Our team at Kingfisher Vacations is incredibly grateful for all the support we have received in recent weeks. We want to give a big thank you to all our clients and partners for your patience during this time. Additionally, we’d like to thank our first responders as they work day and night to get essential services up and running again. Hurricane Ian brought unprecedented damage to the islands, our community, and many of our properties, but we are getting back on our feet fast. We are looking forward to opening once again at our Captiva Island location soon.
On October 19th, the famous Sanibel Causeway reopened and the City of Sanibel’s emergency re-entry plan went into effect. Water has also been restored to Captiva. We will continue to take recovery one day at a time, but we are optimistic about the road ahead. Our community is strong, and we’ll get through this together. Read below to learn more about the current restoration efforts in Sanibel and Captiva.
Recovery is Moving Fast in Sanibel and Captiva!
The Sanibel Causeway Reopens
In the midst of such challenging circumstances, it was great news to discover that the Sanibel Causeway was reopening weeks earlier than expected. 100 crews worked around the clock to repair the three bridges that comprise the Sanibel Causeway. Over 4,000 tons of asphalt, 2,400 loads of rock and 8,200 loads of dirt were required to complete the temporary restoration. Crews will continue developing permanent repairs.
For now, traffic over the Sanibel Causeway will operate as follows: on Monday and Tuesday of each week, only essential response teams will be allowed access onto the island. Wednesday through Sunday, residents, business owners, property owners, and private contractors will be allowed access from 8:00AM-5:00PM. A valid 2021-2022 Sanibel Re-Entry Permit must be displayed on your dash when approaching the checkpoint. Between 9:00PM-6:00AM no vehicles, bikes, or pedestrians will be allowed access. This is subject to change at any time. Right now, we encourage everyone to follow law enforcement protocols and traffic patterns for their own safety.
Other Things to Expect on Sanibel During Restoration Efforts:
- Curfew from 9:00pm – 6:00am
- Law enforcement presence
- Large construction vehicles traveling on Sanibel Causeway and throughout the island
- LCEC bucket trucks restoring power poles and powerlines
- 20 mph speed limit
- Traffic congestion throughout Sanibel
- Slow speeds through areas where essential personnel are working
- Yield to emergency crews
- Debris throughout the island
- Bicyclists, low speed vehicles, and pedestrians in roadway
- No food services
- No gasoline stations
- Displaced wildlife
The Majority of Residents Should Have Power by the End of October
The Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) has been hard at work getting electricity routed back to Sanibel. Crews have recently been working to wash contamination and salt from electric equipment and repair damaged connectors. The current timeline for power restoration, which ranges from 10/20-11/15, in Sanibel and Captiva can be viewed here. Essential services will first be restored to schools, fire stations and the RO (Reverse Osmosis Water) plant on the island. After critical infrastructure is rebuilt, power will be restored to the rest of the island in stages. North Captiva residents will have the longest to wait due to extensive damage on the island.
According to the City of Sanibel, all commercial, multi-family and single-family properties with an electrical service greater than 600 amps must receive an inspection from a licensed Florida engineer. The city will inform LCEC that power can be restored to your property after passing the inspection.
Thank You for Partnering with Kingfisher Vacations in Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Florida
Again, thank you to all our property owners and guests for bearing with us at this time. We are proud to say we’ve now completed thorough inspections of all of our properties and have communicated with every single one of our homeowners. However, feel free to reach out to us with any additional questions. Please know that we are doing everything we can to restore operations and keep our clients informed.
At Kingfisher Vacations, we’re here to assist you and make your stay the best it can be. We have over 56 years of experience in the vacation rental industry and can offer you first-rate service given our vast knowledge of the area. Visit our website, email us at info@gokingfisher.com or give us a call today at 239-472-2100.