Sanibel Lighthouse stands sentinel on the east end of the island, which was hit hard by Hurricane Ian in late September.SANIBEL, Florida – We made one final stop on our tour of Sanibel before heading back to the mainland, at the historic Sanibel Lighthouse, which has guided this island community for more than a century.
One of the structure’s four legs was swept away in the storm, along with several historic outbuildings. But the lighthouse, 98 feet tall, still stands sentinel at the east end of the island.“The lighthouse is not only a navigational beacon, it’s a beacon of hope for this community,” said John Lai, president of the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce, who gave me a tour earlier this month of Sanibel and Captiva, side-by-side barrier islands in Southwest Florida.
In addition, the island remains largely off-limits to most non-residents, although that will change early next month, when the Sanibel Causeway reopens to the public.