Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Walking in the Sound

Saturday April 5, 2014
St. George Island State Park
Eastpoint, Florida

 

 

YES that’s what I said, IN the sound, though not right away.

 

 

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It is another foggy morning.  No sun visible sunrise this morning.  This is getting to be a pattern.  Yesterday we kayaked in the fog.  Today we think we’ll hike along the sound side shore.

We walk down to the Gulf.  It’s totally socked in.  But of course you can see 15 or 20 feet in front of you and that’s all we need to walk down to the last public beach area where we go up off the beach, cross over the road and take an unlabeled  trail down to the Sound side shore line.

 

 

 

 

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As we come over the crest, a flotilla of merganser are making their way north.  They look a lot foggier here than they did the moment we saw the 70 or 80 ducks.   This seems like a good omen for this afternoon.

 

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It turns out that the path has brought us to Kayak Campsite #3 on the Saint George Sound Shore.  We paddled down past #1 and #2 yesterday, those are also the ones on the Primitive Trail.  But we didn’t get far enough down the shore to see #3.  Now we wonder how many campsites there are further on down.   Maybe next time we’ll skip paddling in the lagoon and come around the island and paddle to the end and find out.   Site #3 is a much shorter walk for those wanting to hike to camp.  But I suspect it may have  more visitors as well.  Although possibly not.

 

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There are creatures in these shells.  Don’t take them home.

 

We walk south for a while looking at all the life alive on the sandy shore and in the shallow water of the Sound.  

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The tide is out and shells are just sitting by the water’s edge waiting for it to come back in.  

 

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With the tide out, the birds are probing for food.   Notice the stump in the background of the first picture

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As you can see, the stump is just barely on the edge of the water.  I wonder if these shells were under water before the tide went out or if they climbed up on this stump to be out of the water.  Mother Nature is a real artist.  We are just amazed at its beauty.  I try not to take a picture of every single individual shell decorating this natural sculpture.

 

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On down the beach in the distance we see a little cove. 

 

There is no way to walk around this Great Blue Heron without disturbing him and the little birds around him. 

 

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We don’t want to interrupt them so we turn around to investigate the northern end of the shore line. Perhaps we can walk it back to the picnic table spot off the campground loop and make this a loop hike.   Fog still hasn’t lifted.

 

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Walking IN the Sound begins here!

 

In a short time we find it is time to walk in the water  or turn back.   I don’t know why in the world we didn’t walk out in this water earlier.  It is wonderful.

 

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There’s another blue heron fishing. 

There seems to be enough shoreline to go around without interrupting him.  Especially when he decides to move further away from the shore.  You can see water level is low quite far out. 

 

 

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Score for the canon!

As we walk around a pelican comes flying in and splash into the water.  Guess he missed his prey.  He doesn’t stay long.  Hats off to the Canon SX50 for the first shots I’ve ever been able to get of flying pelicans!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a busy and beautiful shoreline. 

 

It is quiet and undisturbed.  We don’t see another soul until we get back to the campground area and then only one young man walking toward us on the shore.   I am just loving this.  My kind of place, my kind of day.

 

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The water’s retreat has exposed what look like peat beds.  We walk on them and they are spongy and soft if you don’t sink into the water just beneath them.  We seem to have come out by total luck at the exact best time for seeing all the birds and creatures in the water.  With higher water this shore would be under water and more precarious to walk on as well as the water would be deeper.

 

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The water is shallow and a lovely temperature.  The shells are amazing.

 

Off and on all afternoon we have been walking in water and taking pictures of the live shells we are walking around.  The pictures aren’t great but then they are taken through the water.  I just love seeing their little legs scurrying along.

 

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We are nearing the path up to the campground when we come to an area of fallen trees. 

 

There are many stumps and sharp points out in the water so we do a combination of water walking and crawling  over and around to make our way to the end of our afternoon on the Sound Shore.

 

 

 

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Everywhere we look nature is using and decorating each surface to its best advantage.

 

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Just after we get through the fallen trees we see the picnic table along the shore and the lovely oak that signal the path back to the campground.  This has been a great afternoon walk in and along the water and we only spent 5 hours.  Smile

 

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THE END

 

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25 comments:

  1. You always manage to find the most magical locations!

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  2. I could have used that serene location last night. :(

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  3. Your skill and that camera sure are taking lovely pictures :-).

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  4. I felt like I was in the sound with you. Your words, as always, paint a wonderful picture but your new camera is fantastic in the hands of a skilled photographer like you, Sherry. Thanks for the walk. Off to find out why Judith's sad face.

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  5. Great photos of the pelican in flight:)

    Love all the live shells...beautiful!

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  6. Your pictures are great, I want a camera like that.... to get such great close-ups so far away!!!

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  7. Love the shells. When we lived in Florida, visiting relatives would always gather up shells, and then be amazed when they walked around the kitchen counter!

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  8. Sure does make me miss being in Florida. Water, shells, shore birds...although I wouldn't miss the fog. Amazing to me how you make the best of every single day. Great lesson there, Sherry. Thanks

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  9. You make a foggy day on the beach look very appealing! Beautiful shell close-ups -- so the macro on your new camera must be working for you?

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  10. We've done our share of walking on the beach in the fog this year. I remember seeing shells "on the move" in the sound when we were in Destin last year ... just scurrying along the shallows, so funny.

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  11. Your toes must have been shriveled! Beautiful photos with the new camera.

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  12. Thanks for all the great photos. I love your perspective!

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  13. As much as we love the desert, tonight, I am envious. What a wonderful walk...

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  14. Very nice pictures and the campsite looks beautiful!

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  15. Love all the hermit crabs. They are most interesting creatures.

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  16. Love the shells on the stumps, you always see so much in what ever you do, appreciate you taking us along.

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  17. Love it! Just like another commenter said: magical. Those shells ate so cool, especially their legs. What a neat day :) Pretty heron picture too :)

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  18. Wow, love the pelican shots! So many wonderful shells with living creatures in them. What a nice walk!

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  19. Your timing was perfect to see so much life that is usually hidden. You always seem "at-one-with" the natural environments you visit so it feels like getting an undisturbed view of wonderful places.

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  20. I am pretty sure my absolute fear of snakes would have prevented me from wading out into the water around those logs. . .yikes!

    Janice
    ReadyToGoFullTimeRVing.blogspot.com

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  21. I guess those shells with the cute little critters inside could be call a nautical RV? They sure get around to some very scenic places. ;c)

    A very magical day, maybe it should be foggy more often? Super picture of the pelican taking flight. I love watching those birds move about, they are one of my favorites.

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  22. What a peaceful day you had exploring the tide waters and shoreline. There is something quite rejuvenating about spending a day at the sea.

    I have yet to get good photos of pelicans in flight. Do you have to change the settings on the camera to a faster shutter speed? I need to learn much more about shooting on manual.

    Love the shell photos too--especially the underwater ones where they are walking.

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  23. The shells on the stump are pretty cool. I love seeing all of the shells. What fun walking in the water and poking around seeing everything! The pelican photos are amazing- love them! Looks like a day well and happily spent-
    XXXOOO

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  24. Nature is amazing and you really did a great job photographing the magic!!

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  25. The foggy look is what makes this special. Love natures sculptures like on the stump.
    How lovely to walk in the water.

    Your shots are once again amazing. Go Canon. When I process under water photos they usually improve a lot.

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