Trip to Florida Hurricane : The Day After St.Joseph Peninsula 2008 March 9 - March 11 Site Content :      Frost      Beach Battlefield      Nice Corner      Peninsula      Sunsets      Natural Changes      Maple Blossom

There are more my pages about visiting this area, including the ones with detailed maps and descriptions of all places I visited. Here is the links : Trip of September 2007 Trip of May 2007 Trip of February 2007 ( especially recommended ) Trip of November 2006 Trip of May 2006 Trip of November 2005 Trip of May 2005 ( especially recommended )

This site includes my impressions of my three days trip to Florida, St.Joseph Peninsula, 2008 March 9th -- 11th. The day of my arrival was the first day after the hurricane that hit Florida Panhandle on March 8th. Frost Upon my arrival to Florida I was shocked by the temperature of -2C/+28F, what was just a couple of degrees warmer than in Maryland. I hardly believed that the temperature in Florida drops below the freezing so easy, but this time I got a chance to feel and observe it myself... Fortunately, during two following days it gradually warmed up, and I got a chance to make a nice hike around the scenic St.Joseph Peninsula enjoying the beautiful sights it offers and even swim a little in the water which turned not too cold, ~15C..16C/59F..61F. Only first night and day were the really cold ones while in next two days the daytime temperature was ~16C..18C/61F..64F and the night temperature was ~8C..10C/46F..50F. The sky was mostly sunny though in the afternoon of the third day the heavy rain accompanied with strong wind caught me in the dunes on my way back to the car. Back to Table of Contents Frost and chilly mist on Florida roads ( you can see it as grey on the grass on the roadsides ) The herd of cows in the chilly mist ascending under the first beams of rising Sun Back to Table of Contents

Beach Battlefield The hurricane that hit Florida the day before my arrival and brought that cold was a real disaster for the sea and beatch wildlife... It killed and scattered the creatures across the beach... In some places the beach looked like a battlefield... Back to Table of Contents This huge jelly-fish was also killed by the hurricane... And many other creatures... This is a dead sea urchin. A live sea urchin consists of the shell which contains its body inside and has the needles on its outer surface. When the urchin dies, his body rots and decays, and the sea washes it out; then the needles came gradually out of the shell... These sea urchin shells are very fragile, real fine work of arts of the nature. There in the surf I had to pick up about a dozen of them to bring to the hotel only three ones. Others cracked either in my fingers or just because they were in my backpack... Below are more sea creatures slain by the hirricane; I have no idea how do they call them... This is definitely a big stingray; also dead... Back to Table of Contents

Nice Corner of Florida Forest and Beach However, just next day after the hurricane the weather was sunny, warn and nice again Back to Table of Contents A beautiful and cozy corner of the dune forest The small river right on the beach; the water has that color because of waterweed and other plants growing in its waters upstream Back to Table of Contents

St.Joseph Peninsula : Beaches and Wildlife Fortunately, during the second and third day of my trip it gradually warmed up, and I got a chance to make a nice hike around the scenic St.Joseph Peninsula enjoying the beautiful sights it offers and even swim a little in the water which turned out not too cold. Both on second and on third day I did ~30km/18mi in approximately 7 hours. The sky was mostly sunny though in the afternoon of the third day the heavy rain accompanied with strong wind caught me in the dunes on my way back to the car. Back to Table of Contents Getting to the tip of the Peninsula I encountered a real deserted island... There were only I and the birds around... Moving further I revealed that the tip of the peninsula was not deserted but inhabited with some beach monsters... Of course, having a rest under the palms or in cozy corners of the dune forest... As I told, I was caught by the heavy rain accompanied with strong wind in the dunes on my way back to the car. Well, the sea is beautiful in any weather. The water turned emerald green on the background of dark-gray sky while the surf remained a white foam... Back to Table of Contents

Sunset Back to Table of Contents The images of sunset of March 10th, the second day of my trip The images of sunset of March 9th, the first and coldest day of my trip Back to Table of Contents

Natural Changes The images of the same place of St.Joseph Peninsula taken in different time. These changes are result of continuous work of the natural forces : winds, rains, tides... They make the Peninsula different every time you visit it; that's why the visiting of this place is never boring. Each time it surprises you with its new appearance... Back to Table of Contents Back to Table of Contents

Blossom In the conclusion, the combination of red color of blossoming maple trees and light-green color of young foliage I enjoyed driving back on March 12th... Back to Table of Contents Back to Table of Contents