After surviving The Prickly Savanna, it was time to explore the beach.
Not including the savanna, our beach hike took us roughly three and a half hours, and the driftwood was the first of its major attractions. This post covers about two hours of that hike.
Artsy Arrangements
There is something eerily beautiful about the driftwood — how it winds this way and that in a manner as effortless as it is meticulous and artistic. I have never seen anything like it, and hope to see it again.
Those farthest from the ocean seemed the most carelessly strewn along the sand.
Those closer to the ocean were a lot more carefully arranged, with the blue skies and water providing the perfect backdrop.
Blending with the Sea
Those closest to the shore had also become a part of the ocean in their own way. The mix of elements from land and sea life was beautiful.
Climbing the Trees
Along the way, we found that some of the trees were also excellent for climbing.
…or for a bit of rest on what was a much longer hike than we had originally planned for.
If by now you’re wondering why I have on two different outfits, I had a black shirt on over the red bathing suit. Once I started to work up a sweat, off went the shirt! When it got chilly, back on it went!
The Prickly Savanna
Naturally, along the way we ran into another end of the prickly savanna yet again. There was a stream coming from it, and a few trees clung to the sand for dear life.
Driftwood in the Sunset
After the driftwood, we moved on to explore the Blackrocks that gave the beach its name, but that’s a post for another day. When we doubled back, however, we found that the driftwood took on a whole new light in the sunset.
One look at the pictures below, and you can tell quite a bit of time passed before we returned to this end of the beach. It was a whole new playground by then.
I didn’t look too bad in the sunset either, if I do say so myself! 😂
Behind the Scenes
In Revisiting Savannah, I mentioned that one of the best things about having another artist and photographer around is that you don’t look like the only idiot taking pictures of strange things.
But the other perk is that I get to share a little of what goes on behind the scenes, and what it often takes to get the pictures and video footage from my trips.
Next Friday, I’ll share where we disappeared to between the early afternoon and the sunset. That will be my final post about my trip to Florida.
See you, then!
Find Me On:
*All photos of Alexis Chateau (me) in this blog post were captured by Winston Murray.
Wow! That’s amazing driftwood! Sometimes you find stuff like that on beaches over here, but nothing quite so sculptural and beautiful and I love the sun-bleached effect . Nice to see you in action too: it makes it all more real. I don’t blame you for staying longer than planned; it must have been very hard to drag yourselves away.
I look forward to your next instalment on Florida. I went there in September 91 for my 28th birthday : it seems like a lifetime ago… Oh, I feel so old now!
It was amazing. I do love how the sun had bleached some of them white too. I got in close on one of them to show the texture, almost like curled snowy white hair.
I’m 28 now, so one day I’ll be saying it was a lifetime away for me too 😂 Glad you enjoyed the behind the scenes photos. You’ve gotta get into some awkward spots sometimes to get the shots we do.
Crazy cool photos! We have a small beach that has driftwood similar to that, but not as much quantity-wise haha
Nice, which beach is that? And thank you!
It’s called WestMoreland in VA (:
We have a Westmoreland in Jamaica, too. That’s where I grew up. 😄
Whoa, no way! That’s so cool (:
So pretty😍😍😍
It was! 😊
I would’ve had so much fun here taking it all in and then photographing it all… or a lot of it. Envious because you were in shorts and here I am in a turtleneck and sweatpants 🙁
Hahahaha, it’s warm in ATL now too, so I’m back in shorts. I doubt it will last though. I would have loved to see the photographs you took of the driftwood. You’re a much better photographer than I am. I just dabble as an amateur.
No driftwood shots – just wanting to do driftwood shots. And thank you for the photography compliment. But here’s a beach shot with wood that’s not drifty 🙂 https://imagesbytdashfield.wordpress.com/2016/09/29/old-orchard-beach-in-maine/
Oh I know, just saying I would have loved to see the images you came up with. You’re a much better photographer than I am ^_^
It’s what I do … or sometimes try very hard to do 🙂
The pictures are stunning…
I went to Gran Canaria last year and it was the one place where I saw a beach right next to a desert! I couldn’t believe my eyes…the landscapes were so starkly different…poles apart and yet in the same frame of vision…
The only place I’ve seen a beach next to a desert so far is in California (https://alexischateau.com/2017/07/28/alexis-in-california-pt-1-4th-of-july-hike-at-torrey-pines/) That was stunning!
This Florida hike wasn’t a desert though. Just a beach. It eas beautiful ^_^
The driftwood is beautiful.
Yes, indeed!
It’s a very poetic part of nature that can symbolize so much.
What does it symbolise for you?
The unexpected twists and turns on life’s journey.
Very true. If only they were always this beautiful!
Agreed.