1/4/13

Quiet Time on the Bay

It’s quiet in the campground with all the little eggs gone.  Some monster sized rigs have come in to take their place but it’s been so cold, everyone is holed up inside.

We went to bed early last night after spending all day inside.  Fixed an indoor meal of spaghetti and leftover chicken, splurged on a chocolate pudding cup and hot chocolate and jumped under the covers by 9PM.

Woke up hot this morning, threw off a layer of blankets and reached for my phone.  36 degrees outside according to the Weather Channel, how can I be hot?  Checked the temp inside and the gauge said 48 0 .  I guess it’s the JC Penne’ comforter because the only place that’s warm is buried under the covers!

This is our last full day at Fort Pickens Campground and the weather station promised abundant sunshine!  Not sure if it will be warm enough to kayak before we leave….and the bikes remain packed in the back of the truck.  I’m thinking maybe a long hike to the fort and back?

Tomorrow we’re heading east along the panhandle to join friends from home who are camping (for the month) at Mexico Beach.  Not sure what to expect but they’re fishermen, well, she’s a fisherwoman!  Hope to learn a little about Florida surf fishing.

This has been a great place to camp, just wish it had been a little warmer.  Noticed that next weeks temps are all in the 60’s!

 

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 Notice the big grins!  A frequent sight among our Casita group.

 

Unidentified orange flower… thought it might be Florida rosemary but the petals are not right.                                                                        

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                                            Sunset over the gulf

 

                                                                                                  More unidentified flowers.DSC_4437    

Some locals showed me a path close to the nature trail that led out to the bay.  Although I was not too far from the campground, it felt like I was in my own private world. 

The rest of the pictures are from that walk.

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                                                                      Jellyfish

DSC_4440   Dead Octopus

 

DSC_4444 Little black balls with a tar-like feeling.  Wondered if it was from the oil spill?

DSC_4472 More sea creatures???

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Pensacola Bay front

 

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                                                              Sand Pipers (?)

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Don’t know if we will see much more of the beach after this week as most of our plans are for the interior of FL.  I have loved this ocean time.

9 comments:

  1. Great post...and the photo's are terrific...especially like the sunsets and driftwood...sounds like a good time was had by all...Safe travels...Horst

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    1. Thank you!

      Interesting to me what others like. I almost deleted the driftwood picture!

      Always love hearing from you.

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  2. Great pics. We had a great time with the two of you. Looking forward to paddling with you a GE&H. If you plan to get up on I-10, don't take the highway by walmart North to it. $7.50 toll you won't know about until it's too late.

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    1. Gosh! So glad that you warned us as I was thinking about going that way!

      Thanks... and will see you at Green Eggs!

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  3. One of the things I have never found on the beach is a dead octopus! I don't know the names of the flowers, either. Wish I could absorb things faster, but even when I identify something, I often forget it if I don't see it again for a while.

    I have read that those tarballs are from the Gulf oil spill. So sad.

    Your beach and driftwood photo looks like a travel poster. Really special!

    Hope your trip continues to be a special journey of joy and discovery. Wish I was there instead of here! :)

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    1. Hey, wish you were here also!

      There was so much stuff washed up on the bay...I was glad to see that little of it was trash.

      Thinking of you when I see unusual plants!

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  4. I have lived on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico most of my life. The tar balls have been coming ashore since the mid 50's when I was old enough to notice them. The ocean floor leaks oil and forms the tar balls. Some tar balls are from the many oil spills in the past but many of them are from natural leaks in the ocean floor.Have fun.

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  5. So glad that you made that comment! For someone, like me, who knows very little of marine life and ways of the ocean, it's so helpful to have input from locals.

    And I was happy to know that it was not a direct result from the recent disaster.
    Thank you.

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    1. It could have been but we will never know. When we went to be beach in the earlier years we carried WD-40 to clean the tar off our bare feet.

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