Island Finds

Whether you're a shell seeker or just a beach potato, on the islands you'll never run out of "beachy" accouterments.

Keeping the sun off your face is a cinch if you stop by the Sporty Seahorse Shop, which has a mind-boggling selection of more than 100 straw hats. The store also has cotton hats and baseball caps, sunglasses and beach footwear, chairs, umbrellas, and totes. Inflatable beach balls and rafts share shelves with buckets and toy boats. 362 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-1858.

Shoppers at Billy's Bait, Tackle and Apparel will find a wide choice of fishing equipment, swimming goggles and masks, and beach cover-ups by On White of California. The store's plaster sand-casting kits make neat gifts for children. 359 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-6996.

The Bait Box has everything to lure fishing fans, of course, but also sells beach boards, umbrellas, plastic oars, buckets, and a six-foot "pool-shark." 1041 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-1618.

Beachgoers can buy chairs, umbrellas, and floats at Huxter's Market. Popular items for children are mesh containers with toy buckets and trucks. 1207 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-2151.

Caloosa Canvas lives up to its name with an enormous selection of umbrellas, beach chairs, hats, towels, bags, and shelling aprons. Customers often buy bags and towels to be embroidered with names or initials. 1616 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-2218.

The T-Shirt Factory offers towels, splash balls, and beach blankets. Its rope sandals are "wonderful for walking on the beach," according to owner Robert Gray. 1633 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-2806 or 888/290-2806.

Janice Grant, an employee of Sanibel Surf Shop/Sea and Me at Jerry's Shopping Center, puts it simply: "We have everything." Look at the ceiling, and you'll see inflatable sea serpents, whales, and sharks. The shop contains an abundance of water wings and rings, diving sticks and sinkers, beach footwear, chairs, umbrellas, body boards, hats, and totes. Kids of all ages love the Toypedo, a rubber rocket that travels as far as 40 feet under the water. In the front section, Craft Bazaar sells kites, shell nets, and scoopers. 1700 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-8185.

Adults and kids love the big plastic alligators that often sell out at Jerry's Supermarket. Besides umbrellas, chairs, and towels, take a look at Tantoos-suntanning stickers that go on your body before going to the beach; remove them afterward to show off your "Tantoo." An unusual item is the battery-operated Two-in-One combination personal fan and water-misting device. 1700 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-9300.

Wildly colorful towels hang on a huge wall at Wings, and almost all are adorned with the words Sanibel Island. Body boards and beach chairs are for sale, as are beach shoes. 2353 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/395-0091.

Bailey's True Value Hardware Store has a well-stocked aisle of fishing gear and also satisfies beachgoers by selling woven mats, coolers, umbrellas, chairs, and towels. Children will find plenty of buckets, shovels, and inflatable swimming equipment. Periwinkle Way and Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel, 941-472-1516.

Stop by Eckerd Drugs before you hit the beach and stock up on sun-block lotion, so you won't have to return to ask the pharmacist about sunburn relief. The store features several shelves of beach footwear, swimming gear, umbrellas, and chairs. Insulated packs and sacks come in handy, as does the clever water-bottle belt bag. 2331 Palm Ridge Road, Sanibel, 941/472-1719.

When heading for a day at Blind Pass, rent a beach umbrella from Castaway's Marina Store. If you're planning on fishing, knowledgeable employees Steve Sears and Lee Rowe will help choose the right rod to rent or buy. 6460 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, 941/472-1112.

The store at Jensen's Twin Palms Resort and Marina on Captiva sells "everything for fishing," John Jensen says. In addition to sun-block, sunglasses, and towels, the shop features the Jensen's Marina Whistle. Made out of wood by a man in Arkansas, it bears the marina's logo and sound like a ship's whistle. 15107 Captiva Lane, Captiva, 941/472-5800.

You'll find life vests, hats, sunglasses, and sandals at 'Tween Waters Marina Store. While you're at it, pick out the latest issue of Architectural Digest or People to flip through on the beach. 15951 Captiva Drive, Captiva, 941/472-5161.

It's hard to miss the giant inflatable alligator rafts, rings, and floats hanging outside Beach Stuff Inc. at Captiva's Village Square. Inside the shop are totes and hats, including the Original Panama Jack hat, Jantzen mesh sandals, and children's swimsuits. 14970 Captiva Drive, Captiva, 941/472-1956.

You could almost hold a party on the huge inflatable Octopus Island for sale at Island Beach Company in Plantation View Center. Other big-selling inflatable beach toys come in the form of dragons, alligators, or whales. 14820 Captiva Drive, Captiva, 941/472-3272.

The Barnacle on Boca Grande is a hardware store that sells beach chairs, umbrellas, snorkels, masks, and goggles. Beach lovers will also find towels, rafts, and plenty of toys. 380 East Avenue, Boca Grande, 941/964-2570.

Want to carry just shells back home? Then rent your beach items.

Sanibel Rental Service started 16 years ago and stocks lots of umbrellas, loungers, and chairs. 2246 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-5777 or 941/472-3900.

Billy Kirkland has been renting beach equipment to island visitors since the mid-1980s. In February, he opened a Sanibel rental shop called Bikes, Boats and Beach Stuff, offering umbrellas and chairs, cabana hoods, floats, and boogie boards. 2427 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-8717 or 800/575-8717.

Island Rental Service opened on Sanibel in November 1997. In addition to umbrellas and five-position loungers, coolers are popular rental items. "If a customer wants something, we'll go buy it," says owner Suzanne Martinsen. 941/472-9789.

The inventory at Jim's Rentals on Captiva includes beach chairs and umbrellas, bodyboards and rafts. The rental shop is combined with YOLO Watersports, known for para-sailing and waverunners. 11534 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva, 941/472-1296.

On Boca Grande, Boogie boards and skim boards, chairs and umbrellas are available for rent from Island Bike 'N' Beach. For purchase, the shop offers beach footwear, shovels and pails, sun-block lotions, and sunglasses and, according to its brochure, "local gossip," which, presumably, is free. 333 Park Avenue, Boca Grande, 941/964-0711. -LG