6-3-18 Botany Bay, then back to Perry:


A look at our little beach escape close to Georgia.   So far we've stayed in the Sea Palms units (which were dated and bug infested), King Cotton units (which were really nice and no infestation); now we stayed in The Village units.

I have no complaints with The Village.  No bugs, comfortable, roomy, clean!  Only complaint is that our time was too short. 

On our way out, we decided to check out Botany Bay.  We had heard it was destroyed by Irma and they didn't know if the walkway was going to be reopened.  But it was.
Heading into the park.

They even had the sunflower fields again and they were in full bloom.

Love sunflowers.

We made our way to the parking lot and took the walk to the beach.

This bridge had been destroyed by the hurricane.  Glad they were able to rebuild it!

Love the marshland along the trail

some tiny wanna be sunflowers.

It was hot and humid, but a pretty mile or so walk.

Even saw a bird or 2---like this great egret.

one of the many dragonflies along the way

grackle---how I miss these guys!!!  I love the cackling sound they make.  They were everywhere in Florida.

more of the walk

did see a lot of pelicans around here.

and an occasional sea bird.

ever changing vistas

a welcomed shady area near the shoreline.

little crabs in the wetlands.

out of the canopy and continuing to the beach.

This guy got my attention.  I thought it was a snake, but it moved really strangely.

It was about 13" long and larger around then snakes that length.   Angie happened to find it online and found out it's actually a legless lizard!  I didn't know there was such a thing!!!

First view of the ocean.

I had heard that the trees were blown down, but there sure were a lot still upright.

We were there at high tide so there wasn't much beach, but it was still impressive.

The beach was covered with shells, as it had been before.

At high tide there were trees in the water.

the pelicans cruising by again.

the beach

This was the first time  Josh and Layla had been here.  Angie and Josh tried to come in early 2017, pre Irma, but another hurricane had already destroyed the bridge so they couldn't get to the ocean.

Sure would like to know what goes through her mind with all these new experiences.

another family portrait.

more of the beach

shell collecting is illegal, so people like to make sculptures out of the drift wood and shells.

one of the tumbled shells.

looking towards the trail

At least there were a lot of  places to sit and enjoy the views---on downed trees.

another sea sculpture.

one last look

heading back.

she was suppose to be falling asleep now

checking out more of the wildlife

loving the shadows, too.

zoomed in view of the beach way to the left of where we had been.

back to the wetlands.

back at the parking lot. 

wild flowers by the parking lot

another zoomed in view of the far beach--with a couple great egrets.

back in the car we continued on the route through the old plantation.  Lots of big old live oaks.

and some wild Cardinal flowers.

Didn't get a good view of this guy, but he's a green heron.

wonder how the fishing is here.

more of the plantation grounds.

a great egret catching a snack.

Back on the road leading off the island. 

leaving the island.

It was a fun filled 4 days!  Layla even tolerated the 4.5 hours ride back home pretty well.   Hope we make a lot more of these fun little trips.