Florida “Snowman” on Beach

Warm wishes to you for the holidays from our Florida “Snowman”!

Florida “Snowman” at Sebastian Beach on Central Atlantic Coast

Florida Beach in Winter

Sebastian Beach Waves

Scotch Bonnet Shell

Fishing Jetty

Tidal Cove

9 Armed Sea Star

Willet Eating a Crab

Snowy Egret (notice the bright yellow feet)

Black Skimmers and Beach Sunflowers

Royal Terns (male displaying to unimpressed female on right)

Herring Gull Sleeping

Florida beaches are delightful in winter.  Occasionally a sweater is needed, but otherwise it is great weather for being outside and walking on the sand.  These pictures were taken at Sebastian Inlet State Park on Florida’s central Atlantic coast (east of Orlando).

Florida: Sebastian Inlet

Sebastian Inlet Recreation Area, Florida

Pelicans Hoping for a Handout from Fisherman

Banded Brown Pelicans on Fishing Pavilion Roof

Sand Dollar and Sea Fan on Sebastian Beach

Sea Glass on Sebastian Beach

Sebastian Inlet is a beautiful place to visit in Florida.  By April many species of fish (including sea trout, snook, and redfish) have left the inner grass beds of the Indian River Lagoon to feast at the mouth of the inlet.  At the same time king mackerel pass by the inlet on their way north for the summer.  Sea birds come to feast on the fish and nest in the mangroves.  If you see a bird that is banded, you can look it up at the Florida Shorebird Alliance website:  http://flshorebirdalliance.org/resources/banded-birds.aspx  

Sebastian Inlet is a wonderful place for fishing, birdwatching, and beachcombing.

Collecting Sea Glass

Colorful Sea Glass

Sea Glass, Turban Shells, and Sea Urchin Spines

Sea Glass Collected Near Fort Bragg, California

Sea glass is a wonderful treasure to find on the beach. It seems perfect to find it there, because the main ingredient of sea glass is sand. The acidity and tumbling action of the sea polishes and frosts the glass. It takes 20-30 years for the ocean waves to smooth the rough edges. The most common colors of sea glass are white, brown, and green (clear glass frosts to white in the ocean). Less common colors are pink, purple, and cobalt blue. Rare colors are cornflower blue, yellow, and orange. The rarest color of all is red because in the past it was made with gold. Sometimes white glass will have a faint lavender color. If so, it means the glass was tinted by the ultraviolet rays of the sun and may be over 100 years old.  The best time to look for sea glass is after a storm, especially during the extra low tides of December and January. Notice on the beach where little shells and stones wash in and collect – sea glass may be there too. Another good place to look for sea glass is near a jetty or rock jutting out into the water. Whatever treasures you may find, it is always a joy to spend time at the beach!  An article about beautiful blue cobalt sea glass is at: https://seaglassassociation.org/2018/03/07/the-mystery-and-allure-of-cobalt-sea-glass   The Sea Glass Journal is at:  http://www.seaglassjournal.com/index.htm