Blog The Beach

I took this photo on Cocoa Beach in October. It was a warm and humid evening. A heavy rain had fallen an hour earlier. Several large thunderstorms loomed out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Even though the sun sets over the Gulf of Mexico, on the other side of the state, the orange light from the sunset has brilliantly illuminated the cirrus cloud anvil in the eastern sky in a display that lasted for nearly an hour. You can see the nearly full moon at the top center of the  photo.

There are quiet, peaceful, and beautiful moments in life that we never forget. This evening will be one of those moments for me.

See the sunrise over the Atlantic, then watch the sunset over the Gulf. You can see both easily in the same day. How’s that for a day trip?

Above is a July sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean on New Smyrna Beach. Grab a hotel on the beach and wake up for the sunrise. If you’re really lazy, just step out onto your hotel balcony and enjoy the sunrise. Then go back to bed–if you can resist running out onto the beach and going for an early morning walk.

Have a leisurely breakfast, then hop in your car and make the 3 hour drive to the Gulf Coast. Relax, you’ve got plenty of time. Stop for lunch in a small town in the middle of the state, or drive non-stop to the Gulf and have lunch on the beach.

Where to watch the sunset? Clearwater Beach’s Pier 60 is a good choice if you don’t mind a bit of a crowd. Otherwise I’d say head south to Sunset Beach on Treasure Island, or further south still to Pass-A-Grille Beach at the southern end of St. Pete Beach.

Above: Fishing at sunset on Sunset Beach, Treasure Island, Florida.

If you’re further south, say Palm Beach or Miami, you’ll do best to take Alligator Alley (I-75) across the state to Marco Island (Tigertail Beach) or Naples (Naples Pier) to see the sunset.

If you’re in the Florida Keys, it’s even easier. Just walk from one side of the island to the other to see the sunrise over the Atlantic and the sunset over the Gulf.

I wasn’t expecting much of a sunset because of the hazy, overcast conditions over the Gulf, but I got a pleasant surprise. Upon nearing the horizon, the sun broke through the clouds and went down in style. I love it when that happens!