Scenes From Daytona Beach

I'm back from the FSPA conference. Won some prizes in the state contests (a first place, two third places, three honorable mentions); distributed anthologies (I have more to mail out); and gave a workshop on Friday night, about a half hour after we reached the hotel. Otherwise I was mostly behind the camera, snapping shots for the archives and catching up with folks I hadn't seen in months.

We had a two-hour break on Saturday, which gave Mary and me a chance to stroll along the beach. We'd also gone out at sunrise, on a day whose activities had extended from breakfast until well after midnight, continuing a prolonged sleep deficit that I am just now beginning to remedy. After life in our quiet little hamlet, the loud music and revving motorcycles of Daytona Beach made me thankful we'd brought earplugs.

The beach, though, was lovely....

I took these first photos a bit after 7AM; one person was already out and in the water. By the time of the afternoon break the beach had filled with people and shore birds. A few vehicles crept along the sand or had parked, facing out to sea. (I don't know any of the people photographed here.)

The sand was little-marred at dawn. By late afternoon bird tracks adorned a mealy surface.

We'd found small holes made by crabs and larger ones made by snails, but this "blowhole" impressed and mystified us. The opening is close to two inches in diameter, showing an impressive spew pattern.

At first we saw only one or two sandpipers about. Then groups scurried about the shore, generally undisturbed by and fairly blase around beachgoers.

Mary had seen the heron first.

Approaching dusk began to throw deep shadows on the sand, and also to illuminate the undersides of flying birds. I think these two are pelicans.

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