Pine Island - No Fisherman's Paradise

Pine Island KOA - decent space

Well, after dealing with a minor flood in my townhouse this morning, I drove to the southern tip of this island and then later to the northern tip of the island and found this to be the most "Visitor Unfriendly" places I have been to in Florida -- office person calls it a "Highly Protected" island but, the lack of public access to any of the waterfront is way overdone and hard to believe taxpayer dollars would even pay for the maintenance of roads to nothing but private residences, nurseries, farms and restaurants.

No parking along any roads near the water and everything that looks open is marked "Private Property" or "Tow Away Zone".  Too bad I couldn't get into Periwinkle Park on Sanibel Island because that apparently is the island with access to beaches and waterfront -- have to go back to the mainland and circle back around to the south to get there (maybe 30 or 40 miles each way).  This place is tauted as a "Fisherman's Paradise" in their advertisements but, that is only true if you have a boat or want to pay for a charter (seemingly are somewhere else too -- maybe Sanibel Island or in Fort Myers Beach).

Missing Fiesta Key

However, if you like going to Lazy Flamingo Restaurants, there are four in the area -- one on the northern end of Pine Island, two on Sanibel Island and one at Ft. Myers Beach (Whoopie).  Maybe the drive around to Sanibel Island will prove to be worthwhile and get me to some fishing spots -- otherwise, I guess I will be hanging out at the pool and feeding the cats some tuna fish (wouldn't waste my money on buying fish at the local markets -- might risk getting a ticket for parking in the wrong spot).

Too bad I had to leave Fiesta Key (do need to get to Denver by May).