MadSnapper N Beau

Friday, September 2, 2011

Beach Birds

Willett YIPPE KI YEAHHH

Some of you asked about the name, Beer Can Island. I had to look up the real name, because all my life that is all I knew it by. the real name is Greer Island.

It is not actually an island, but a landform created by cureents and is referred to as a "hooked spit". it is a curved sand bar and creates a sheltered place for boaters to pull up on the sandy beach.

Now it is open only from Daw to 10 PM year round, with no parking allowed for the public. The beach is part of Exclusive Longboat Key city and is home to very high in condos and homes and only very limited access to the beaches. there are 11 parking spots where we park to walk the mile of so. most people prefer by boat. the residents of Longboat do not want the public there but in order to get federal assisantance with beach erosion, they have to have a certain number of spaces open to the general public, which is ME. (if someone gave us a house there, we could not pay the taxes)

Gulls

It got the name of Beer Can island years and years ago because it was a popular spot for parties and they left behind their trash. now is is patroled and protected, and it is rare to see a beer can there. I never have. It is posted no alcohol and no dogs off leash.

Nature is the art of God....... Ralph Waldo Emerson

My mother was born in 1926 and as a teen this was a very popular place to go by boat. Nothing there but dunes when she was a teen, no big houses just miles and miles of beaches.

Beer Can Island-why we love it

Australian pines

Cont. from yesterday, why was Bob holding my camera? Some of you guessed it, below is the wide view and above is the short view of.......... My Potty Spaces (well, I AM a woman and holding a camera could be a little AWKWARD)

the photos are a little dark, but it was early AM just after sunrise and you can see it was coming up fast.

The bridge is from Coquina Beach to Longboat Key and is a draw bridge for sail boats to come out of the bay and into the gulf.

All photos taken with my little point and shoot Nikon Coopix that fits in my pocket, and I was glad I had it since I left the extra battery for my Rebel in the car.

Why we love it.

Very few people, on this visit we were the only ones. Beautiful miles of white sand

Beautiful woods that come down to the waves and sparkling clear water.

And acres of driftwood. (it is against the law to remove it from the beach)

The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of the outer ocean on a beach.... Henry Beston

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Salty Old Sea Dog

Due to Wind Sock standing straight out, Hubby Bob could not fly Wed. AM. We decided to go to the beach. Above is entrance to Longboat Key beach, we walked on the beach at 8:15, so a little dark for the photos. (don't fret, I got LOTS of photos to share)

View to our left, perfect day for it, 75 degrees, sun coming up fast and by the time we left at 9:45 it was HOT. we both love all things beach and this one is less than 10 miles away

View to our right, as you can see he is already headed to our favorite beach, Beer Can Island, storms had totally destroyed it and it has been closed for 2 years, we found it restored to it's old beauty.