My husband had business in Jacksonville on Monday and promised if I came along we could have a whole day at the beach. Quickly checking the Weather Channel, I found the forecast was for sunny days and pleasantly warm temperatures, so I was upstairs packing in a heartbeat. Oh yes, best thing ever!
So, Saturday after Thanksgiving we drove down and started our Sunday with a fabulous brunch at First Watch in Jacksonville Beach. If you've never experienced a breakfast or lunch at First Watch, I highly recommend it. We learned about this restaurant chain when we lived in Overland Park, KS and will stop at one whenever we have the opportunity. So good.
Then, it was straight to the beach...the ocean really was calling me.
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I have loved being at the water all my life. Whether a creek, river, lake or ocean, I have always been called to the water's edge. Some of my earliest memories involve being either at or on one of the Great Lakes or at Bishop Park in Wyandotte, Michigan hoping to see a big freighter going by. No freighters at Jacksonville Beach of course, but we did see a couple of cruise ships passing way out in the water - not quite the same but still fun to watch.
It was a perfectly beautiful day to walk the beach and maybe find a perfect shell or two or even 4,845 shells. The unmistakable scent of sea water in the air and the sound of rolling waves drew us and kept us willing captives for the entire day.
The beach was fairly empty - not a lot of children running about, a few couples either shelling or just walking, and only a sprinkling of umbrellas. If I lived nearby, I know I'd be right here for hours every day.
Later in the afternoon a few young men arrived with their surf boards and had what looked like a lot of fun riding the waves. There seems to be a sand bar just about 100 feet out from shore, and the waves break nicely over it.
Later in the afternoon, the wind picked up some and the waves grew larger. maybe the currents were to strong out further, and the surfers all came in. The stronger waves sure brought in more pretty shells to add to the rather large collection I had already created from the high tide line, and increased the number of people gathering shells as well. I had an inspiration of what to do with some of these shells...I'll let you know if that works out.
About 4:00 these three squawking gulls landed and just stood at the water's edge, looking around and not really moving about.
Soon, a very large flock of their friends landed literally all around the first three and did the same.
Turns out they were patiently waiting for dinner. The waves brought in maybe tiny fish or some other type of tiny sea creatures. Florida seagulls are different than Michigan seagulls. Up in Michigan they just dive for their food, or scrounge for leftovers from forgotten or discarded picnics.
We decided to take one more walk down the beach - by this I mean a mile or two down to the boardwalk and back again - to see if we missed anything we really needed to see before it started getting dark and this awesome day came to and end.
We walked for a ways and I found the biggest piece of driftwood ever:
Had to leave it there. Too bad - it would have made a great focal point in next year's backyard landscaping.
The sea oats are looking a little ragged - they have lost that lush summer look.
These sand fences make a pretty picture:
In a sunny , well protected spot we found the last of the beautiful little beach flowers. Last time we were here they were everywhere. Guess winter can't be far away, even at the beach.
With evening coming on, it was time to leave. Shoes full of sand, a bag full of seashells, and the memories of another glorious day to keep forever, we had to say goodbye to the ocean for a little while. But, like the endless waves breaking on the shore, I will be back.
Goodbye, ocean
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