While the driftwood at Blackrock Beach was beautiful, the beach wasn’t named for the trees. It was named for the actual black rocks scattered along the shore. We first saw them to the right when we descended onto the beach, from the trail.
But since there wasn’t much to explore on that side of the beach, we went left, taking us through the driftwood I wrote about last week.
Pre-Sunset
Between and beyond the driftwood was where we found the black rocks.
And much like the driftwood, some had become home to things living and dead. Maybe, mostly dead.
Pools had also formed between some of the rocks, and many were covered with a green layer of moss and algae. These are some of the best pictures I took all year in 2017.
Beyond this, the path grew rockier and we had to scramble over them to get to the other side of the beach.
The other side of the beach was a bit trickier to navigate as there was no way around the black rocks for a while. And as we learned the hard way, the rocks were soft, and along with being slippery, some tended to crumble under your feet when you walked on them. I set my camera aside after that, to watch where I was going.
The “death-defying” scramble over the treacherous rocks was totally worth it, though. When we finally made it to the end of the beach, we were met with this bridge, stretching across the ocean.
We also found a graveyard of mussells. I had never seen anything like this. It was as beautiful as it was morbid.
This was also where we ramped up our shell-collecting efforts.
The Sunset
Around this time, two things happened. The first was that Andrew called to find out why on earth we weren’t back yet.
The second was that the sun began to set.
That’s when we noticed what time it was, and that we’d been hiking for three hours and needed to hurry back.
As you can see, we had quite a bit of mud and slush to navigate our way through. Winston took the longer route, but I put my long legs to good use.
As it was with the driftwood, when the sun began to sink into the horizon, it cast an orange glow over everything else that made them even more beautiful. Maybe even me!
But if not me, most certainly the beautiful landscape. The black rocks, the pools between them, and the algae took on an ethereal glow.
The Name-Sakes
It took three posts to do it, but maybe now you see what I mean when I said there was plenty to see at Blackrock Beach. There was no way I could leave without ensuring I got a good shot of the rocks that had given the beach its name, so with that in mind, I closed out my shots for the day with the set below.
I leave you to guess whether or not this was a set of three rocks of varying sizes, or the same rock from different distances and angles. 🤔
And so ends my final post of the very last trip I took in 2017 from the 18th to the 22nd of December. I think it was an excellent closing to a year of happiness and adventures.
Next week, however, it’s time to return to the true tropics, with another cultural post about Jamaica.
Keep an eye out!
Find Me On:
*All photos of Alexis Chateau (me!) were captured by Winston Murray.
Remember to take good boots and waterproof garments! Mountains are always treacherous! But most importantly, enjoy!
Thank you! I ordered a raincoat but I don’t think it will come in time. Fingers crossed!
First thing: I am terribly jealous about the fact that you did that hike in the bleak mid winter wearing shorts, t-shirts and sandals!!!
Second: you don’t need a sunset to make you look beautiful; you are stunning inside and out!
Third: I think it is the same rock photographed from different angles; that’s the kind of thing I do before I decide which one to share.
Fourth: What a truly amazing place! What with the driftwood, black rocks, dead crabs, mussels and algae, what’s not to like? Thanks for sharing this jewel of the Sunshine State! 🌞🌞🌞
Hahahahaha, I am terribly jealous of myself. We had some warm days last week, but it’s back to freezing our butts off in Atlanta, again!
Thank you! *blushes* Even so, I’m really not photogenic. People tell me all the time, haha. Neither is my mum. Must be in the genes! 😂
It is the same rock photographed from different angles! I wanted a bit of a progression from further apart to closer, and then ended up liking all of them. 😄
It was truly amazing. I may get to see it again in October, when I head down there for the Hulaween music festival.
Thanks for reading! 😄
Halloween Music Festival? Now, that sounds interesting! Can’t wait to read all about it.
I’ve never been, but my friends are going so I’m tagging along. It’s another opportunity for camping. Hopefully I’ll be an expert by then! I’m going for my first camping trip in the cold, in the Georgia mountains, in 2 weeks. Thoughts and prayers! 😂
Cool crab pics! Love the contrast of the green against the gray of the rocks (:
Thanks! Those pictures with the green are some of my faves. 😊
There you are scrambling over killer rocks in shorts… tempting fate you were! 🙂
I thought I was going for a peaceful day at the beach 😂 I was not prepared!
It’s the same rock but the place looks amazing.
Haha yes, the same rock! Wise, Benjamin! And yes, it was amazing. I might get to see it again in October.
I hope you do that way you can find more of the critters that inhabit the beach. You can be like the late Steve Irwin “The Crocodile Hunter”.
Buahahahahaha, now you’re pushing it. If I saw any of that I would run for dear life. My greatest fear on land in FL are snakes. My dad has told me stories of them coming into the yard when he was growing up! My greatest fear in the water? Sharks. I hope the wildlife and I come into very limited contact! 😂😂😂
Boooooooooo! Where’s your spirit of adventure?
It weathers up and dies at the first sign of a snake. By the way, I’m going camping in about two weeks and it’s going to be in the 30s. Please pray for me. Pray that my Caribbean backside is not frost-bitten. *crosses self*
Hahaha! You definitely have my prayers for your health and safety.
Thank you, sir. I shall need them! 😂