Anticipation...Looking forward to new photo opportunities over the next two weeks! I'm sure that internet access will be somewhat of a challenge :-) !! 

Familiar Shot...Not too much time to venture about looking for a "different" shot as we are pre-trip busy, packing, etc. Soo..the canal at 18mm. :-) 

Midtown...Still dealing with the learning curve of the wide angle lens. :-) 

Wide Angle Fun...I think my neck hurts. :-) 

Click on the image to View...This is one of the first shots taken with the new "toy", a super wide angle zoom lens. This shot was taken at 12mm as an experiment to see what to expect. I am hopeful that some of those landscape challenges( capturing the vista view) will be solved with this 12mm to 24mm lens. :-) 

Shrimpers...Storms, overfishing and rampant development has taken a toll on Florida's independent fishermen. There is something romantic about these salty workboats, soon to be relics from a bygone era. 

Main Street Bridge...The major downtown route that runs through Jacksonville goes over this bridge spanning the St. John's River. It is a draw bridge with vey low clearance and seems to open with high frequency as most recreational sailboats can not pass with the road deck down (the entire center section raises). Local motorists seem calm as they wait in long lines of traffic several times a day. I'm not so sure that New York drivers would be quite as complacent about this situation! :-) 

By the Cemetery...Checking out old grave yards is an interesting sidebar to this photography addiction. In Apalachicola the town burial ground is a somewhat chaotic mix of neglect and fascination. With graves dating as far back as the 1700's and wooden markers that can not be read, the place seems steeped in local history. I was both saddened and intrigued by the overall effect that the lack of attention and neglect has had upon the site. 

Connections...The small town of Apalachicola remains frozen in time, more a Southern town than a Floridian community. Areas to the East and West appear to have development plans well underway and the "new" improved highway is surely bringing traffic and interest to this forgotten stretch of Florida's Gulf Coast. 

Redneck Re-cycling...Waste not, Want not. Seen on Florida's panhandle :-) ! 

Jacksonville Beach...As the Northeast continues to be in a deep freeze, this snow bird is showing the wisdom in that old Real Estate motto: "Location, Location, Location." :-) 

Oyster Shuckers...Oystertown, aka Apalachicola, where the harvest is still fresh and plentyful and the menus boast.."we shuck em', you suck em". (sorry!) :-) 

Boutique Shopping...Downtown Aplalachicola. 

Beach Bums...As we head North to the prospect of snow, sleet and ice these guys will continue to bask in the Spring-like temperatures along Jacksonville's beach. :-) 

Pirates...Seems to me that the "real" pirates were nothing short of an early version of Terrorists romanticized by history. This rather unusual bit of Buccaneer nostalgia could be yours for a mere $395.00 at the "Tin Shed" nautical knick-knack store in Apalachicola. :-) Hey, you just might be the "first one on the block"....

Pelicans in Waiting...Along Florida's "forgotten coast" where hurricane damage is still very evident and the shoreline is seriously eroded, pelicans find a handy perch on an abandoned pier. 

Briana...The shrimp boat is in, Apalachicola, Florida. 

Dock O' the Bay...Apalachicola on Florida's "forgotten coast" is a community surrounded by impending development. For now at least, it remains a fishing, shrimping and oystering enclave frozen in time. It is I imagine, the Florida of thirty or forty years ago where time can still be spent sittin' on the dock o' the bay. :-) 

Town Square, St. Mary's, Georgia...Every small Southern town needs a fountain. 

St. Marys, Georgia...On the road again and it's early Spring in South Georgia! Beautiful land of salt marsh and soft afternoon sunlight, it's a welcome break from the harsh Northeast winter. :-) 

Kralendijk Farewell...Be sure to click on this image for a larger and better view of this aerial shot of Kralendijk. Taken as our small plane banked away from Bonaire.... 

Kite Surfers...Kite surfers seem to need an extra pair of hands getting launched. Consistent prevailing winds make Bonaire an ideal spot for this latest windy sport. Wind direction and color coordination seem to be equally important issues. :-) 

The Circus Came to Town... I suppose that it's the Holy Grail of small island tourism and not to be left behind, Bonaire now has it's own cruise ship pier. Once a week a floating resort city carrying several thousand passengers arrives in tiny downtown Kralendijk. Easy to spot, cruise ship people repeatedly walk the five blocks or so that make up the downtown shopping area. They often appear puzzled by the lack of jewlery stores and straw markets. The few strips of narrow sandy beach become filled with snorklers in neon inflatable life jackets and taxi vans appear out of nowhere offering $10.00 excursions to "see the flamingos".
By late afternoon the whole show is over, the island returns to it's normal pace and the ship is slipping back out to sea. I'm sure that Bonaire's nightlife can't compete with the late seating or the faux broadway production on the floating stage. Another ship will show up next Tuesday or Wednesday, get that snorkel gear ready! :-)

Harbor Light...Just another beautiful Bonariean sunset. :-) 

Fresh Produce...Part of the daily island routine, the boat arrives early from Venezuela loaded with fresh fruit and veggies. By noon the market is empty and the boat is headed out of the harbor. Just a small part of the rhythm that is Bonaire. :-)

Neutral Bouyancy...I often joke that if.."you can sink and breathe, you can dive". Actually there is some measure of skill involved in achieving neutral bouyancy, the ability to remain at a certain depth without sinking deeper or rising higher. Seeing my camera, Alida chose to demonstrate "proper form" and excellent bouyancy. Lol. :-)