SANIBEL, Fla. — A family was spotted spending the day in the closed and actively under-construction Sanibel Causeway Beaches.
A person driving on the Sanibel Causeway pulled out their phone and recorded the family, who was parked in what appears to be an emergency pull-off on Island B, the island closest to Sanibel.
“They were set up on the jersey barrier, hanging out right there,” said Ryan Markosky.
The road is barely wide enough for two lanes of traffic after Hurricane Ian nearly wiped away the only road connecting Sanibel and Captiva to the mainland.
Since September, the beach parks have been off-limits to recreation while construction crews work to rebuild them.
They’re commonly known as one of Lee County’s best beaches, almost a local secret. However, this family apparently didn’t get the message that the island beach parks aren’t only closed, but dangerous to be on.
“No chairs. Just the umbrella. Tailgate was down, leaning on the jersey barrier,” Markosky said. “One of the kids were playing on the rubble pile and the other kid was down at the waterline.”
Enjoying the beach on the other side of the toll booth were Susan Christensen, Jake Howell and their dog Daisy. Before they settled on the strip of land on Punta Rassa, they drove the causeway.
“Driving over that causeway is the scariest thing in the world,” Christensen said.
Gage: “You say it’s scary driving over that, could you imagine pulling over and trying to park and go to the beach out there?”
Susan: “No. I would never do that.”
Where they soaked up the sun is the closest thing to the Causeway Islands.
“Just to relax. An old man on vacation, this is perfect,” Howell said.
This doesn’t mean you can’t have the best beach day, it’s just that you can’t do it along the construction zone that is the Sanibel Causeway.
If you decide to ignore that law, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) will be enforcing penalties. A spokesperson for LCSO said each case will be evaluated individually, meaning you could go home with a fine.
Gage Goulding
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