Hurricane Sally Aftermath

Trees all over Baldwin County took a horrific hit. At Centennial Park in downtown Foley many of the majestic trees were destroyed.

An old Oak.

Debris from the Copper Kettle Tea Bar in downtown Foley, AL

A picket fence destroyed in the community of Josephine, AL.

A dock, water slide and other debris pushed into the backyard of a home on Perdido Bay at Bass Point, AL.

Debris of all kinds line the streets at Bass Point near the edge of Perdido Bay.

Household debris at the side of the road in Bass Point.

A twin masted sailboat washed ashore in the surge on Perdido Bay at Bass Point, AL.

Overturned power boat on Perdido Bay at Bass Point, AL.

Utility crews from Illinois work to restore power to residents in Josephine, AL.

Big Surf ahead of Cristobal at Gulf Shores, AL

Dreary Sign of the Times

Not a terribly scenic photo, but it is a sign of horrible economic times in south Alabama. All Gulf Coast beaches have been closed since March 27. Most businesses have closed and tourist rentals stand vacant. There were no spring breakers, no Snowbirds and the Hangout music festival has been cancelled. This portable sign sits at the edge of the Foley Beach Express about ten miles north of the Gulf of Mexico beaches at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

Winter Reprieve

GULF SHORES, AL; March 6, 2020 – It was 68° F, there was no ice on the water, but it felt as if there could have been. Young folks were down at the edge of the shoreline, a few wading, some playing volleyball, many just lying in the sun, determined to get a tan before the end of their vacations. But elderly folks sheltered themselves from the northerly wind behind a public building, soaking up the sun’s warmth, glad for the reprieve of shoveling snow back home.

Dreary Winter Day on the Gulf of Mexico

There were a few people walking barefoot on the beach, but they were wearing their winter coats and avoiding the frigid water.

Wading in the Fog

Visitors wade in the Gulf of Mexico at Gulf Shores, Alabama this afternoon. The fog added a kind of mystery to the beach that brought out a few explorers, including a Great Blue Heron almost lost in the mist.

Record Breaking Cold

Frigid north winds blew the tops off two to three-foot waves rolling onto the beach, and brought record cold temperatures to the Gulf Coast last night. Sandpipers, Seagulls and Pelicans didn’t seem to be adversly affected by the cold, but there were precious few humans anywhere near the beach.

Quiet Chat

A quiet chat
on the beach
in November

Gulf Coast Beach in September

(Click on Photo to see a Larger Image)

We were here first. There’s plenty of room; do you have to sit so close? Or maybe the story is: Come! Join us we’ll all have a good time. But more likely it’s, “How’s the water, Mabel? What does George have in his hands?

I’ve often read that “great photos always tell a story.” But I don’t think a single photo can ever tell a complete story. Stories have a beginning, middle and end. A single photo can only capture a small fraction of the story. Without context, this is simply a photo of a group of people at a beach with a vast ocean of water in the background. Are they family? Friends? Recent acquaintances? Are they stranded on a desert island? What is the story?

 

Great Blue Heron Roosting

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Gulf Shores Beach

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Took a drive down to Gulf Shores this morning to capture some photos for my Alamy collection. Surprisingly, it wasn’t overcrowded. A beautiful day, just right for being on the beach.

Civil War Canon Protects Mobile Bay

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Civil War canon at Fort Morgan, Alabama points toward Mobile Bay. The misty appearance is a result of condensation on the lens caused by taking the camera out of an air conditioned car into the very humid air of a tropical Alabama morning.

Surf Symmetry

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Surreal Surf

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Surf and clouds manipulated a little bit in Photoshop. This was created at Fort Morgan, Alabama a day after Hurricane Barry tore through New Orleans. Weather in southern Alabama wasn’t so horrible: a light breeze and some rain with a little flooding in places. The photo has been dramatized, sensationalized and colorized, but other than that – it’s exactly as I envisioned it.

Green Water, White Sand

Clear green water and briliant white sand line the beach of Santa Rosa Island, Florida.

Santa Rosa Island

The beach at Santa Rosa Island, Florida, yesterday, March 12, 2019.

Winter on the Gulf of Mexico

Fort Morgan, Alabama – Mid-day, the end of January. It’s cold, but calm. People come down to the beach for their morning walks, to collect seashells or driftwood, perhaps. Two men at the far right, near the horizon, were fishing from beach chairs while a Great Blue Heron closely monitored their activity.

Barnacles

Some barnacles Vicki found on the beach at the end of the Fort Morgan Peninsula yesterday.

Storm Approaching

January storm with high winds and heavy surf approaches the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama.