A Later Than Usual Lazy Sunday

Despite being here near the coast for a week, Denny and I haven't seen much of the Gulf of Mexico yet. As the crow flies, we're probably very close to it, but there isn't a lot of public beach access nor a lot of beach at all around here. I've been having a broken tooth worked upon and we've had some maintenance/repair issues around the rig and truck that have taken our time and energy. Standard stuff, nothing major or expensive, but things that needed to be done. Next week the two of us are heading to St. Pete's Beach to visit Denny's cousin who is spending the winter here and the week after that we'll be visiting his former sister-in-law, so we might actually see a little more water.

We did take one morning to drive to Hudson Beach, thinking we'd wander the beach and look for sea shells. Hmm, it really wasn't the kind of "beach" we're used to by our many stays at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or at St. Augustine, Florida. We need to find some sand!

Since we're near water, this Sunday's theme will be bodies of water in Florida.


This is Hudson Beach. The rocky beach isn't conducive to lying out on a beach blanket enjoying the sun, so the city fathers created a sea wall and filled the area behind it with a little sand for people to bring their lawn chairs and stretch out in the sun.


The waters of the Gulf of Mexico are so calm compared to the Atlantic Ocean. The water is also clear enough that you can see to the bottom for quite a distance out from the shore.


St. Augustine beach is a walking beach, with a stretch of sand that goes for miles. Unfortunately, the campground here no longer is in the member park system--we think they may have sold out to condo developers.


The Tolomato River as seen from the St. Augustine lighthouse. I love the fact that the waters in Florida always look so blue.


Lake Okeechobee has been severely affected by the drought and that affects the fishing there also. It's an amazing body of water that is so huge, and yet so shallow.


I realize this isn't a picture of Floridian waters, but it did come from the Gulf. This horseshoe crab shell was near the edge of the sea wall at Hudson Beach. Such an aptly named creature.


And this is a real horseshoe crab that I almost stepped on in the Gulf waters near Carrabelle, Florida many years ago. I didn't know whether to be scared by it or awed by the sight--a little of both, I think.