Right On The St. Marks - Gulfapalooza 2011 Winding Down

 We have reached the final lighthouse of Gulfapalooza 2011.  This is the St. Marks light, on the Gulf of Mexico about 26 miles south of Tallahassee, Florida.  It lives in the wild and spectacular St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, on a warm and windy peninsula.  The shot above is what happens when one tries to photograph a tall lighthouse from too close.  If I had backed up any farther, I would have been in the Gulf.

 This shot required some trudging around the swampy edge of a potentially gator-infested pond, but it was worth it.  And [Maris] kept an eye out for wildlife.

 Ah, the US Coast Guard.  Not sure what all that gear is listening to - or for - but they sure know how to make a mess of a cupola.

 That's a little better.

 So, I'm in the swamp, shooting the lighthouse.  I turn around, and look who's been coolly watching me from about 25 yards away!  It's (I think) a great snowy egret!

 Another salty pond, another bird.  Not sure what this too-big-to-be-a-sandpiper thing is.  Anyone?

 The skyline of the downtown St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge...

 I like that there is a variety of tropical foliage, but it hasn't been planted in neat rows and groomed and carefully tended.  It's wild.

 And just ever so slightly primordial.   Or something.

 Another bird.  Judging by the various songs and calls, I was tempted to say it was a mockingbird, but I really don't know.  I do know that it and its buddies dropped a lot of those berries on the hood of my poor car, while [Maris] and I talked ourselves out of heading home, and instead made a reservation in Kill Devil Hills, NC.  We just weren't ready to end this vacation.

We still aren't.  

Hope you enjoyed this one.  I have a few odds and ends from this trip, and then . . . nothing.  I'll have to take more pictures.

The Crooked River Lighthouse, Straight-up

 Continuing eastward along the Florida panhandle, we're in the homestretch of Gulfapalooza 2011.  This is the Crooked River lighthouse, near Carrabelle.  The shot above is 35mm film, and includes the grounds of the light station, now a museum and park.

From the southwest corner.

 

 Going up...

Cupola!

 

 Another olde-fashioned film shot.

 Foot!

 From the southeast corner.

 Lizard!  Right on the foot of the lighthouse.

 Door!  Cool old hardware and trim.  Not sure whose star that is, as we are definitely NOT in Texas.

Another cool spot, and tough to leave, but leave we did.  One more light to go, plus some flora and fauna...

Cape St. George Light, Florida

 Moving right along... The next stop on the Gulfapalooza 2011 itinerary is the Cape St. George Lighthouse, which fell into the Gulf of Mexico and couldn't be photographed.  It has, however, been beautifully rebuilt in the middle of the cute beach town on Saint George Island, Florida.  Above is [Maris]'s 35mm shot of the grounds and the tower.

 And from the gulf side.

 

 The grounds were as well-maintained as the lighthouse.

 

 CUPOLA!

 From the south side.

 Red hibiscus.

 Okay, the purple flowers may not look impressive, but it was just so hard to shoot them, flapping about as they were in the gulf breeze.  There were some fluorescent green moths, too, but they were camera shy.

It was hard to leave this one, but not as hard as the next one.  And the next one after that.

Two more to go, and then we're going to have to get out there and take some new pictures...

Cape San Blas Lighthouse

Minutes after that last lighthouse-turned residence, we found ourselves at the Cape San Blas lighthouse, which watches over the southernmost point of the panhandle of Florida.  The early morning light and clear sky worked perfectly with this white steel-frame tower.  They have a cute little gift shop, too!

One tree holds it down while the other one tickles it.

Here's the requisite 35mm film shot.  I don't know if this is my photo or [Maris]'s, but I like the warmth of film.

Ah, the joys of access!  I love shooting this type of lighthouse from right here.

And here.

And here!

Cupola!

All that, and a little palm tree, too.

And we'll see you next time, with [Maris]'s favorite light from Gulfapalooza 2011.  And maybe a train.

Port Saint Me!

 And we're back!  Where was I?  Oh yeah.  Gulfapalooza 2011.  October.  Florida panhandle.  This was a really, really good day.  I'm still a little groggy from 30 days of Camp NaNoWriMo so I'm starting off slowly.  Here's my next home - although I would imagine that its current residents might have something to say about that - St. Joseph Point Lighthouse, near Point St. Joe, Florida.  The light and lens are long-gone, but it is now a beautifully-restored lighthouse on the Gulf of Mexico.

 

 Butterflies! Ridiculously uncooperative creatures.  Pretty, though!

 Of course, the crabs were totally cooperative.

 Okay, if I can't buy the lighthouse, maybe this little build-to-suit island is on the market.

 Ibis?

 Seeing pines and palms together always intrigues me. I have no idea why.

 Lone palm, watching for hurricanes or exploding oil rigs.

No, Camaro, it's not what you were designed for.  Relax - a little sandy off-road driving won't kill you!

Thanks for enduring a picture-free June.  More coming soon!