Hurricane!

Hurricane Charley hit Sanibel and Captiva Islands hard. Sanibel is open for business again. Captiva is not far behind.

Residents and visitors with their binoculars and cameras walk quietly through the refuge, seeking nothing more than awesome nature.

When they spot a particular sight, like a sleeping alligator, they share the discovery with you and whisper the directions for seeing it.

Unlike other areas of Florida, Sanibel is an ecological island, and the people who vacation on it are quietly respectful of natural treasures.

By the time you read this, nearly every resort and small inn on Sanibel will have returned to full operation, on grounds largely cleared of damage.

Not so on neighboring Captiva Island, which received the full brunt of Charley's 160-mph winds.

On Captiva, numerous lodgings remain closed, including the giant South Seas Resort, where construction crews are working toward a reopening date sometime in the spring.