Calm Before the Storm

I took this a couple years back on Sanibel Causeway, which connects the mainland to the small island of Sanibel. We have a lot of causeways and bridges in Florida because there are so many islands. When I first moved to Florida the unbelievable number of bridges was one of my first impressions.

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Sanibel Causeway
Calm Before the Storm on Sanibel Causeway

Wherever there is a causeway you’ll find people standing at the waters edge with a fishing poll. In many ways this is a typical scene when driving around either coast.

The setting sun illuminated a large column behind the fisherman. I walked around and took a bunch of photos but within thirty minutes it had moved our way and we were covered in dark clouds. As I jumped in the car it started to rain and within a few minutes there was thunder, lighting and zero visibility. That’s a fairly common occurrence during the hot months.

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This image continues a theme of simplification. I removed a lot of distractions to create an impression of the scene from that afternoon. In effect, this is the calm before the storm.

Sanibel Causeway

After a day in Sanibel we headed back over the causeway just in time to catch the sun setting as the clouds rolled in. A few minutes later I was running for the car as the rain came down in buckets. If I didn't have to get home I could have just stayed put and it would have cleared up to reveal a starlit night. I think in my next life I'll be a seabird so I can just sit here and enjoy the scenery.
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After a day in Sanibel we headed back over the causeway just in time to catch the sun setting as the clouds rolled in. A few minutes later I was running for the car as the rain came down in buckets. If I didn’t have to get home I could have just stayed put and it would have cleared up to reveal a starlit night. I think in my next life I’ll be a seabird so I can just sit here and enjoy the scenery.

Bowmans Beach

I found Bowman's beach by accident and even though we were driving home we stopped and stayed for about an hour to relax along the shore. It was Sunday and no one was in a hurry to go anywhere. Our timing was good because about an hour after I took this thunderstorms moved in and everything turned dark and grey. That's fairly typical and after about twenty minutes or so it blows away and everything returns to normal.

I found Bowman’s beach by accident and even though we were driving home we stopped and stayed for about an hour to relax along the shore. It was Sunday and no one was in a hurry to go anywhere. Our timing was good because about an hour after I took this thunderstorms moved in and everything turned dark and grey. That’s fairly typical and after about twenty minutes or so it blows away and everything returns to normal.

Sanibel Beach Day

When I took this I was sitting on a towel right next to the gentle waters of the Gulf of Mexico on Sanibel Island. It's hard to convey the feeling; maybe it's the sand, the warm water, the breeze;  maybe all  these combined.  Sometimes the  waves are so small you might think you were on a lake. The bigger waves along the Atlantic coast of Florida are fun to swim in also, but nothing compares to the calm waters of Florida's west coast.
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When I took this I was sitting on a towel right next to the gentle waters of the Gulf of Mexico on Sanibel Island. It’s hard to convey the feeling; maybe it’s the sand, the warm water, the breeze; maybe all these combined. Sometimes the waves are so small you might think you were on a lake. The bigger waves along the Atlantic coast of Florida are fun to swim in also, but nothing compares to the calm waters of Florida’s west coast.

Sanibel Thunderstorm

A thunderstorm the other day along the Sanibel Causeway. It's all the more spectacular when the last rays of the sun can peak out during a thunderstorm. By the time I finished taking this the heavens had opened and I ran for the safety of my car.  After it passed it got dark and the skies once again clear up.
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A thunderstorm the other day along the Sanibel Causeway. It’s all the more spectacular when the last rays of the sun can peak out during a thunderstorm. By the time I finished taking this the heavens had opened and I ran for the safety of my car. After it passed the skies once again cleared up as though it never even happened. Typical Florida afternoon.