Tarpon Bay Explorers, the concession for the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, will add August 13th, 20th and 27th to their schedule. Last week, the Sanibel & Captiva Chamber of Commerce announced that the Lee County Board of County Commissioners voted to waive fees on Sundays to cross the Sanibel Causeway to encourage visitation to the islands and help bolster island businesses. This gesture is part of the “Savor the Shore” campaign organized by the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. “It is nice to know that the county, the city and our Chamber of Commerce are in our corner fighting to help businesses stay afloat,” said Managing Partner, Wendy Schnapp.
Due to Hurricane Ian’s destruction, visitation to the islands has suffered severely. Tarpon Bay Explorers had to dwindle from a family of 35 to 3. As a result, the Explorers have only been open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The concession is thrilled to have a reason to open their doors a few more times in August to let visitors experience Sanibel, “Ding” Darling, businesses, their recovery and top-notch hospitality.
As mentioned before, Tarpon Bay Explorers will be open for business on Sundays August 13th, 20th and 27th in addition to their current schedule. On these additional Sundays, Tarpon Bay Explorers will have kayak, paddleboard and hobie fishing kayak rentals (reservations recommended for hobies) from 8am to 3pm. Their nature-themed gift shop will also be open from 8am to 5pm. For additional information or questions about rentals or guided tours visit their website at www.tarponbayexplorers.com or call the gift shop at 239-472-8900.
