Category: Uncategorized

Dear Homeowners and Social Members,

This letter will be published in the next edition of the Useppa Chronicle. The Founders of Useppa Island Partners wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving and look forward to seeing you on island soon.

Dramatic change is underway on our island, for the better. This Founder’s Letter will be a regular feature of the Chronicle. It is intended to let you know what is on our minds – transparency is something you can look forward to under our ownership.

This founding group came together in the Spring of 2025. We are an eclectic bunch with a range of experiences and skills but a shared love for Useppa. We live here for a reason. Our initial conversations confirmed a common vision for the future of the island: to restore Useppa to a best-in-class retreat in elegant, old Florida style. We were in no doubt that this the right thing to do as Useppa is a unique property, and we plan to create something very special. We also recognized in our initial meetings that now might be the right time for a change in ownership and direction of the island, led by a group of homeowners. We were correct in that thinking.

The establishment of Useppa Island Partners was straightforward, and the equity capital quickly committed. The deal execution was complex, with various legal and governance hurdles, and took some months but we got there. Our legal team earned their money. We have raised capital from ten founders, and around fifty other investors to date – either homeowners or social members. This group will have a shared economic as well as emotional interest. If you have not joined as an investor, you are most welcome to do so.

I have been most gratified by the level of support for our efforts by homeowners and our social and dining members, a group that it has been a pleasure to get to know. Thank you. As we rebuild the infrastructure, we will also be rebuilding one community, including all homeowners and social members. Many of our social members have known Useppa for years and nearly all remained loyal during the tough post Hurricane Ian years. We will remember that loyalty.

The island has seen more investment over the past couple of months than over the past few years. Steve’s infrastructure plan is bold and being executed aggressively. We are confident that we have a business plan that makes sense, and one that will benefit the whole community. However, there are going to be some mistakes. There will be moments of frustration. What you will get from us is honesty and clarity and when we have disagreements, we will seek to resolve them amicably.

I am optimistic for the future. Ownership of Useppa is in the hands of homeowners who love the island, and are providing the investment it badly needed. Our community is enthusiastic and enjoys a shared vision for the future. We appreciate your continued support as we execute on this project and make Useppa the envy of Southwest Florida.

With best wishes,
Simon Bound
Chairman Useppa Island Partners
simonb@useppa.com

Thank you Useppa Stewards – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – Thank you from the Beckstead family, Useppa residents, members, and friends to all the men and women who have faithfully taken care of Useppa over the last 49 years. Your stewardship has been a gift to the island we love. Whether in the Office, the Service Department, the Collier, the Marina, the Joseffa Boutique… each of you has made a difference. Team Useppa!!!!! The Beckstead Era is ending, but each of you will always be a part of Useppa’s history.

Collier Inn…Memories, Closure, Happy Hour Goodbyes & Thank you – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – It’s the end of the Beckstead era. Once the home of Baron Collier, the Collier Inn is closed and will be rebuilt by Useppa’s new owners. Islanders – homeowners and members – gathered for one last Happy Hour, one last dinner, and one last thank you to the staff. Pictures radiate love and gratitude. There are also so pictures of the Inn over the years, closed and rebuilt after Hurricane Charlie in 2004, closed after Hurricane Ian in 2022, and damaged again by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. There are pictures of the men and women who took care of us and made us all feel like a family, many who have been there longer than some of us. Thank you to the Beckstead family. Thank you for an iconic gathering place. Until tomorrow……Cheers!

Summer Sunsets, Island Summer – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – Summer sunsets on Useppa are paintings on the horizon, each one a gift, each one magical. Families and friends gather at the Collier Inn, dine on the patio, and relax by the pool. A quiet time on the island, a time for all islanders to savor.

4th of July on Useppa – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – Fireworks lit the sky. Friends gathered for lunch at the Collier. Kids jumped into the pool. Grown-ups sat in chairs watching from the sidelines or paddled by. We celebrated Collier Joey’s 50th birthday. Island staff members made it all possible. Sunsets were a gift.

Friends, Families, and Fun on Useppa – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – Old and new friends explored the island. A family birthday was celebrated in the pool, at lunch on the patio, and in a picture on the Collier Inn steps. Perfect weather for lunch, an afternoon swimming, strolling the Pink Path. Useppa is a gift we share. Thank you to the men and women who make it all possible.

2025 Father’s Day on Useppa – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin -Boating Members, Guests, and Homeowners gathered on Useppa to celebrate Father’s Day. In the pool, on the dock, walking the beach, at the Collier Patio, and on the patio, everyone was smiling (except two Gopher Tortoises).

Fathers on Useppa, 25 Years of Memories – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – Once little boys are now fathers. Once fathers are now grandfathers. Some familiar faces are gone, their legacies of love passed down. New and old Useppa families add new babies. On the water, in the pool, Santa Claus, Christmas Eve at the Collier, the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade down the beach, the Banyan Tree, well-known places and events … four generations of smiling Useppa fathers and their families. Memories of the past, pictures of today.

Useppa Mullet Fest – Thoughts by Kyle Corey, Pictures by UseppaGin – The Mullet Fest came to fruition through sunset conversations at the Mullet Bar with Doug Ryan. I had wanted to make shirts since the bar went up so we had those made and the rest fell into place with Memorial Day Weekend, band being available, and you can’t have a party at the Mullet Bar without tossing some mullet! Over 70 people threw mullet.

Memorial Day Izaak Walton Useppa Kids Fishing Tournament – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – It was a different tournament this year. Without the Main Dock to fish from, once the Fisherman’s Oath was taken kids spread out all over the island. A few stayed in the Marina, but some wandered over to the pond by the Collier. Some ended up fishing off the Collier dock. They threw their own cast net. In the Izaak Walton tradition, it was all catch and release. Hadley caught the Biggest Fish. Weston won the Sportsmanship Trophy. Thanks to Izaak Walton Angler Kyle Corey for making it happen.