usually make the newspaper when you find one!
With that being said, I have submitted a request to have this one posted in the Island Sand Paper.
Happy Shelling!
Captain Hatty
Rare Fort Myers Beach Junonia
The rare Junonia is such a great find that it usually make the newspaper when you find one!
With that being said, I have submitted a request to have this one posted in the Island Sand Paper.
Happy Shelling!
Captain Hatty
Rare Fort Myers Beach Junonia
Fort Myers Beach Manatees
Manatees truly are "Gentle Giants"
Three or four adults and one baby were so curious they just seemed to want to be near us and stayed next to the boat for 45 minutes!
Fort Myers Beach Manatee
Fort Myers Beach Manatee
Fort Myers Beach Shells Shells Shells
Keep in mind that although Sanibel Island has always held the designation as the Shelling Capital of the World, Fort Myers Beach Shelling can be FANTASTIC too!!!
Shelling on Fort Myers Beach and surrounding islands is amazing when you know where to go and when to go there. Go at low tide if possible and look in tidal pools and along sand bars.
We are proud to say that the Evinrude Company has chosen us to represent them on their Pro-Guide Circuit. Sunsetride.com is the only private shelling charter service in Florida that is on Evinrude's Pro-Guide Circuit as professional shellers. That is because WE FIND GREAT SHELLS!!! Don't sell yourself short on your next trip to Southwest Florida, book a charter with the only professional shell guide in Florida and see for yourself the fantastic shelling this paradise has to offer...
The shells of Fort Myers Beach
Fort Myers Beach Sand Dollars
More Shells on Fort Myers Beach
Sorting and culling the "shell booty"
That is Patrick and Richard with a huge bounty of Fort Myers Beach Sea Shells
Patrick and Richard's Fort Myers Beach Shells Displayed in their hotel room
Bring along the snorkels for some summertime shelling off of Fort Myers Beach
Couple looking for 2-4 people to share a charter on the afternoon of April 21st
Hello and thanks for reading the Captain's Blog!
If you are reading this and are going to be on April 21st and would like to share the cost for a charter with Tim and his wife Ellen, drop me a line through the contact page of my website and I will let them know. Below is Tim's Email:
"My wife Ellen and I would like to go on your pm tour on Tuesday April 21st but were wondering if you know know of others who could share it with us. We are arriving there (FM
on the 20th and don\'t know of anyone who we could share it with. Your tours sound awesome and would really like to swim and shell!! Thanks, Tim"
If you are reading this and are going to be on April 21st and would like to share the cost for a charter with Tim and his wife Ellen, drop me a line through the contact page of my website and I will let them know. Below is Tim's Email:
"My wife Ellen and I would like to go on your pm tour on Tuesday April 21st but were wondering if you know know of others who could share it with us. We are arriving there (FM
on the 20th and don\'t know of anyone who we could share it with. Your tours sound awesome and would really like to swim and shell!! Thanks, Tim"
Reeling in the Years
Our best repeat customers to date are definitely Grace Anna and Sarah!
They have been with us for 3 years now.
Please read their dad's review on TripAdvisor because it says it all.
You can read his review by clicking here CDVIllinois
Here they are in 2007:
They were rained out in 2008 but made it back for 2009 - Love those Jamaican braids!!!
They have been with us for 3 years now.
Please read their dad's review on TripAdvisor because it says it all.
You can read his review by clicking here CDVIllinois
Here they are in 2007:
They were rained out in 2008 but made it back for 2009 - Love those Jamaican braids!!!