The Ruins of Cape Romano
Growing up in Southwest Florida, the homes of Cape Romano have always had a stigma surrounding their actual origin and evolution. The structures have literally become one of the most iconic SWFL marine destinations not just for tourists and casual boaters, but also the fishing charters and avid anglers. Rumors throughout the years ranged from a cult settling to abandoned alien structures. I've photographed this extra terrestrial concrete family for years (including the below image shot in August of 2020) but it wasn't until a recent super moon sunrise trip to photograph them, that it became clear, I have no clue where they came from.
Extra Terrestrial Sunrise
With construction beginning in 1980, the original builder Bob Lee (a retired oil producer) saw the homes as a self sustaining vacation home for family and friends. The white concrete igloos were truly a unique design unlike any architectural structure this area has ever seen. It's also said that Bob was as unique and exciting to be around as the homes themselves. The distinct shape was designed to be aerodynamic in hopes to prevent wind damage from hurricanes and also to predictably deflect water into troughs that would be used for functional running water within the homes - genius right?!? As you can see in the below images, these living quarters were right on par with what a 1980's proper decor might look like. You have to give it to Bob, taking a concept like this and bringing it to life on a remote island in paradise is beyond what most would think is possible. So how did this compound go from the below pictures to the one photographed above?
The original homes post completion in 1981. Notice the winding ramp that takes you up to the entrance.
This arial view of Cape Romano is probably the best image to showcase just how much beach erosion has taken place between the early 80's and today. For those who live in Naples, or anywhere on the gulf coast, you know how often dredging takes place just to keep our beaches....well our beaches! Would be interesting to know where the coastline would be if we didn't counteract mother nature.
I love the up-lights set atop each of the columns. Definitely some very thoughtful elements inside of the homes as well.
You can almost smell the interior and place yourself in this image. What a time to be in SWFL before the big boom of the early 90's. If you don't know much about it, find someone who was here and listen to some of the stories. You may not believe it but this region was night and day different that what you currently see in all ways possible..
From the time of completion until the early 90's these homes were used frequently by the Lee family. In 1992 Hurricane Andrew caused some flooding and broken windows but structurally no significant damage was sustained. Years went by....with the Lee family visiting less frequently, the homes started to decay. In 2005 a man by the name of John Tosto purchased the land even though it was well known that a sea wall would be essential to preserving the property. Well, as fate would have it, in October of 2005 Hurricane Wilma ripped through Cape Romano and ultimately became the sword in the coffin. It's said that the Tosto family basically walked on the property, leaving it for the Gulf of Mexico to swallow, but did not do so without financial penalty. On behalf of all SWFL residents and visitors, I'd like to say thank you to the Tosto family for leaving these unique structures for everyone to enjoy...even if it wasn't their intention.
In September 2017 Hurricane Irma made landfall on Marco Island. For those that don't know, Cape Romano is the most southwestern barrier island between the 10,000 islands and Marco. The area took a direct hit from Irma which killed 2 of the dome homes. At that point it became clear, the clock is ticking and it's only a matter of time before the remaining four homes will drop. If it were up to me, I'd love to see the remaining structures taken 5-10 miles off shore and professionally placed underwater to best preserve their original shape and stature. Imagine the amazing Cape Romano underwater alien reef structure that both wildlife and underwater enthusiasts could enjoy for many years to come. Moreover, the current location is not ideal for marine navigation due to strong currents and winds. At high tide the already sunken domes sit just under the water line and can easily be stuck by an amateur seaman. Regardless of what the future holds for these historical and iconic structures, visit them as often as you can and when you do....how about a tip of the cap to Mr. Bob Lee for his amazing creation!
A colored image and slightly different crop than the above fine art black and white edit. The early morning light is by far my favorite time to shoot the homes, they just accept ambient and soft light so well.
Nearly 6 years after first photographing the homes, this image was captured in August of 2020 on a sunrise shoot for a commissioned print. The gentle pink and orange hues were such a delight. Landscape photographers are constantly rolling the dice when they arrive to a location pre-dawn. There always seems to be a spiritual component when you get that magical light. Like a divine treat for your efforts:)
The vessel that took me through the dark on a recent 45 minute journey south from Doctors Pass in Naples to the dome homes. The full moon lit the water so beautifully as the anticipation grew of what kind of sunrise the day would receive.
A thin cloud layer on the eastern horizon acts as a diffuser to the sun prolonging that warm glowing light.
A different perspective of the homes. Shooting handheld is not easy when your objective is to make large prints. This is even more difficult when in low light with currents pushing you around.
All vintage images on this blog post were taken from Coastal Breeze News. I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit of the history surrounding Cape Romano. All Seth Adam images in the blog post are available for purchase. Thanks for reading along and feel free to make a comment, share or delete from your search history:)
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