Tag: Beaches

Boating to Ponce Inlet

Even though the weather was chilly for a Florida day, we took the Redfisher north to Ponce Inlet.

Even though the water was cold and the weather was windy, we took a boat ride to Ponce Inlet.

My younger son wants to get his boating license and so big brother gave him some pointers and let him drive our boat.

A yacht passed us going the other way at the bridge, then it turned around and came back under the bridge behind us. We think he was trying to find a place to anchor.

  • Ponce Inlet sand
    Low tide at the Inlet
  • boat at island
    Anchoring
  • sign in sand
    Slow speed sign at low tide
  • dolphin
    Dolphin tails
  • yacht by bridge on ICW
    Yacht
  • boat passing under the bridge
    Brothers
  • Menard May park
    Boat ramp

The wind made for quite a chill, so no one went in the water. We anchored the boat with the anchor pin just beyond the Inlet and walked a bit on the flat island created by the low tide. There are few shells here, and only rippled sand with some pools of water that were somewhat warm this time of year.

After exploring here, we cruised to another area and I found some shelter behind the shrubs where the wind was blocked. Loads of fiddler crabs make their home among the brush and sea purslane.

  • boat beached at island
  • Fiddler crab
    Fiddler crab
  • Sand balls made by fiddler crabs
  • Purslane
  • Island growth
  • boat ocean
    Oceanside condos in the distance

The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse could be seen far off in the distance. I took this photo from behind the shrubs. Do you see the lighthouse in the center of the horizon?

Island shrubs and grasses
Lighthouse

Keep reading…

Florida’s Glass Bottom Boat Tours

Because of all the bodies of water in Florida, viewing and enjoying that water has it’s own money-making opportunities. One unique way tourists can enjoy rivers and oceans is the “glass bottom” concept. With so many springs in Florida’s rivers, many of the state parks contain “Springs” in their name.  Those springs bubble crystal clear water up from underground to create the clear water needed for a great underwater view from a boat. (They also make a great place to swim as the water stays a cool 72 degrees in the heat of summer.)
Ocala Silver River attraction boat01
(Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Way back in the 1980’s, shortly after I had moved to Florida, there was a creepy glass-bottom boat story. One day, as visitors were taking a tour at one of the springs that offered such rides, suddenly the partial torso of a man glided beneath the glass! He had been diving and an alligator had eaten half of him.  I think it was a news story enhanced a bit for interest, but those alligators are dangerous. Continue reading “Florida’s Glass Bottom Boat Tours”

The Beaches of Florida by Location

The state of Florida contains so many wonderful beaches. It’s impossible to list them all, so it’s best to describe the beaches of Florida by location.  Some allow pets and some allow nude sunbathers.  Others let cars travel up and down the sand, and some are perfect for finding a rare seashell.  From the panhandle to the east and gulf coasts, and along the Florida Keys, every beach is beautiful. People all over the world know this, and tourists flock to the Sunshine State year round to enjoy the tropical climate. There is not necessarily a tourist season in Florida, there are tourists year round.

When planning a vacation, it may be helpful to know what to expect at each of the area beaches. I have not personally spent a lot of time in any location except the New Smyrna Beach area on the east coast. I’ll talk about the east last, as I am most familiar with it. Most beaches are very sandy, but some can be made up mostly of little seashells. Sanibel Island is like that.
Some beaches are actually rocky, like the one on Jupiter Island on the east coast.

Beach of Seaside in Walton County in Florida Panhandle
I have stayed in a condo in the town of Destin in the north, far to the west. The panhandle is the northern strip of land that borders the southern United States and the Gulf of Mexico. It’s an area known for it’s white, sandy beaches, and the sand there is truly white. It does get colder there than in other areas of the state, as it’s farthest north. That area tends to get some very bad storms as well. Because it’s on the gulf, in general, it’s a busy and expensive location. Continue reading “The Beaches of Florida by Location”