Posts Tagged ‘beach’
Posted by Jody on October 28, 2017
As soon as Mary and I entered the clearing at the end of the access path to Driftwood Beach, we had an overwhelming feeling of otherworldliness. It was an eerie sensation -which took a little while to shake off- as we gazed on the haunting skeletons and sun-bleached bones and of oak and pine trees past. We had entered a forest graveyard.
Driftwood Beach
Life (and more recently hurricanes) had gotten in the way of our usual pre-trip homework. We had expected actual driftwood -bits and pieces of wood that had washed ashore- scattered about a stretch of shoreline named Driftwood Beach, but that is certainly not what we found!
As Anthony (Tony) J. Martin, author of Life Traces of the Georgia Coast (Indiana University Press), succinctly explains in his blog post Doing Field Work on a Developed Barrier Island:
“At the north end of Jekyll, shoreline erosion has caused the beach and maritime forest to meet, and the forest is losing to the beach. This has caused the forest to become what is often nicknamed a “tree boneyard,” in which trees die and either stay upright or fall in the same spot where they once practiced their photosynthetic ways.”
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This scenic “cemetery” is a must-see any day of the year! Climbing seems to be the favorite pass-time for kids, while adults sling hammocks on the gnarled branches. Stargazing is the ultimate choice for a romantic evening beneath the heavens. Driftwood Beach is likely the most explored and photographed stretch of beach on the Jekyll Island.
Off the beach, human ghost stories abound on this Golden Isle. Sightings are apparently common enough in the historic district, including the Jekyll Island Club Resort, which boasts a rich history of supernatural appearances – from a uniformed bellman performing his duties to a long gone railroad magnate who still evidently cannot begin his day without a cup of coffee and the morning newspaper. In the evening, after you’ve enjoyed a day of beach explorations, you can join the “world famous” Jekyll Island Trolley Ghost Tour for legends and tales from beyond the grave. If you do, let us know how it goes!
Jekyll Island Club Resort
~~~~~~~~~~~
Anthony Martin: Life Traces of the Georgia Coast
Related Halloween Links:
A Halloween Tale: Beware the Excirolana kincaidi!
The Graveyard of the Pacific: The Bones of the Peter Iredale
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Posted in Atlantic Coast Beaches, Holiday, Sand and Shoreline | Tagged: beach, Driftwood Beach, Halloween, Jekyll Island Georgia | 6 Comments »
Posted by Jody on October 23, 2017
Waiting for the Waves – Bolinas, California
“He that can have patience can have what he will.”
― Benjamin Franklin
~~~
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Posted in Monday Miscellaneous, Northern California Beaches, Surfing Beach, Today's Special | Tagged: beach, beach photography, Benjamin Franklin, Bolinas California beach | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Jody on October 20, 2017
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly ©Jody Diehl
Our white sand beaches and coastal areas are teeming with beautiful Gulf fritillary butterflies these days! ~ Just in time for their brilliant autumn-like colors to mix and match with other seasonal Southern favorites like maxed out Halloween decorations, pumpkin patches, and sweet potato pies!
According to the University of Florida Entomology & Nematology Department:
“The Gulf fritillary occurs throughout the southern United States southward through Mexico, Central America and the West Indies to South America. In Florida, it can be found in all 67 counties. The butterfly undergoes distinct seasonal movements each year. Adults move northward in spring and form temporarily breeding colonies throughout the southeast. Individual vagrants may occasionally reach into the central U.S., but rarely into the Midwest. Starting in late summer and continuing through fall, huge numbers of adults migrate southward into peninsular Florida. Adults overwinter in frost-free portions of their range.”
Fall colors at their finest!
~~~~~~~~~
Have a great day, hopefully at the beach!
Butterflies and Moths of North America
Butterfly Plants and Mississippi Butterflies
Butterflies at Home
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Posted in Beach and Coastal Wildlife, Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Sand and Shoreline | Tagged: Agraulis vanillae, autumn colors, beach, Gulf fritillary, Mississippi Gulf Coast | 5 Comments »
Posted by Jody on October 8, 2017
Just a couple days ago, we were sitting out on Beach Boulevard watching lovingly restored Bel Airs, GTOs, and Deuce Coupes cruise by with Mississippi’s beguiling beachfront as their backdrop. Today, the Mississippi Department of Transportation is cruising the coast in clean-up mode.
Let me explain: In the olden days (We’re talking pre-Katrina here.), we understand the folks ’round here used to host hurricane parties. These days, we all hunker down and try to prepare as much as possible when the h-word is mentioned. So, although Crusin’ the Coast – billed as “America’s Largest Block Party” – took place this past week, vacationers packed up and left a bit early due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Nate. The party was over!
This year’s event featured over 8,000 registered classic cars and other vehicles. Next year’s party (September 30 – October 7th, 2018) promises to be even bigger!
Thankfully, our beautiful beaches remain intact this morning. Here, mid-coast, we only suffered minor tree damage and overblown dunes.
So long, Nate!
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Posted in Gulf of Mexico Beaches | Tagged: America's Largest Block Party, beach, classic cars, Crusin' The Coast, Hurricane Nate, Mississippi Gulf Coast | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Jody on July 4, 2017
“You have to love a nation that celebrates its Independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.”
~Erma Bombeck
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Posted in Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Holiday | Tagged: 4th of July, beach, Erma Bombeck, Independence Day, picnic at the beach | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Jody on June 22, 2017
Tropical Storm Cindy sure left a mess behind on our coastal beaches! Today, in South Mississippi, we still have lines of thunderstorms passing through, flash flood warnings posted, and a tornado watch in effect. Parts of the beachside highway are blocked due to sand coverage and many parking areas along the seawall fenced off by the county. Luckily, we were able to find a place to pull over and hop out for a quick look at one of the beaches in Biloxi this afternoon.
The aftermath of Tropical Storm Cindy on the beach in Biloxi, Mississippi..
Row of rental chairs buried in the sand.
I’m guessing we can negotiate a discount on these!
We’re going to need a bigger shovel!
Here’s one!
MDOT Sand Clean-up Crew
We didn’t expect to see this little guy:
Is anyone missing their pet turtle?
Cindy had a peculiar sense of humor.
She left this behind:
Seriously?? “The CYCLONE!”
It’s with a great big sigh of relief that we say, “So long, TS Cindy!”
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Posted in Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Sand and Shoreline | Tagged: beach, beachcombing, Biloxi Mississippi, Tropical Storm Cindy | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Jody on June 18, 2017
“Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!”
~Albert Einstein
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Posted in Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Holiday | Tagged: beach, Father's Day, Padre Island National Seashore, Texas Gulf Coast beach | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Jody on June 14, 2017
“The flag of the United States has not been created by rhetorical sentences in declarations of independence and in bills of rights. It has been created by the experience of a great people, and nothing is written upon it that has not been written by their life. It is the embodiment, not of a sentiment, but of a history.”
~Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States
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Posted in Beaches of North America, Holiday, Pacific Coast Beaches, Southern California Beaches, Surfing Beach | Tagged: beach, Flag Day, Huntington Beach California | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Jody on May 14, 2017
I’ve never considered myself a “birder” before. Don’t get me wrong – I certainly know a Road Runner from a Robin. And I can identify a male Cardinal by it’s brilliant red color and conspicuous crest. In the past, I’ve been known to enjoy watching the Harris’s Hawks nesting in our front yard tree in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and get downright excited spying an Osprey triumphantly returning to it’s nest with a freshly caught dinner in Nokomis, Florida. But, how many eggs were likely to be found in the Harris’s Hawks’ nest, and how long did the Ospreys’ eggs take to hatch? I hadn’t a clue.
The thing is, since moving to our little beach house on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I’m starting to understand a little more about how someone gets hooked on bird watching. I’m not talking just a little hooked – I’m talking really hooked!
Not too long ago, on a morning walk along our beach, we ran across a few scattered orange marker flags indicating nests of what we assumed were Least Terns. The little coastal critters are pretty well known in these parts. We’ve spotted the permanently marked nesting areas on the beach near Biloxi, and we have noticed the sign on Highway 90 designating a section of the roadway “Judith Toups Least Tern Highway.” In fact, we encountered a very active Least Tern nesting colony complete with helpful Audubon Society volunteers in Sarasota County (FL) last summer. So it was pretty clear what was happening on our beach! We had an actual Least Tern nesting colony forming right there, not more than a couple blocks from our beachy hideaway.
It’s another beautiful day on the Mississippi Gulf Coast!
Site of a nesting Least Tern colony
Please respect the Least Tern nesting colony by detouring around the site.
Least Terns in flight
Please Tern Around
The Least Tern eggs really do blend in!
– Another nest
Least Tern Nest and Egg
Please be careful! They are nesting on the median too!
Black Skimmers join the Least Terns on the beach.
To date this particular colony has had its ups and downs. According to the American Bird Conservancy website: “The Least Tern has two big problems. It prefers sandy beaches for nesting—the same kinds of places that people love to visit. And, because it nests on the ground, it’s vulnerable to attacks by cats, dogs, and other predators, which can destroy a significant portion of a colony’s eggs and chicks.” We have had a couple big rain storms resulting in nests being covered by windswept sand. Yet we remain hopeful that the little colony on our beach survives and flourishes in the weeks and months to come.
The area is now roped off and signage has been placed. Hubby and I are planning on joining the Audubon Mississippi Coastal Bird Stewardship effort by becoming active volunteers. I may be a real live birder when next we meet. I’ll keep you posted!
Please Tern Around
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Posted in Beach and Coastal Wildlife, Beach Birding, Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Sand and Shoreline | Tagged: Audubon Society, beach, Bird Watching beaches, birding, Gulfport Mississippi beach, Least Terns, Mississippi Gulf Coast, shore birds | 5 Comments »
Posted by E.G.D. on April 12, 2017
“Doctor’s Cave, Montego Bay Jamaica, mon! It’s our beach break and day two of snorkeling!” Jody wrote on 4/10.
Doctor’s Cave, Montego Bay! Photos copyright Jody Diehl
As I mentioned in the last post, Jody and Greg are off on a fabulous beach cruise, and it looks like they had all kinds of fun on the beaches and in the water of Jamaica. As always, Jody’s capturing the fun on camera.
Pretty amazing, right? According to http://www.doctorscavebathingclub.com/ :
“The facilities are excellent. The club has well kept changing rooms, showers and lavatories… Beach chairs, umbrellas and lilos can be rented daily, the beach is manicured every morning and the translucent waters which the doctors recognized as buoyant and invigorating have not changed.”
The “have not changed” bit is referring to the beach’s 100 year history and the fact that a doctor in the 1920s wrote an article about the beach’s “curative powers.” In each its own way, any good beach has curative powers, right? It’s good for the soul! This looks like an exceptionally refreshing beach ^_^.
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Posted in Beaches of the Caribbean | Tagged: beach, Beaches of Jamaica, Caribbean snorkeling beach, Doctor's Cave Bathing Club, Montego Bay Jamaica | 1 Comment »
alainaflute
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E.G.D.
