There are lots of places I love to be and lots of things that I love to do. But one of my most favorite things is being at the beach in the “off season” and when I get to do that, St. George Island, Florida is the place I want to be. I love that it’s not a blazing sauna at that time of the year and I love having the beach a bit more to myself. There are enough people around to make you feel like you haven’t been marooned on a deserted island but not so many that you feel like everyone is in everyone else’s way. Of course St. George Island – known as “The Forgotten Coast” – isn’t horribly touristy anyway and that’s one of the reasons I love it so much!
My last birthday was a “significant” one and so I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than to head to my favorite spot. (Actually each day is a blessing and therefore every birthday should be considered “significant” but that’s another thought for another day.) This trip was made extra special in that I was able to take my dog with me. This was the first time Ms. Nikki had been to the beach and I was really looking forward to seeing how she reacted.
The weather during our stay was amazing. I couldn’t have asked for better. It was plenty warm enough during the day and the nights were great for sleeping. However, while most people slept, I couldn’t help but head out with the tripod and the landscape lens to shoot some stars! St. George Island is a great place to shoot at night because it doesn’t have near the light pollution I have in my hometown. And although it wasn’t the time of year for incredible Milky Way shots, I still managed to capture some pretty night skies.
Very early in the trip, I noticed how incredibly gorgeous the lighthouse was at sunset and made a mental note about the best time to go out to shoot images of the lighthouse as the sun was setting.
And even though my favorite times to shoot at the beach would predictably be sunrise and sunset, there were still things to be captured during the day.
My trip must have coincided with a migratory time of year for Monarch Butterflies because they were everywhere! In swarms!
But, oh those sunrises and sunsets! Since St. George Island is in the northern hemisphere and on the Gulf of Mexico, the sun rises and sets southeast to southwest (the southern aspect is more pronounced in the fall and winter) and is always oceanside. This gives beautiful images in the morning and in the evening.
I had the greatest birthday trip ever and I was even blessed enough for some of my family to be able to come stay awhile.
Needless to say, this will be an adventure to repeat at the next opportunity! … And just in case you’re wondering what Ms. Nikki thought of the beach- she loved it! She met a couple of crabs and even ran into the surf a few times. She says she’s ready to go back anytime!