-
A new year
Over the last few years, I’ve looked at the first day of the year as a fresh start to a better year.
Although each year has brought new struggles, these years also bring new strengths.
And always beautiful sunsets.
Sunset at the beach on New Year’s Day 2022 On this day one year ago, the sea fog was starting to come ashore. For a brief moment, the colors from the setting sun refused to submit to the drabness.
Sunset at the beach one minute later During the next few minutes, the coastal haze continued its push inward, but the sun’s reflection could still be seen on the water.
There is a good possibility of sea fog covering the entire beach area during the winter months in the gulf on the western shores of Florida.
Within the next ten minutes, the beach was enveloped with a layer of sea fog, and the colors faded away.
A black and white presence filled the beach with a tint of sepia. It’s eerie but beautiful at the same time.
About five minutes later, an image emerged from the fog.
The image of a paddleboarder in the fog A man standing on a paddleboard, making his way along the shore, rowed past and soon disappeared back into the fog.
May this new year be your best year ever. That’s really all that I could ask for this year.
Happy New Year!
-
Spring Equinox Sunset
The spring equinox, aka the vernal equinox, occurred earlier in the week, marking the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
It is the first of two days each year when the sun illuminates equally in the Northern and Southern hemishperes. The other day of each year is the Autunmal Equinox to start the fall season.
Halfway through the equioxal sunset from the beach. Unseasonably cooler temperatures, leftover from the weekend cold front, started the spring season with brisk temperatures and a steady breeze all day.
We hesitated about going to the sunset but instead decided to layer up for the short walk to the bridge at the entrance of the beach.
Sea grape leaves and sea oats view of the sunset Luckily, we stood behind the row of sea grape trees that line the north side of the bridge. The trees provide protection from the cold northern winds.
The sun dropped below the horizon It was a short visit to the beach due to the weather. A few pictures were snapped, and after the sunset, we headed to the warmth of the house.
-
Untraditional Thanksgiving
Most people celebrate the holidays with their families and friends. I recall the days when the entire family would travel to the family’s homestead for a feast meant for kings.
Long gone are the days of the huge family gatherings due to the distances and the passage of time. Every year, my family celebrates the day with a traditional feast.
But this year, there would not be the traditional day of feast for us. My family traveled across the country to spend the holiday with other family members..
Instead, my partner and I hopped on a sailboat to celebrate the holiday. Once we reached our destination, the anchor was dropped and the grill was fired up to cook our feast. All of the ingredients were prepared at home to be grill ready.
Right before the sunset from the sailboat Very few other boats were out, so it was very peaceful on the water. While waiting for our feast to finish, I was enjoying the fact that we were sitting on the sailboat for Thanksgiving. I nearly forgot about the sunset.
Sunset from the sailboat Minutes later, our feast was ready. As we ate, dolphins swam by about 6 feet behind the stern and then down the starboard side. It was the most untraditional Thanksgiving.
We decided to start a new tradition.
-
Moonset and a flower
On this particular morning, the moon was due to set 15 minutes before the sunrise. This was a worthy reason to get out of bed.
So just before dawn, I walked outside to head to the beach. First thing, I find a beautiful blooming flower from the cereus cactus.
Cereus cactus with flower bloom The middle of the brilliant white petals was filled with lime green filaments and sparkly anthers, these stamans also disguised the pistil. The sepals or green outer petals were starting to close.
I snapped a few pictures since I knew before I returned, the flower would be completely closed. The cereus cactus flower only blooms at night.
As I walked to the beach, there was not any signs of the full moon in the sky. Only the pre-dawn gray tint filled the skies above.
It wasn’t until I crossed the bridge to the shore that the bright neon orb appeared before me just above the horizon.
The beginning of the moonset Soon the moon touched the horizon, and it started to melt into the gulf, just like a scoop of ice cream on a plate.
The melting moon Within two minutes, the moon had melted away,
The early morning walk was well worth the trip.
-
Sunset October 6th
The sun sinking behind the clouds 
Birds flying in the sunset -
Autumn Equinox Sunset
The autunmal equinox marks the first day of autumn or fall in the Northern Hemisphere. It is one of two days every year when the sun illuminates equally in the Northern and Southern hemishperes.
The sun touches the horizon 
A closeup of the halfway down sun that paints the sky orange. 
After the sunset, the horizon glows. The equioxal sunset from the beach shore last nigh did not disappoint as it was free of clouds and alive with vivid colors.
-
Sunsets of September
September sunsets never disappoint.
The rainy season gives us beautiful sunsets or gray skies. Below are beautiful sunsets from the first week of September.
Sunset September 1 
Sunset September 3 
Sunset September 4 
Sunset September 5 -
Sunset at the marina
Viewing the sunset in a new spot provides a different perspective.
On a few occasions, I’ve had the pleasure of watching the sunset while sitting dockside at a local marina. And it is absolutely amazing.
Beginning of sunset at marina The masts of sailboats line the marina across the horizon.
Sunset from sailboat in marina In the sky, different colors blend together while the clouds are accentuated by the remnants of the sunlight.
-
Sunset of late August
Beginning of the sunset 
After the sunset brings twilight 
Twilight -
Sunset before summer storm
Sunset before summer storms The storm clouds hid the sunset tonight, but glimpses of the sun hung just above the clouds on the horizon,
The reflections from the sky appeared as bands of rays accross the Gulf of Mexico. Soon the rays disappeared as the summer storms rolled in,
-
Sunset after April storm
A cold front rolled through the area today bringing spring storms with high winds, heavy rain, and dangerous lightning. Besides the cooler temps, the weather system created a drab cloudy day.
The odds of seeing a sunset on days like today are slim to none.
Clouds opening up As the day was ending, the clouds opened up near the horizon.
The sunset on the gulf The opening in the clouds was painted in several shades of orange. The sun looked like a big ball of fire slowly dropping below the horizon.
After the sunset on the gulf After the sun disappeared, the orange faded as darkness overtook the sky.
And the day came to an end with a rare glimpse of a beautiful sunset.
-
Just sunsets
I have no words today, only a few pictures of sunsets for the last three days.
Sunset on 10th day of September 2023 
Sunset on the 11th day of September 2023 
Sunset on the 12th day of September 2923 -
Beautiful blooms after the Storm
The aftermath of Hurricane Idalia left our island paradise in shambles.
The water from the gulf breached the dunes and flooded the island. Three hours before the King tide, the streets and driveways were under a river of gulf and rain water, with only mailboxes seen as the excess water entered the buildings.
River of water flows down the street The fear of water rising in the next few hours worried the non-evactuees. Luckily, the extreme high tide did not add to the flooding.
When the water receded, the dunes were washed away with the sand covering the roads and parking lots.
Many houses were inundated with water, including ours. The extent of the damage couldn’t really be seen until the morning in the light of the day,
As I walked to our home the next morning, the sun was shining. But it was such a dreadful, depressing stroll. Trash and yard debris was scattered everywhere. Even a section of neighbors’ roof was laying on the road with another section crammed between two homes.
The inside of our home had standing water and smelled awful. The first story of the structure was inhabitable. Several pieces of furniture were ruined, along with miscellaneous items in closets.
As I entered the backyard, I caught sight of colors in the hibiscus. On this day, the plant bloomed with not just one or two flowers but four beautiful flowers.
An anomaly for the plant since it was the first time ever that 4 flowers blossomed at the same time.
Beautiful Hibiscus blooms after the storm As I marveled at the blooms, I was reassured that everything was going to be alright.
Time to move and buy new stuff.
-
The heat and a glimpse
For at least the last 30 days, record-breaking temperatures have made life on the island challenging. We encountered extreme heat with no wind but beautiful clear blue skies.
When you step outside, it feels like you are sitting in a sauna. If you’re at the beach, you will feel like you’re taking a warm bath.
Luckily, the start of the week brought storms that provided some relief. The winds returned, and the temperatures dropped the normal ranges for now.
Sunset from the beach with storm clouds on the horizon. The storms bring clouds as an added bonus in the evening sky. As the sun drops below the horizon, a multitude of hues will paint the sky and create the afterglow, oftentimes the best part of the sunset.
While watching the sunset, I zoomed in on the camera and got a glimpse of a sailboat on the gulf. Always a pleasant surprise.
A sailboat floating on the gulf after the sunset If I couldn’t be on the beach to watch the evening ritual, I would want to be on the sailboat,
-
April’s fury
The month of April went out in a fury. Most of the month saw perfect spring-like weather with lots of sunshine and ideal temperatures.
The Friday before the end of the month, a storm system blew through the area and stayed until the first of May.
Thunderstorms brought strong winds, hail, and occasional downpours along with lower temperatures.
On the first day of the storm, the sunset did not appear. The next day was another dreary day, and the sunset would probably be blocked by the grey skies.
We skipped the sunset and headed for a bite to eat at the restaurant next to the local marina.
While dining, we looked through the masts of the sailboats to see the sun peeking through the clouds. Within minutes, different shades of orange painted the entire sky.
Sunset at the marina The vivid colors were a beautiful change from the drab cloudy skies.
When we left the restaurant, the orange sky began to fade. We headed to the beach to catch the remnants of the sunlight.
After the sunset When we arrived at the beach, the waves from the gulf roared onto the shore. The darkness appeared to be eating the remainder of the sunset. But the reflections of the sunset could still be seen on the water’s edge.
Yet, it was calm.
Nothing is better than seeing a sunset after a dreary rainy day. Try it sometime.
-
A sunset and a sailboat
It’s a beautiful thing to watch the sunset on the beach. The sound of the waves, the breeze in my hair, and sand on my toes make it real.
The sunset from the beach. The sunset becomes even more appealing when a sailboat floats into our seascape.
Before you know it, cameras pop up in the air with beach-goers snapping pictures of the boat sailing through the remains of the sunset. This included myself as well.
Then you think about being on that sailboat. That would be different than standing on the beach.
Close up of a sunset with a sailboat Imagine…. Sitting on a sailboat on the gulf as the sun sinks below the horizon. There is nothing blocking your view. You feel the breeze in your hair, mists on your face, and you’re going to where the wind in the sails takes you.
Sounds pretty nice to me.
To be honest, I fell in love with sailing after my first sunset cruise. Luckily, I see more sunsets on a sailboat nowadays.
Viewing the sunset from the beach is one of the best places to watch the sunset. But being on a sailboat ranks even higher on my list of places to watch sunsets.
Hmm. Maybe I should make a list.
-
Cooler sunsets
The air has been crisp the last few days. A cold front arrived three days ago which brought the coldest temperatures in eight months. Brrr.
After months with 80 degree temperatures, the first few cooler sunsets are hard to take. Yet we persevere.
Twilight phase of the sunset from the shore Most of the sunset crew wears winter jackets during the first few cooler weather sunsets. A few of us even celebrate the coolers temps, thankful that heat has left for a few days. Then we adjust.
Before long, we’re back to wearing sweatshirts to view the sunsets in the below normal temperatures.
Sunset Afterglow with sea oats in the foreground Regardless of the number on the thermometer, the sun will still set on the horizon.
And hopefully, we will see the sunset once more tomorrow.
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Second Story Views 