82 AMERICANWAY
MAY 15 2007
Harbor, and the sable-palmed, white-sand
islandsof Sanibel,Captiva, andCayoCosta.
Soon the trailwill officially continueup the
Caloosahatchee River and its tributaries,
too, though frankly there’s nothing to stop
you frompaddling there now. There is am-
ple opportunity to ply waters fraught with
great blue herons and mischievous mana-
tees. But the Blueway also leads to places
where you can immerse yourself in the
simple joys that make life worthwhile, like
desolate beachhikes, the sand soft beneath
your feet; coldbeverages servedupatdock-
side juke joints; andwatching sunsets from
a veranda, with rustling palms applauding
thepurplingdemiseof day.
Better still, Florida’s Gulf Coast moves
with a soft, egalitarian sibilance. InMiami,
youare judgedbywhoyouareandwhatyou
wear. OnMatlacha, a thin sliver of water’s-
edgerestaurantsandshopsalong thecause-
way that enters Pine Island, you can walk
intoMoretti’s Waterfront Seafood Restau-
rantwearingakayaking skirt andneoprene
