The ominous dark sky over Sanibel Island is a harbinger of severe weather, with thunderstorms, lightning and a strong downpour. Boaters, beachgoers and seagulls alike, are headed to a safe haven. Florida's afternoon storms can well up quickly, producing a stark contrast to the white sand beaches and light pastels of the surrounding resort buildings.
Sanibel Island was first visited in the early 1500s by the famous Spanish explorer, Ponce de Leon, naming the island after his queen. What he found on the island were the treacherous Calusa natives. He finally left the island with arrow wound, soon to die in Cuba. He also left behind a deadly scourge of European diseases, a legacy to the islanders. Sanibel's inhabitants eventually succumbed to tuberculosis, measles and yellow fever, leaving the island to a band of ruthless buccaneers and the notorious Jose Gaspar.