It's a Different Life on the Beach

Brandon Anderton, of Campbell, "draws" lines in the sand at
Waddell State Beach north of Santa Cruz, Calif., on
Monday, March 16, 2015. He has spent the past several years
creating mandalas--massive geometric patterns--in the sand
South Bay beaches. (Patrick Tehan/Bay Area News Group)

1. Awake, see new activity on the beach
2. Put on old capris and lashings of suntan lotion
3. Grab sunglasses, camera & wet water shoes
4. Run out onto beach
5. Enjoy all the sights!  And remember it is Island Time (see post of 25 April)
6. For some - grab a beer (not to Mini Me's taste!)

For the full story of the picture to the left (and mini me's possible new job but let's leave out the carcass of a dead sea lion) click here.

spot the drone overhead

Saturday (16th May) was the 2015 Florida Cup hosted right here on our very own Mad Beach - with the best paddling conditions in Florida (or so they tell me).  There are paddleboard races which range from the 9 mile elite to the 1/4 mile Kiddie race. The 3 milers looked exhausted so I don't know about 9 miles - race starts in the Gulf, then through John's Pass into the Bay and back. Kayak and double kayaks also get in on the fun.

view out my window of paddleboarders

Local 'Baywatch!'

This event really had mini me feeling she is living on the beach; I felt like I was some kind of movie extra walking about.

Now was this paddle boarding contest good enough to miss a Quirky Face Book session with London -- well that and picking up a friend from hospital just means I am looking that much more forward to June's meeting!





Speaking of my 25 April blog post, if you don't think I can get up in the morning -- we have started morning Turtle Nesting patrols meaning a 5:45 am departure (14 May; Sea Turtle Tracker updates here). We have to get out on the beach early to beat the heat, the beach raker and the beach walkers, all of whom obscure turtle tracks. And the tracks are the main way to find the clutch. We didn't find a nest on our maiden patrol, but .... read the next post.

Other beach sights . . .  (just when I thought I had seen it all!)  -- Never a Dull Day . . .and mini me needs to keep her camera to hand, as she missed several good shots!

Proof of UFO Completion
Now where to wear this in FL heat?!

- a very large (ie American) ball of wool for a baby blanket (as seen at the Beach Craft 'N Chat - HW & CD I finished my cowl - with your help and despite the strange directions!),

-ATV (all terrain vehicle) with hi vis man labelled 'DEP' (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) taking photos of well just about everything - including two fat ladies at water's edge,

- Inner tube rolling along the beach for 100 yards totally on its own!  No human owner chasing it - just appeared from nowhere,

beautiful post storm sunset

Every silver cloud has a blue lining?

- thunderclaps that reverberated through the body & literally lifted us from our seats last night; if the angels were bowling, then they had very large bowling balls!  Evening (at dusk) thunderstorms result from East and West sea breezes colliding (we are a barrier island just off  Pinellas County which is a smaller peninsula hung off Florida, a giant peninsula itself). which produce hail, strong winds and tremendous thunder and lightening.

and of course if Mini Me and I ever get bored, then there's a new vocation of sand art or

free-form handstands: man stupidly performing on the groins - guess he thinks he is in the movies (we also have organised beach yoga).