…then what does Clearwater do?
Sits there and shimmers like the jewel of the Gulf that it is…
(This is not my photo but this is right where I was)
Gorgeous!
I was astounded that the white sand at Sand Key Beach was literally FILLED with seashells, mostly tiny scallop shells. Now, the bottoms of my feet are pretty well beat up from walking on all the jagged edges, but the effect, running hands through sand and finding shell after shell after shell was so very cool.
That's the kick about warm, fairly calm water. Not only shells, INTACT shells.
If you'll excuse the crappy quality of this iPhone photo…look at THESE little beauties! I personally snagged them from the floor of the ocean.
I think my eyes bugged out of my head when I saw them bouncing around in the sand. My cheap but effective goggles kept my eyes in my head as I paddled down to the bottom of the shallow sea floor and scooped them up. There were thousands of them down there!
These are coming home with me, a love gift for a certain wonderful man.
I'll say this, the Gulf wasn't as warm as I remember from my last visit at South Padre Island. It was pretty cold, actually. Much colder than the Atlantic. Though nowhere near as cold as the Pacific.
Oh, which reminds me…in the course of less than one week, I've visited three oceans.
Sunday, I was at Half Moon Bay, gazing at the beautiful but tumultuous Pacific. Tuesday I was at Cocoa Beach, at peace with the Atlantic and today, Friday, it was Clearwater Beach and the Gulf.
Cool, huh?
Clearwater was recommended to me by four separate locals, so that's why I chose to run out there today. The choice of Sand Key Beach was because it was public and it was away from the main drag of hotels and restaurants. There were a LOT of Spring Breakers out, so that wasn't fun.
All said, I prefer Cocoa Beach. It is just a lot more mellow and easy. But today's journey to the west coast of Florida was truly amazing. A day to remember.
I didn't end up taking many photos, sorry. This one will live on in my mind. Another happy place to escape to when work meetings drag on too long.
And now, to pack. While I had fun, I'm glad the week is over. I miss The Good Man and I miss the cranky feline too.
So tomorrow, with noise cancelling headphones in place, I hop a westbound plane and go back to the life I love. I'll be happy to snuggle down in my own bed and sleep contentedly with those I love the most.
