Another Day of Stormy Weather

My early morning sea turtle patrol was a little soggy today -- this picture is from the very few minutes that it wasn't raining along Pensacola Beach, or at least raining little enough that I could take my cell phone out of it's ziploc...



I spent the day in the office, which is very rare for me. I always work in the rain! There were times today though that the thunder rumbled continuously, and there is no safe harbor on any of our beaches, so I got a lot of paperwork done instead. Not my favorite thing, but I accomplished a lot! Maybe watching that tornado hit Pensacola a few months ago really did knock a little sense into me. It wasn't a nice thing to see while I was seven miles down a deserted beach with no shelter in the storm.

Tomorrow WILL be sunny. If I believe that strongly enough, maybe it will be true :). The least terns (Sternula antillarum) at Santa Rosa need some attention -- it may be the only way to prove that road construction through their nesting season isn't a good idea, at least not inside a National Park. So, it will be a sea turtle and least tern day, though I'm certain some plover chicks will be running through as well!

No Photos Today

It was a turbulent day in the Pensacola area. We spent time at Santa Rosa, but got chased by dark swirling clouds, pouring rain, and huge bolts of lightning. It was strange, with the sky as dark as night to the north and light as daybreak over the Gulf of Mexico.

The sun, when it peeked through the clouds, looked as dim as the full moon. Full moons are fantastic -- they look like sea turtle eggs -- but it was a strange sight at 8 am. Tomorrow should be more pleasant!

Spared a Storm, but the Seas are Choppy

Tropical Depression 10 never even made it to Tropical Storm status last week, which is a good thing... The seas still grew pretty rough for the Gulf Coast, so we're happy we let the hatchlings go a bit early. The waves are small by human standards, but just imagine how huge a five-foot wave looks to a newborn animal the size of a half-dollar.

There is a beauty in a sea this strong. Even as a Tropical Depression, it re-shaped the shore overnight, leaving behind the sea's placating gift of glossy, unmarred shells as a reminder that the sea is both power and grace. Sitting on the shore, listening to the rushing winds and crashing waves, I realized yet again how small and insignificant my petty worries are. By next month, I won't remember what troubled my thoughts today, but I will remember this refreshing energetic morning on the Gulf of Mexico. Both humbling and empowering, it is a day worth saving in my bank of magical memories.