It was cold Saturday – windy, eyes-watering, go-to-Target-buy-a-hoodie-cold, not just Florida cold.
I never plan well for my photo hikes. I tend to forget things, especially things I need – like hiking shoes, extra batteries for my camera (you know, to use if/when the battery in your camera dies when you’re an hour from home), water, jackets, my driver’s license (which also means I left my purse at home with all my money) and bugs spray (a must-have during the summer.)
This weekend, I neglected to dress for the weather. I guess I took my tourism spiel too seriously and forgot that it indeed gets cold here in the winter. Northwest Florida is a whole different creature than south or even central Florida. The white sands here can definitely be mistaken for snow, and not just in appearance.
Hopefully, I can illustrate the cold in this series of photos. Just think snow, and bone chilling wind…
(I know… all my northern friends are chortling and murmuring ‘wimp,’ while reading about my aversion to the Florida cold. Just remember, it’s all about perspective, and from my perspective, my 47F is like your 17F.)
The pelican? That was my “oh, shit!” moment. He must have been hungry, or lonely. I was on the Okaloosa Island pier in Fort Walton Beach, and this HUGE bird, landing gear down, wings spread, was aiming straight for me. Even when he touched down on the pier deck, he was much too interested in me. I didn’t stay around to chat.
You can click on any image to see a larger photo, or the series as a slideshow.
(Photos shot with a Nikon D60, using an 18-55mm, 55-200mm, 20mm f/2.8 wide-angle, 50mm f/1.8 prime lens, Nikon CoolPix S205 and/or iPhone4)
For more photos, please visit my Flickr photostream.
Thin spiral notebook 
That sky is stunning. I was so bummed once because I pulled out my camera to use it and it didn’t have a memory card in it. I went home and put a back up one in my bag, but I have yet to buy a back-up battery. Those things aren’t cheap.
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I have somehow managed to accumulate three spare batteries and one spare media card. I’ve done that where I try to take a photo and can’t without a card. I’ve at least learned that lesson.
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47 is FREEZING by desert standards too. Gorgeous pictures, Tara!
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Aww but he just wanted to be your friend… bless him! Lovely series of shots, the cold in Philadelphia was biting but I guess you don’t mean THAT cold!
Mollyxxx
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The shot of the pelican and the one with the shell are both fabulous pictures.
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I’ve never been to that part of Florida and didn’t know it got cold there! Love the pictures! Happy Sunday!
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Here’s one of your northern friends who is chuckling about 47 F being cold – – – we’ve got 21 F this morning and that is pretty HOT for us for this time of year.
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I’m with you. 47 is cold to me, and the longer it persists, the grumpier I get.
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Love the picture of the pelican. Hubby took some pictures of them last year while we were in Key West. As a snowbird we appreciate even 47 degrees as balmy.
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Hehehehe – 47 is downright balmy – okay, so not quite, but you did make this northerner chuckle. 😉 Your photos are lovely, and definitely a success at capturing the feeling of cold!
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The pelican may have been intimidating, but he’s gorgeous! We have some in these parts, but I’ve never been able to get close enough to one to do it justice.
And you don’t have to justify your cold. Even here, in the summer time, there are temps that are considered cold but would feel tropical during the late fall and winter months. I recognize your clouds. Those are cold weather clouds.
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