Florida’s Space Coast: Beaches OK after Hurricane Irma

Path to Sebastian Beach before Hurricane Irma

Sebastian Inlet Calm Waves Before the Storm

Shell Bits on Beach

Beach Morning Glory and Hamburger Bean

Bunches of Sea Grapes

Melbourne Beach Waves

Melbourne Beach Dune Erosion after Irma

I am very happy to say that our beautiful beaches here on Florida’s Space Coast still look great after Hurricane Irma!  We were all nervous staring down a Category 5 hurricane  – at times the projected track went right over our coastal area east of Orlando.  There certainly was damage in Brevard County, but nothing that can’t be fixed.  Our house itself is fine, although we do have an enormous amount of yard work to do.  It is such a luxury now to have use of power, water, internet, gas, and grocery stores – makes you appreciate what surrounds you every day.  It was also nice to see people helping one another.  All our animals and birds are back too.  Great to get back to normal!

Unique “Bird” Cloud

Bird-Shaped Cloud

Australian White Ibis Flying Right

Anna’s Hummingbird Looking Left

Recently I saw a cloud here in Florida that looked like a bird.  After showing it to friends, I realized it could be interpreted two different ways – either as an ibis flying right or a hummingbird flying left.  Keep looking up!

Florida: Glorious Sunrises

Golden Sunrise

Palms and Pink Sunrise

Purple Martin Nesting Gourds and Pink Sunrise

We’ve had the most spectacular and glorious sunrises the past week here in Florida.  What a way to start to day!

Florida: Dramatic Beach Sky

Dramatic Beach Sky

Here is a dramatic panorama of Sebastian Beach today in Florida – blue sky to the north, and storm coming from the south. 

Florida Skies: Sunrise Clouds and Midnight Rocket

Spectacular Cloud with Rainbow at Sunrise

Close-up of Rainbow Cloud

Tall Glowing Tropical Cloud

Rocket Launch After Midnight

We’ve had the most beautiful sights in the sky both day and night this week.  One morning at sunrise we woke up to tall tropical clouds that seemed to glow from within.  One cloud even had a rainbow in it.  After midnight last night we watched a spectacular rocket blastoff.  A Delta 4 rocket successfully launched two satellites into orbit at 12:52 am.  Our 30 second photograph’s unusual effect is the result of light fog and a full moon.  High humidity made the roar of blastoff over 60 miles away quite loud and long.  Since light travels faster than sound, we saw the liftoff before we heard it.  

Catalina Island: Wrigley Botanic Garden – Amazing Cactus!

Photographing the Garden

Photographing 80 year old Barrel Cactus

Trail Past Cacti and Succulents

Cactus Garden

Tropical Aloe (Quiver Tree)

Stone Aloe

Blooming Pachypodium

Barrel Cactus “Face”

Heart Shaped Opuntia Cactus Pad

Wrigley Memorial

View Down Canyon to Pacific from Wrigley Memorial

Tile Arch of Memorial

Close-up of Tile Arch

Beautiful Catalina Tile on Memorial Walls

Catalina Mule Deer

One of our favorite activities at Catalina Island was visiting the Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden. The idea for the 37-acre garden came from chewing gum magnate William Wrigley’s wife Ada in 1935. She wanted to showcase a Desert Plant Collection. Many of the original cacti and succulents still thrive in the garden today. New plantings are focused on those unique to the Channel Islands – many are extremely rare or endangered.

The Wrigley Memorial contains beautiful examples of locally made Catalina tile. The memorial sits on a hill overlooking the Pacific.   Wrigley’s greatest legacy was his vision to protect most of Catalina Island in its natural state for future generations to enjoy. Over 88% of the island remains undeveloped and is under management by the Catalina Island Conservancy. More info is at: www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=Wrigley_memorial_and_botanic_garden

Florida in Winter

Sebastian Beach Ocean Waves

Black Skimmers Sunbathe Flat on Sand

White Ibis at Lagoon

Laughing Gull with Mouth Open

Pink Spoonbill and Blue Water

Lesser Scaup at Backyard Pond

Tricolor Heron with Purple Eyes

Great Blue Heron with Windblown Feathers

Bald Eagle and Black Vultures Near Home

Alligator in Pond

Double Rainbow Over Backyard

In Florida we enjoy an outdoor lifestyle year round.  Although it may get chilly from time to time when winter cold fronts blow through from the north, the weather usually warms back up to 70°F within a few days.  That means we go outside and enjoy the beach, gardens, and wildlife. 

Florida is home to over 500 species of birds, which makes it one of the top birdwatching destinations in the world.  Our local birding and wildlife festival is the largest in the nation!  Info about the festival is at:  http://www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org/   Come on down and enjoy nature in the Sunshine State!  

Florida: Summer Clouds, Rain, and Frogs

Sunny Sky over Indian River

Stormy Sky over Indian River

Panorama of Isolated Storm over Sebastian Beach (click to enlarge)

Cuban Tree Frog in Grass

Cuban Tree Frog Camouflage

Cuban Tree Frog’s Golden Eye

Native Southern Toad on Driveway

Green Tree Frog in Milkweed Flowers

Squirrel Tree Frog in Bird-of-Paradise Flower

Tadpole

Cuban Tree Frog Transformation (still has tadpole’s tail)

In summer in Florida, heat buildup during the day leads to afternoon thundershowers and clearing in the evening. We love hearing the chorus of frogs singing after the rain ends. Later we see frog eggs and then tadpoles in the pond.  Florida has 33 species of frogs and toads.  A list is at: http://www.wec.ufl.edu/extension/wildlife_info/frogstoads/   

You can listen to calls at:  https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/Frogquiz/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.lookup&CFID=6699023&CFTOKEN=a2f85b2c81814818-693ABB52-FE37-1048-AA8EE1A8CE351F01

Our favorite smiling frog picture of all time is at:  https://naturetime.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/smiling-frog/

Florida: Spectacular Sunrise and Hole Punch Clouds

Spectacular Florida Sunrise

Purple Martin Gourds and Sunrise

Hole Punch Clouds and Airplane Trail

National Weather Service Satellite View and Explanation of Hole Punch Clouds

We had a spectacular sunrise here in Florida yesterday – the colors were amazing!  The peak only lasted a few minutes.  There were also “hole punch” clouds in the sky.  They form when an airplane passes through a supercooled cloud layer. Since the cloud’s water droplets are chilled even more by passing over the wings, the droplets freeze into ice and fall out of the sky (thus leaving a hole if the plane punched through the cloud layer, or a trail/tunnel if it flew through it).

Hurricane Sandy: Blustery Beach Day in Florida

High Surf at Sebastian Inlet Pier

Waves with Wind-Blown Spray

Sea Beans Collected Today at Sebastian Beach

Although Hurricane Sandy passed far east of Florida’s Atlantic coast, the storm still brought high surf and wind to Sebastian Inlet today. The waves washed in lots of sea beans from the Caribbean.

Florida is Lightning Capital!

Florida Lightning Storm

Florida is the lightning capital of the United States.  It is a power to be respected.  We are finally back online after a lightning bolt struck near our house and blew out the electronics!  Real-time lightning strikes are tracked at:  http://www.flamedia.com/

Real-Time Wind Maps

Real Time Wind Map

Global Wind Map

This real-time wind map of the United States is amazing! Check it out at:  http://hint.fm/wind/

A real-time global wind map of the Earth is at:  https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-60.00,0.00,475  You can use your mouse to turn the globe and zoom in and out.