Category: Uncategorized

Veterans Day and More – Words and Pictures by UseppaGin – On Useppa we celebrate Veterans Day with the quiet raising of flags in honor and memory of the men and women who served and are serving now in our country’s military. Thank you to each of them and to their families. We enjoy our freedom because of you.

Halloween and More on Useppa – words and photos by UseppaGin – From the TV weatherman interviewing a visiting star at Halloween’s Happy Hour to the completion of the new pool and Collier patio, a rebuilt Bill’s Grille, Island family visits and reunions; life on Useppa has been busy. Costumed members and guests gathered on Friday night in the Tarpon Bar. Over the weekend the first dives celebrated a reopened pool, and lunches were served again on the patio. Boats from the Field Club from Sarasota docked at the Marina. People played croquet. Another Useppa season is underway.

New Friends, The Lady Chadwick, The Collier Inn, & the Barbara Sumwalt Museum – words and photos by UseppaGin – The Lady Chadwick was back in service after an eight-week boat yard project. The Barbara Sumwalt Museum was still undergoing a remodel, but open for this unique group. The Collier Inn hosted a special buffet luncheon. The Island pool and patio area were closed and blocked off for reconstruction. The logistics of getting from the Collier to the Museum confusing and circuitous. BUT…. The Sandollars of Naples were welcomed by all. Our visitors and their good humor made the day fun for everyone. It was like the first day of school – high levels of enthusiasm, and if something went wrong, everyone just grinned and readjusted. Golf carts and their drivers were requisitioned to avoid the added distance and stairs between the Collier Inn and the Museum. Men and women who needed extra help maneuvering smiled cheerfully and accepted a ride. Everyone was patient and in a good mood. After a long hot summer with few visitors, Red Tide, and reconstruction; the first guests of a new season were welcomed by all of us on Useppa. According to its website, Sandollars of Naples was formed to provide a social and informative setting in which lasting friendships can be built and nurtured. When the Sandollars re-boarded the Lady Chadwick to head back to Sanibel, we waved good-bye to each other. New friendships had begun begun.

Island Walkabout – Words and photos by UseppaGin – Blue skies above, blue waters below, birds everywhere, a long sandy beach waiting for children. Useppa is back to the Island we love. The pool and patio are still under reconstruction, but that means parties happen inside the Collier Inn or down at the Marina’s Tarpon Bar. Welcoming hugs on the dock, grandfathers and grandchildren in golf carts, sunrises savored with a cup of coffee, sunsets toasted with a cold drink. Island life continues.

The Quiet Time – Pictures and Words by UseppaGin – This is the peaceful time of year on Useppa. A few members and friends stop by for a visit, but mainland Islanders are getting back into their fall routines, and winter residents are enjoying their northern falls before heading south. There are only a few of us here to watch the season’s last rainbow-colored sunsets. Captain Dane is leaving us to follow a different path, and while good-byes are hard, Dane is off to new adventures leaving only good memories behind. New Captains Randy and Kevin are already part of the Useppa family. The Collier patio and pool will be closed for October for needed work and the Museum is still undergoing remodeling. The Collier Inn is open, and the Tarpon Bar at the Marina’s edge will have new hours beginning October 19th. Boxed lunches are available through the Joseffa Boutique. This time of year, it’s almost as though the ancient spirits have retaken the island and we are their guests.

The End of an Island Summer & the Beginning of Fall – Photos and words by UseppaGin – Useppa slides gently from summer into fall with a renewal of wedding vows on a Village dock, friends on their boats in the Marina, lunch at the Collier, pool time, and two little puppies looking for a home. Island life is a gift.

Useppa’s Colors are Shining – Pictures and words by UseppaGin – It’s early fall on Useppa. Red Tide is gone and the beaches and water look like themselves again. It was a long summer but now we can look forward. The Collier Inn has a new Food and Beverage Manager. Miss Emily will be working with Kam, our new Executive Chef. Old and new staff members are excited about new directions. Dinners have never been better! Captain Ken and Captain Eddie made an inviting place on the Marina dock to watch the sun set. Two new Captains have joined the Useppa family. Captain Eddie is going on to new adventures. Year-round Island members are looking forward to another year and the return of our seasonal friends. There’s a great energy on Useppa. It’s good to be home.

Island Images – Thoughts and photos by UseppaGin – Always good to be home. Watching sunset with good friends, seeing members of the staff, hugs from Island kids, stopping to take in each view…the end of summer and the beginning of fall on Useppa.

Island Barbecue – Photos and words by UseppaGin – Summer vacation days are winding down, and to celebrate, Useppa threw a “Going Back to School Pig Roast.” Parents and Kids, Grownups and Children gathered at the pool and the Collier Inn to enjoy a barbecue feast and an afternoon of music by the water. Thank you to the Collier Staff for making it happen. Thank you to all the families who make summer on the island so much fun.

Useppa Summer – Pictures and words by UseppaGin – A leisurely, warm, island day, a visiting yacht club, bocce, time in the pool, and lunch on the patio. Then sunset like a painting. The slow tempo of summer on Useppa.