Captiva 2014

Count Down…Three, Two, One.  Hoorah!  June 21st, 2014 and Dad and I are packed and on the road to my most favorite place in the whole wide world.  Jensen’s Twin Palm Resort and Marina in Captiva, Florida.  If you love to fish, love the sun and the beach, love the laid back island lifestyle then Jensen’s is an absolute must.  This quaint and “historic resort” will give you a taste of Captiva at it’s finest and one visit will have you “hooked” and longing for more.

Jensen’s was established by Red and Betty Jensen in 1977 and while everything in life changes, this is one destination you can count on to always be the same.  Brothers Dave, John and Jimmy are the heart and soul of this place.  They have become like family to us and staying with them every year feels like coming home.  It really is a little bit of paradise.

One of the best gifts Dad ever gave me was a  surprise trip t0 Jensen’s.  That was over thirty yars ago and yes they had me hook, line and sinker at “Hello”.  For two weeks out of every year there are no deadlines, no must or have to dos.  It’s all about relaxing and enjoying the perks of being on this beautiful island.

 An added bonus to Jensen’s charm is that the same people come every year at the same time.  We’ll be in cabin 4, the couple from Stewart, Florida in Cabin 8.  The Family from Port St. Lucie, Florida will be in Cabin 5.  The couple from Illinois will be here and Kurt from Dawsonville, Georgia will be here too.  A big ‘Ole Annual Jensen’s Family Reunion.

Week One:  Started slowly on the fishing front.  Tough fishing this year and everyone agrees it is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.  The water is hot and the fish just aren’t biting.  Not even the honey holes are producing fish and for Dad this just doesn’t happen.  A few Trout, a few Mangrove Snapper, not near the fish or numbers Mark is used to catching.

Spotted Sea Trout

I’ve taken my annual trip to Captiva’s Library which has a brand new look and a whole new section on the history of Captiva Island provided by the Historic Society.  It’s well done and very interesting.  Put away your Kindles, Nooks and IPads and take yourself and the kids on a trip to Captiva’s library.

The beach has been beautiful but too hot to be there in the middle of the day.  I love to get there first thing in the morning and hang out for a couple of hours then be back with the rest of the day ahead of me.  I found out by accident that between the hours of four and seven you can still get a sunburn, so remember the Nutragena Sunscreen ahead of time.

Gulf of Mexico

 It’s been a beautiful start for our summer vacation.  Stay tuned for more fun and local fishing reports.