Perfect Beach Day

Thursday May 9, 2013
Site 33, Fort Pickens Campground
Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida

 

First, a note to Jana from Savannah

Don’t you just love that name??  Yesterday in a comment, Jana asked me to check into site 10 for her so I took this picture.  It’s a great  looking site and I thought I’d have chosen it had I known until the current occupant told me that the electric didn’t work but the park had not discounted the $20 price per night.  So Jana, if you were expecting electricity, be sure to call the park and ask if it is being repaired or if it will still be off when you get here.

 

  

 

Ok now for today - It’s good for me, I know it is.

 

But I still don’t like running.  This morning I run down to the beach and along the Gulf shore to the end point and around to the buildings at Fort Pickens. Then I take the road back to the campground.   The weather is great and the breeze really helps but the shore line is uneven and there are times when I have to get up on the high part of the beach and run through the sand.  Slogging through loose sand in running shoes is not so much fun.

But when it is over, after a delicious scrambled breakfast with home fries and rye toast, I take my blue umbrella and my red sometimes laundry cart now beach cart (THANK YOU VERY MUCH Dan and Tricia) and go down to the water while David finishes up some telephone business. 

 

What a great day!

 

 

The temperature is in the low 70’s the breeze is light and the sun warm.  This sand is nearly blinding though,  even with sunglasses on.  It is SO white.

 

 

 

 

In not too long my friend shows up.

He parades up and down the shore line as though he is beach combing and he probably is.  The waves have cut a berm in the sand and so at points all I can see when he is patrolling is his head marching first down to the right, then back to the left and again to the right.

 

 

 

 

The water looks like we’re in the Caribbean, it is multicolored blue. 

It is shallow quite a ways out and warm when I get in for a dip.  David isn’t here yet so no pictures but he comes soon after I get out and goes in himself.

 

 

 

I walk in the warm water like my heron friend but I’m not nearly as interesting looking even if I am down in the same sloping area near the water.

 

 

Today’s 1st  surprise comes swimming down the shoreline.

 

 

While we are reading we look up and see these black things swimming down parallel to the beach.  They are riding the waves and coming in very close to shore.  Sometimes we see them flip their “wings” up out of the water.  They are too small for dolphins so we go out to the waters edge and see a group of stingray going up and down the shoreline riding the waves in until just before the last break and then turning and going back out.  I take a lot of pictures to get just one decent one.  They are so much fun to watch.  Surfing with no board is just what they look like they are doing. 

While I love watching them it does make me a little concerned about going into the water in case they might be sleeping in the shallows in the sand.  Shuffle your feet we are told but the sting from a stingray is very painful and can have numerous not so fun consequences.

 

 

As we leave for the day, I look back and cannot stop being amazed at the snow-white crystalline sand and the sparkling azure-colored waters.  No wonder so many wanted this protected as a National Seashore.

 

 

 

The day’s 2nd surprise scurries in the brush along the campground road.

After dinner we walk over to see the sunset.  On our walk over I see this cute little Beach Mouse who stops and I’m able to get his picture.  I’ve never been too fond of field mice but this guy is really darling.

 

 

 

I’m not having a great deal of luck with sunsets. 

 

It seems the days begin and end with heavy clouds but the skies in the middle of the day are clear and bright.  No matter, any time I get the chance to see the sun set over the dunes or the water, I’m going to take it.

 

 

 

The sun is sinking into those clouds.  I hand the camera to David and start to walk down the beach in the warm water before we leave for the day.  And then, here comes the best color of the night and in a flash it’s gone and the sun is completely enveloped in the gray clouds.

 

A lovely end to the first fine beach day in the past week of camping near the water.