Monday, August 17, 2009

Tropical Storm Claudette


I thought my blog visitors might like to see some of the photos I took around noon today. Ft. Pickens closed at 4:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon, but I discovered they re-opened this morning and hurried out to see how a couple of sea turtle nests fared overnight.


In the Ft. Pickens area of Gulf Islands National Seashore, rain was very heavy at times and the surf had kicked up quite a bit.


I was pleased to see Nest FP 8131 had held up. Though probably a bit washed, the elevation may allow it to drain quickly and hopefully we'll see a good hatch in mid-October.


High winds were sending blasts of sand across the road.


Leaving the park, I saw the lifeguard truck nearby, watching for anyone getting too close to the water. You'd think that would not be a problem today, but you'd be wrong. I actually saw a couple of dozen people out there! Being blasted with sand is uncomfortable at the least, but when winds are this high the beach is a risky place for people who wear contacts or children. Eyes should be carefully protected!


On the other end of Pensacola Beach, Santa Rosa area of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, things were more calm and there were only a few sprinkles of rain off and on.


The Gulf was dramatic, but the roads seemed fine except for a covering of sand in places. Blue skies would even peep through occasionally.


A group of pelicans flew by and I stopped for a shot.


If you click on the photo you can see the towers of Portofino in the distance as I head home for the day.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is very strong stuff. Thank you for sharing your storm photos. I have linked this for my friends to enjoy.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting these pictures. I am nervous each time a tropical disturbance of any kind gets near Fort Pickens. I am always looking for info on Fort Pickens campground and how things are progressing. If you ever get to the campground, I sure would appreciate seeing photos of that too!