A local's guide to the best beaches in Sanibel Island, Florida

best beaches in sanibel island

Florida is filled with small islands that are full of character and charm and Sanibel island  is certainly one of them.

I like to call it shell paradise because you can find so many beautiful and distinctive shells depending on where and when you visit the island.

One of the most interesting things about Sanibel is that there are no fast food or chain food restaurants on the island except for Dairy Queen and Subway which were already there before the new law was implemented.

Considering that Sanibel is a small and conservative island where locals are pretty peculiar about who enjoys their beach, there aren't many beach areas open for the public except for the couple of beach parks located throughout the island.

Now, beach access is pretty plenty but only for the locals and parking at the wrong place will cost your a hefty fine of $75. They go up every so often, not too long ago was $50 so depending when you are reading this it may have went up again.

However, you do not have to settle for the beach by the causeway bridge which although is free it is also free of shells, extremely crowded and full of boats. I also do not recommend the causeway bridge park for anyone with kids, the sand space is very limited and way too close to the road in my opinion.

But if you are willing to spend a little bit of money, you will find that these three beaches I am about to tell you about in Sanibel Island are perfect for a family day and even afternoon if you enjoy some night shelling and sunsets at the beach.

# 1 -Lighthouse Beach Park

A 32 acre beach park and lighthouse that sits right on the tip ..z.z.÷ΩZ> the island. It features a fishing pier, picnic area with tables, bathroom and showers.

The parking lot is large but it gets filled pretty quickly on weekends and during season so arrive early to guarantee a spot. The price is $5 per hour, however, if you are looking for scenic views, beautiful photos, tons of shells and a gorgeous sunset, then you will have no issues with the parking cost.

 

There is also a boat ramp for anyone who decides to take a boat to the park instead of driving which can be a pretty good idea for anyone who has one and wants to avoid the parking fees.

In my opinion, this beach is one of the best for little kids as the shore is pretty shallow so they can    play more comfortably in the water. The shallow shores also makes it perfect for shelling and finding sea creatures.

This area is also great for fishing and many have claimed they have seen dolphins playing around.  I haven't seen them yet here, I have seen some at Fort Myers Beach though.

# 2 Gulfside City Beach Park

This is by far one of my favorite beaches in Sanibel. First of all because the parking lot is very small so the beach never really gets crowded and is very peaceful to spend the day here.

I also found the most beautiful shells at gulfside city beach park, probably because there aren't as many people hunting for them here as there are at the other beaches. I even found a dead crab by the shore on our last trip and terrorized my kids with it for a little while.

As for the water, it is very clear and great for snorkeling but not as shallow as Lighthouse beach so I would recommend a kiddie pool if you have toddlers or babies.

The park also features bathroom facilities and showers as well as barbecue grills.

Parking cost is $5 per hour per car but the price is totally worth it if you enjoy a peaceful, uncrowded day at the beach.

# 3 Tarpon Bay Beach Park

Although it takes a little walking to get from the parking lot to the beach, Tarpon bay beach is a great place for anyone who enjoys marine life.

While walking on the beach, we were able to encounter a couple of turtle's nests which the city of Sanibel does a great job of protecting.

The beach also has tons of shells by the shore, so many that it makes a little difficult to get into and out of the water.

Now, even though this park does not have a picnic area nor barbecue grill, it does have very clean bathroom and showers

Also, the park rarely gets crowded as the parking lot is small and the space on the sand is pretty ample. Tarpon bay beach is perfect for swimming and windsurfing.

TIPS FOR WHEN VISITING SANIBEL

Toll to get to Sanibel - The tolls cost $6 and it's cash only accepted.

Parking - Be sure to always park in designated areas. The city of Sanibel is pretty strict with parking and if you get caught (chances are you will) parking in areas designated for locals only, the fine is of $75 per car! Couple of years ago it was $50 but they keep on increasing it just like the parking fees.

Parking Payments - It says cash or credit card are accepted but every time I try to insert cash it does not take it and I end up having to use a credit card.

Beach Wheelchairs - The city of Sanibel offers beach wheelchairs as a courtesy when requested 24 hours in advance (239-472-3111)

Pets - Sanibel does allow pets on their beach, however, they must be leashed and picked up after.

Coolers - Totally allowed and in fact recommended as there are no resorts around any of the beaches I just mentioned so you will want to have a cooler packed with water and food depending on how long you plan to stay.

Barbecue Grills - Don't forget to bring your own charcoal and whatever you use to light it. Also, be sure to dispose of it properly. Remember that there are wildlife around and safety and preservation of the environment is very important on the island

Shelling -  If you want to really catch the best shells, arrive really early in the AM, preferably before the sun rises or really later in the day, around 7 to 9 pm when the tides are low.

Mesh Bags - If you are planning on collecting shells , I highly recommend mesh bags to store them as you collect them. The reason being because you can easily wash the shells without the chance of losing them, and also minimizes the chances of bring sand into your car and hotel/home.

Trash - Do not leave anything behind. Whatever you brought with you, please be sure to take it back. Keep in mind that many turtles come back to Sanibel Island to lay their eggs and any trash that is left behind can be fatal to these creatures. So please, be sure to take plastic bags to store any trash you accumulate on the beach, the beach parking lot offers many trash containers that you can dispose of your trash before leaving the beach.

No Traffic lights - That is right, there is no traffic lights on the island so be pretty sure to always double check for bicycles and pedestrians as well as other cars.

Also, check out my blog post on must have items when visiting Florida beaches with kids, if you don't already have these items you are going to want to get them before your trip.

I hope you enjoy your stay in Sanibel Island and don't forget to check out the sunset times for some golden hour pictures.

How to get healthy and long hair: How I got my hair back to being silky and shiny again

healthy long hair

For the past couple of months I have dyed my hair a few times and I was also indulging on a lot of heat and tons of hair products that caused a tremendous amount of damage to my hair.

I started seeing my hair fall out quite a bit and it wasn't having the same shine and growth as I was used to. My ends were also very split and the best way I can put it, they looked fried and lifeless.

With that being said, I decided it was time for a hair detox and unlike what you may have heard, this detox doesn't require much effort and weird ingredients you have never heard before.

My hair detox is pretty simple:

# 1 Stop using products that contain harsh chemicals such as silicone, parabens and sulfate

# 2 Add a couple of essential oils to your hair diet

# 3 Tone it down on the heat and hair styling products

The Actual Detox Process

To satisfy the first step, I actually had to go out and purchase new products as the hair items I had at home all contained the big three chemicals I mentioned earlier (Silicone, Parabens and Sulfate)

I found this brand called Raw Sugar and decided to give it a try. I bought the The Bounce Back Mango Butter + Agave + Carrot Oil shampoo, The Bounce Back Mango Butter + Agave + Carrot Oil Conditioner and Power Avocado + Banana Oil + Coconut Milk + Honey Hair Masque.

For the second step, I added ten drops of Frankincense Essential Oilto the shampoo. I chose the Frankincense oil because it is excellent at promoting a healthy scalp, moisturizing existing hair follicles and hair loss treatment. It also prevents dandruff when used on a regular basis 

As for the conditioner I added a tablespoon and half of Jamaican Black Castor Oil.  I like to use castor oil in conjunction with my conditioner because although it is pretty thick, it also has natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and abundant in vitamin E, minerals, proteins, and omega-6 and -9 beneficial fatty acids. Its unusually high ricinoleic acid ratio makes it beneficial to skin and hair.

Furthermore, I did not add anything to the hair masque because I have to order more oils but here are some essential oils to consider that will help with recovery even faster:

Rosemary essential Oil - Improves Hair thickness and growth 

Peppermint Essential Oil- Promotes hair growth during the hair anagen phase

Lavender Essential Oil- Generate growth of hair cells and reduces hair stress

Tea Tree Essential Oil- With cleansing, anti bacterial and anti microbial properties, this oil helps unplug hair follicles and increase hair growth

Thyme Essential Oil - Helps with hair growth by both stimulating the scalp and actively preventing hair loss. Also found to helpful as a treatment for alopecia areata

Finally we have arrived at the final step and in my opinion the hardest one: Staying away from the blow dryer and hair straightener as well as styling products. 

If you are like me, you probably use your hair straightener on a daily basis and that, my friend, is one of the biggest sources of hair damage.

Nevertheless, in order to stay away from heat but still have my hair looking presentable, I started braiding my hair at night before going to sleep. When I take the braid out the next morning, it gives my hair beautiful beach waves without any heat. One thing I noticed is that the results last longer if you use a leave in  conditioner before braiding your hair at night.

How am I using the products and what are the final results?

First and foremost, I do not wash my hair everyday. I live in Florida and you may not know this but we have one of the worse public water systems in the United States. The bleach and chlorine levels are absolutely of the chart and that alone can do tons of the damage to anybody's hair.

So, if you live in Florida like me I would advise you to stay away from washing your hair everyday. Even if you don't live in Florida, your hair produces natural oils that are good for the protection and growth of new hair and too much shampoo and conditioner can strip those oils right away!

Now, here's how I use the products I mentioned earlier:

Once a week - Apply the hair masque all over hair and leave it for about an hour or longer if possible. Wash the masque off with shampoo and finalize it with conditioner.

Once a week (Usually done 2-3 days after the hair masque procedure) - Rinse hair with water and apply conditioner ONLY, wash it off and your are done! Wait another 2 to 3 days to repeat the masque procedure along with shampoo and conditioner.

This method has been working for me really great. I already see new growth and less damage, my hair is also silkier and shinier, which is one of the things I missed the most about my hair!

I also believe the essential oils make a huge difference as they are constantly detoxifying my hair and scalp without much of my effort.

Although, I have heard that is actually good to change hair products every now again, so if you have used anything that was great for your, please don't hold back on valuable information and be sure to share it in the comments what helped you get your hair back to being healthy.

Stay Strong and Sweet!

Juju Gurgel

Tai Lopez 67 Steps - Step 25 - The natural cycles that dictate your life

the 67 steps course by Tai Lopez

Joel Salatin on nature laughing last, the respect of seasons and the terrible twos — The natural cycles that dictate your life

This 67 steps resonated with me quite a lot for the fact that I can be pretty impatient at times and Tai Lopez discusses the importance of respecting nature, it’s season and timing.

Sigmund Freund suggests that most of our pain comes from 3 sources:

1- Decay and dissolution of the body

2 — Forces of nature such as viruses, rain, tsunamis, etc

3 — Social Negative effect that other people can have on each other.

Moreover, Will Durant elaborates that progress is being able to succeed despite of the pain suffered.

However, you must also understand nature’s timing. What you may see as suffering is nature’s way of preparing for the next season. Let’s look at your life as if it was nature, which can only be understood once you observe and comprehend how the seasons work.

For example, let’s just say you are on the path to a healthier life and body, here is how you would divide it into seasons:

Spring (AKA Planting & Beginning) — Testing and experimenting with exercises and diets. Observing how your body responds to certain foods and what works best and what doesn’t work at all.

Summer — (aka HUSTLE TIME) Now that you have figured out what works for you, is time to put in work. Eat what is best for your body and do the exercises that give you the best results.

Fall — (REAP TIME) This is the time to harvest. If you are working out properly and eating the right foods, you will see your gains in this season.

Winter (Aka The Dark Days) — This is the time of the year that most people’s energies are low and they are less active. So, in this season you will try to just maintain your gains. Eat smaller amounts of food, conserve your energy, increase your knowledge so you can have everything ready for spring again.

As you can see winter is also be considered a dark time because it is a time that is really easy to lose faith. However, as sure as nature will move you into winter, it will also move you out of it and into spring. It is the natural cycle of life!

Keep in mind that if you are strong enough to survive winter, you will get to start again in spring and eventually get to harvest on the fall. Do not try to skip stages and seasons in your life.

Can you see how each season is indispensable in nature? That’s the the same in your life. You need all seasons in life and in business.

Some people expect a business to bring a profit and pay all the bills on its own on the first year of its life. But those same people call that same businesses their babies. No one would expect a baby to take care of itself and pay all the bills on the first year of life so how can anyone expect a business to do it?

The first year of a baby’s life requires a lot of attention, there are a lot of sleepless nights, stress and you name it. And just as you thought it would get better, well, the terrible two’s are right around the corner. Now that the baby can talk and walk, it is a hand full. Baby knows what it wants and now it has also picked up habits from watching others that sometimes aren’t always good. It can be even more stressful!

Nevertheless, after all of the work you put in, the baby will continue to grow and eventually be able to take care of herself/himself. As your baby grew, you also got older and now you will need the baby to take care of you. That same concept can be used for businesses.

Nurture your business without expecting a profit, work on it so it can grow to be assertive and successful and when you finally need it to take care of you and your family, it will have the ability to do so.

As you can see, if you analyze how nature works you will be able to appreciate every season in life, hence, be a little bit more patient for you now know it is needed to take you to the next season.

Finally, understand that if you try to rush mother nature there will be harsh consequences. Mother nature should always be the teacher of last resort, for it is the meanest of all.

Books Mentioned in this step:

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Sur/Petition by Edward De Bono

Optimizing for the good life | Tai Lopez interviews Mark Cuban

3 home essentials 

When you have kids the game totally changes as far as what home essentials you need. The cleaning is more frequent and the mess tends to be bigger and stickier.

But there are products out there that can make your life easier or should I say less hard.

Well, here are my favorites and what I consider to be essential home items for when you have children. These items are also great if you are single, but as mother of three children, for me they are certainly a must.

#1 Shark Rocket Swivel Ultralight Swivel Vacuum, Blue HV300

I love this vacuum. I am on my second one only because one of the children ( I don’t want to point fingers here and name anyone) broke the top comportment and it couldn’t hold the dirt anymore but let me re assure you it was not the vacuums fault, in fact, it sustained a lot of falls and very often my children would get on top of it and I always thought that it would break in half but it never did.

The suction of the Shark Rocket is pretty amazing too regardless of the attaching tools that you are using. I often use the floor and the one for the carpet and both perform very well.

One thing I enjoy about this vacuum is the flexibility of being able to empty the dirt compartment. Not having to purchase bags saves a lot of money, also let’s consider that it is also better for the planet as we consume less waste.

Now, we certainly make the most of our Shark rocket, my husband also uses it to clean all of the food and mess we make in the car, he loves how he can get in pretty tight areas that most vacuums at the car washes can’t get too.

Finally, I recommend that you clean all 4 filter compartments of your vacuum pretty often to guarantee maximum performance. Three of them must be washed in running water with soap and then dried and sometimes even need to be replaced. You can buy new ones right here

#2 Shark Genius Sanitizing Steam Pocket Mop System S5001

Forget about the days that you needed a bucket full of water and a mop full of fabric strings that really just took the dirt from one side to the other and didn’t wash anything unless you put in as much strength as of someone lifting weights.

Did I exaggerate a big there? Nope, not even a little bit!

I used to hate mopping not knowing that I didn’t hate mopping, I hated the MOP!

The whole “dipping in the water, squeezing over 100 times in on cleaning session” truly terrorized me!

But then I found out about steam mops and my life at home and my perspective on mopping completely changed for the better.

First of all, the steam sanitizes your floors and makes any sticky and gooey substance come out of your floors in a blink of an eye without any harsh chemicals which is great for your health and the environment.

Second thing is that there is no squeezing of fabric because Shark Genius Sanitizing Steam Pocket Mop releases the right amount of steam as you mop and it doesn’t get drenched with water.

The third great thing about the mop is that you only add the amount of water you need so there is no waste of water and there is no need for dumping dirty water and re filling it with clean one.

Lastly, I love that you can just throw the dirty rag you just used in the washer and dryer so next time when you need it is not just clean but sanitized as well.

P.S. — If you use your mop as often as I do, you may want to get some extra rags, it will save you time and money from having to do a load of laundry with just a couple of items.

#3 Full Size Steamer for Clothes, Garments and Fabrics

If someone was to ask “Whoever hates ironing raise their hands” be sure I’d be the person raising both of her hands!

I just truly do not enjoy the task of ironing, although the clothes look so much better, presentable, and softer afterwards, I just cannot bring myself to become fond of the activity.

However, century twenty one is here and with that is all of the technology we need in order to solve the things we hate doing the most.

Thanks to baby Jesus for this one invention, I no longer have to stand in front of the tv for hours ironing one piece of cloth (and still not have the results desired). I gave myself a steamerfor Christmas, and until this day it has been the best gift I have ever given myself and my family.

Steaming a collar shirt takes 2 minutes or less depending on how much of a pro you have became with the machine aka your new bestie.

Also, believe it or not, my husband enjoys using it too, I think he thinks it’s cool or whatever, which works even better in my favor. Pretty soon the kids will be old enough to be handling this bad boy too and life will be that much sweeter.

One little warning, the steam is extremely hot so do not put your hands anywhere close to it, the vapor will burn you, also, do it away from the little ones to prevent spilling and getting them burned.

SO THAT’S IT!! Those are my three favorite home essentials when you have children.

Which products have become your family’s essentials? Is there anything you could legit not live without? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear from you.

Want to see other product I love and recommend? Check out my Amazon store for more.

67 steps program | step 24 | The test of a life well lived

Tai Lopez 67 Steps Program | Step 24 | The test of a life well lived

67 steps program by Tai Lopez Review 

Gandhi’s funeral, Stephen Covey’s Wars & Flurries of Activity — The test of a life well lived

Have you thought about the day of your death? How about the amount of people who will show up to your funeral?

Most of us rarely think about things like that because we rarely think about the end.

Asking questions such as “What do I want people to say about me when I am dead” will get you to really think about your end goal or what many call, DESTINY!

In this 67 steps program, Tai Lopez mentions how an entire nation wept upon Mahatma Gandhi’s death. He was a symbol for freedom and justice in India, he brought so much value to the world that thousands of people showed up to his funeral. Not to mention that his legend continues even after his death.

Adolf Hitler, on the other hand, failed miserably at the funeral test. People didn’t even care to prepare a ceremony, so there was NO funeral!

Thinking about these two extremes will help you think about your end goal. Once you have your answer, you can start working on an end goal for each pillar of your life (health, wealth, love and happiness)

For example, if your health is not at the level you would like for it to be and your end goal is to have great blood tests and a body of a fitness model. As you identify your end goal for each pillar in your life, you can then start taking action towards it.

Remember, that you do not have to be stubborn about the path that is going to take you there, so be sure to always ask yourself if what you are doing is getting you closer to your end goal. Be prepared to move on if your answer is no. If a certain diet, exercise or a regime is not giving you results within the time expected and planned, do not get stuck on that plan, experiment with a different one until you obtain desired results.

Moreover, understand that we are rewarded for our flurries of activities. With that being said, instead of life being like an hourly job that pays you by the hour, it pays you based on how much YOU can do within that hour!

So, be wise with your activities and be able to challenge yourself and your brain. Instead of giving yourself a comfortable deadline to achieve a goal, shorten it up and let your brain think about ways to get it done. You will see how creative you will get once you start pushing yourself.

Also, be aware of the fights that goes on within your mind and body. Just as humans, animals and nature give signals of when something is wrong, our minds can also do the same.

Depression, for example, is a sign that you are unhappy about something.I know, you probably already know that but depression serves a higher purpose than to just make people miserable. It happens because as much as one can try to lie to themselves that they are happy and everything is “fine”, the mind knows better and depression is telling you

“cut the crap and let’s fix it!”.

The brain is a powerful machine and it can pick up on lies very quickly and it will find its way to let you know. So, it is wise to work in conjunction with your brain in order to pick up on signs before they turn into a chronic illness.

Finding your end goal is pretty much about being 100% honest with yourself, as well as working together with your mind and body to understand the signs and feelings you are receiving.

Open up your mind and your higher purpose will arrive.

Finally, understand that your biggest war will always be against self, as you battle your own paradigms and thoughts you will realize when there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do us no harm.

Click here to find out more about the program

Click here to watch this lesson on youtube

Shell Paradise | Gulf Side City Park Beach | Sanibel Island Florida

Tai Lopez 67 steps - Step 23 - How to by pass the obstacles in life

The 67 steps program by Tai Lopez

Landing Your Plane on the Great Wall & How to bypass the obstacles in life

As a child I heard that the world isn’t fair and you don’t always get what you want. While there is some true to that, as an adult, I discovered that life is pretty fair and getting what you want is much simpler than everyone around me made it seem.

As you go through the 67 steps, you start to observe the people around you and how they behave. You quickly learn that most people have more excuses to why they cannot have what they want than plans to achieve what they want.

Success is not built on excuses but it is rather built on faith. Faith simply is tasting success before you can have it. You may be broke now but if you can see yourself achieving financial success you can certainly get there.

Of course, you will need more than just faith. You will need force of will, which is the courage to do what it takes to get to your definition of success.

So, first, you need faith so you can then have force of will. Force of will will help to keep your brain focused on the prize and to keep things in great perspective, which you’ll need once obstacles come your way and they will come!

You see, the difference between successful and non successful people is that the ladder gives up when confronted with obstacles. Successful people make the plane land where they want to regardless of how bad the storm is.

To conclude, you must understand that bad things happen and will continue to happen so you must have a plan on how to tackle them down.

​

How to overcome obstacles in life by Tai Lopez

Here is a quick formula given by Tai Lopez in this 67 steps to can help you bypass the obstacles in life:

1- Have a road map of where you are going ( Eulerian destiny for each life pillar )

2- Stay Faithful

3- Have Force of Will

4- Keep everything in good perspective (it’s not as bad as you think)

Don’t let the world fool you into thinking that life is unfair. Shift your mentality so you brain acknowledges that success comes to those who have the deserving attributes and then work towards deserving what they want.

Click here to find out more about the program

Click here to watch this lesson on youtube

Books mentioned in this lesson:

Screw it, Let’s do it by Richard Branson

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

5 must have items for a beach vacation

5 must have items for a beach vacation

These 5 items legit saves my sanity every time I go to the beach with the kids

What items are a must have for the perfect beach day?

#floridavacation #beachvacation #travel#travelingtips 

https://www.jujugurgel.com/single-post/5-must-have-items-for-a-beach-vacation

Tai Lopez 67 Steps program - Step 22 - The Seven Fold Path to the Obvious Sign

Humans have the tendency to always see the obvious signs about others before they can see their own. Maybe it's because we are inside the box hence making it harder for us to really analyze our situation.

In this 67 steps program, Tai Lopez teaches how to observe, test and arrive at a conclusion in all pillars of your life (health, wealth, love and happiness). He also refers to the 7 steps scientific methodology to help arrive at a final answer.

Remember back in High School when you had to come up with a theory, create a hypothesis, test it and then arrive at a conclusion?

I truly hope you said yes because you are going to be doing the same thing except you are going to be applying it to your life instead of a scientific experiment.

Here are the 7 quick steps to help you figure out all your life questions:

1- Ask yourself a question aka create a Theory
Ex: I am fat because I have been eating too many hamburgers

2- Research the answer to that question (no need to elaborate on this, right?)

3 - Make a sample answer aka Hypothesis
Ex: In your research you found out some statistics about hamburgers supporting the fact that they are not a good source of nutrients for your body.

4 - Test it
Ex: Considering the facts you have in hand, you decide to stop eating hamburgers for a period of 3 months (Tai recommends experimenting with something for at least 3 months)

5 - Observe while you are doing the test
Ex: Check your weight, BMI, and keep a log on how you feel and energy levels

6 - Step back and Analyze
Ex: Compare the data you have. Did you lose weight? Did you feel better and have more energy?

7 - Ask experts to review and give their opinions
Ex: In this case, you may ask a doctor to review your results. He/She will be able to give you better insight on your health and go beyond just weight and energy levels.

You can use this for every area in your life and the thing is, if your final result is not what you wanted, you can always start from step 2 as you already have the question in hand. The more you do it, the closer you get to your desired goal.

Now, you must observe with the eyes of a scientist, someone who is non delusional and have no cognitive biases on the subject. You have to shift from the black and white mentality and move to accurate and non accurate, efficient and non efficient.

Move away from everything that is inefficient and understand that not every successful action will apply to every situation, so be adaptable and changeable. Experiment and don't stick with things that do not work merely for comfortability.

I suggest that you apply theses steps to every area of your life that you would like to see a change, whether it is your body, mental or financial state. And remember, not every problem in your life is a nail so stop hammering at screws and start acquiring more tools.

If you want to find out more about the program or sign up for the program click here