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For years Lee County’s coastlines
and barrier islands have drawn visitors to the southern end of Florida’s
Gulf Coast. You’ve probably walked the beautiful beaches of
Fort Myers and Sanibel Island, the region’s most popular destinations.
But have you ever dropped your line with Matlacha fishermen off
the World’s Fishingest Bridge at sunset? Have you ever snoozed
beneath the mangroves at Lovers Key State Park, or glimpsed a heron
gracefully circling Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary? You may think you
know the Lee Island Coast, but do you know its secrets?
Locals call Matlacha (pronounced”MAT-luh-shay”)
a state of mind. The tiny community on Pine Island sits roughly
15 miles from downtown Fort Myers and easily a generation from the
rest of the Sunshine State. No beach here. No condos. No chain restaurants.
“Once you go over the bridge, you feel like you’re entering
another world,” says artist and resident Leoma Lovegrove.
A Taste of Old Florida
Originally a shrimping and fishing village, Matlacha experienced
an artistic revolution about seven years ago, led largely by Leoma.
Today, shops and galleries line the main drag like cups of sherbet,
their fluorescent colors revealing the lighthearted spirit that
saturates the town’s 1 square mile.
Leoma’s own Matlacha Art Gallery features a
wide array of eccentric pieces, from painting to painted furniture.
“We’ve got art for
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Set
Your Watch to Island Time
“In a place like Matlacha, what you see is what you get,”
says Osi McCarney, who with husband Steve owns the Bridge Water
Inn. A sign at the inn eloquently displays one definite reality:
“This is where island time begins.” The modest waterfront
motel offers basic accommodations, from small rooms without cooking
facilities ($59 per night) to furnished bayfront efficiency suites
($119). You can even reserve a two-bedroom cottage ($129). Rent
fishing equipment from Osi for $7 a day and try your luck just
outside your room’s door or on the Matlacha Bridge, which
is touted as the World’s Fishingest Bridge.
Mornings
are especially peaceful at Bridge Water, with pelicans perching
on pylons nearby, occasionally diving in the galleys bay for breakfast.
Speaking of breakfast, stop by Mulletville Restaurant for an old-fashioned
stack of pancakes ($3.95)liveliest drinking companions and here
the only dress code seems to be those white rubber boots endearingly
dubbed Pine Island
On your way off the island, stop by Planet’s Gourmet Pickles,
owner Champ Planet’s (pronounced “plah-NAY”)
miniature storefront, to sample award-winning, salsas, pickles,
and chutneys. The prince of Pickledom learned the art of pickling
without preservatives, chemicals, or flavor enhancers from his
grandparents.
(This article continued next page)
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