Hurricane Ian destroyed the old Fort Myers Beach pier in 2022. The community knows the Fort Myers Beach pier as the town’s fishing pier. It played an important role in local history, and the entire community feels the pain of losing her because they lost one of their main iconic focal points and tourist meccas. The original wooden version went up in the 1930s, with Lee County, Florida acquiring it with adjacent land in 1948. In the mid 70’s, it was converted into a concrete pier, and became an important part of the local tourist economy.
Before that fateful day when the mighty bridge went down, I was fortunate to have visited there on Thanksgiving Day, 2018. It was then that I fully appreciated Fort Myers Beach’s fishing pier and its history.
How can a place share its own stories without saying a word? Fort Myers Beach’s fishing pier stood tall over the water on that clear day. The wooden weathered boards whispered of the past and the pillars stood dormant watching the calm waves below. I couldn’t resist snapping this — a scene so simple, but so full of history.
Walking up to the shoreline with my camera in hand, I was compelled to the pier. It wasn’t just an ordinary fishing spot, but a meeting place and a silent witness to so many memories. Some locals came to cast their line hoping for a good catch, and others were just fishing for peace. You could almost feel the laughter and chatter beneath Fort Myers Beach’s fishing pier that would’ve filled the air on a busier day. The pier remained standing long after the storms and hurricanes, almost daring the water to try again.
I found the perfect spot on the sand, with the waves gently lapping at the shore. I wanted to capture the pier and the feeling it gave. It didn’t matter what storms came its way. It would still be there, providing a safe place to pause and breathe. The shutter clicked, and I knew I had captured a moment of peace and learned how life keeps flowing like the ocean around Fort Myers Beach’s fishing pier.
At first glance the fishing pier at Fort Myers Beach might seem ordinary. But if you stop and listen, you can see that it’s more than just wood and nails. People come together here, share stories, and show the simple beauty of Fort Myers, Florida.
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