Sunsets and Sunrises on Sanibel Island  BeachHunter.net

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Sunrises and Sunsets on Sanibel Island

On most Florida gulf coast peninsula beaches, no matter where you are on the beach, the sun sets over the water right in front of you. It's more complicated than that on Sanibel Island. What you have to understand is that the sun sets at different spots on the horizon during different seasons. During the winter months, the sun appears to set further to the south, and during the summer it appears to set further to the north.

Beaches facing toward the south and southeast on Sanibel will not have good sunsets over the gulf. But they will have great sunrises! During the winter months the sun moves further south, so you may be able to see both sunrises AND sunsets on the south and southwest facing Sanibel beaches.

Bottom line: During the spring, summer, and fall months, if you want to see the sun sink into the water, drive to the more northerly beaches on Sanibel, or to Captiva. Blind Pass / Turner's Beach, or any spot north of that would be the best bet for a summer sunset. Bowman's beach faces southwest, so summer sunsets will be visible over the water, but in a more northerly quadrant of the horizon.

Below is a map divided into three sections by red lines. Between the lines I indicate the sunset / sunrise potential of each section of the island's gulf beaches.

October Sunset at Blind Pass, between Sanibel and Captiva.

People gather at Blind Pass during the sunset hour to watch the sunset and to fish. The bridge leads from Sanibel Island to Captiva Island.

Sunset at Blind Pass.

Casting for bait during the sunset at Blind Pass beach.

Picking through piles of shells on the beach as the sun sets over the Gulf at Blind Pass.

A view looking south on Blind Pass Beach after sunset.

Sunrises are visible over Fort Myers Beach on the southeast facing beaches on Sanibel island. The buildings you see on the horizon are the high-rise condos and hotels on Fort Myers Beach, on the other side of San Carlos Bay.

Taking a walk at Gulfside City Park (Algier's Beach) on Sanibel Island. Fort Myers Beach can be seen on the horizon.

Low tide exposes shells on the beach during this Sanibel sunrise.

Gulls and terns begin their day with a beautiful Sanibel Island sunrise in the background.