East of my Eden

I always enjoy visits to Portofino because I am able to look miles down the island in either direction. About 3 1/2 miles to the west you can see the core area of Pensacola Beach with its high-rise condos and hotels.


Looking directly north is Gulf Breeze, located on a peninsula which separates Santa Rosa Sound (shown above) from Pensacola Bay. You may look at a map HERE


This is one of my favorite places to explore and photograph: Range Point.


If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can get a hint of the damage Range Point suffered during Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Dennis (2005). Many of the trees and shrubs were unable to withstand hurricane winds and salt damage. Now the area is slowly recovering and the small ecosystem continues its natural cycling process. Damaged trees are splintering and falling to the ground. Saplings are sprouting up in other areas. Grasses are beginning to come back.


East of Range Point is an area I'm venturing toward and plan to explore more next year. Past the long sharp tip of land which juts into Santa Rosa Sound at the upper right of the photo is an area known as Big Sabine Bay. I have heard there are marshes of wild hibiscus that bloom there and I am anxious to search them out in the spring.