Catching Rays Along Pensacola Beach
The miracles of nature along the sandy beach
The ocean has many moods, an endless energy with year round passages of breaking waves, earth’s beating heart giving life to countless creatures.
Growing up in a Navy family, I never ventured far from nature’s waters. As a young adult I found the beaches of Pensacola and have returned to her shores for thirty years. Now my daughter invites me to join her pilgrimage of Pensacola Beach.
Looking down from a 14th floor condo the ocean is incredibly calm; a solemn beauty touched by shades of navy, turquoise and light green. The water is so clear we notice a school of large fish feeding in the shallow waters but the swaying motion seems odd. So my daughter and I go down to investigate.
With point-and-shoot camera in hand we wait as a small dark cloud inches its way towards us. Four stingrays, Cownose rays, glide by and we take chase walking the soaked sand studying these angelic creatures. They swim with the current moving quickly feeding on shellfish just feet from the shoreline. Measuring 24 to 36 inches across, the outer skin is a slick dark grey while the white underbelly hides the gills and mouth. On the head, two horn style lobes probe the seafloor for food and use the lobes to form a circle funneling the particles. It has a pencil-thin tail and stinger laced with a weak venom similar to a bee sting.
From the west we notice a dark curved line shaped like a flock of geese swimming towards us. It’s another school of rays maybe 100 in a 100-ft string. We leave our lonely four and follow this lofty group. Together their agile movement ebbs back and forth from deeper waters to the sandy foam lapping the shores. It’s interesting to watch the hierarchy as multiple layers swim together almost in complete unison. This close-knit formation allows their synchronized wing flaps to stir up sediment and expose buried clams and oysters. Sometimes they jockey for position, wings peak above the surface and suddenly a quick fly-by as one takes flight over the others.
We have followed them now for nearly two hours and take note of some unique markings giving them nicknames. One has a scar, a small tan spot minus the normal gray coating, he is Scarface. Another has a short tail and dubbed Stubby. We observe every minute movement and their interaction with humans. Some swimmers are startled and exit the water, while others decide to soak in the beauty. The rays gently part around them gliding through the still waters.
As the morning hours drift away so do the rays and we retreat inside waiting for the afternoon breeze. We pack a lunch, grab the beach gear, and head for nature’s most compelling therapy. Kick off the sandals and feel the warm grains of sand seep through your toes while every inch of the body is brushed with the ocean’s salty breeze. Under the shade of an umbrella, I lean back in my chair, open a book and tune into the ocean’s soothing lullaby.
We retreat back to the balcony for dinner and watch the evening unfold. Gold flecks of light dust the sea oats and fishing pier while the beach is covered with a mosaic pattern of footprints. Forget Hollywood or the 3-D movies, this is just a preview of things to come.
A moonless sky welcomes a starry night and the splendor of space. Studying the constellations, the planets stand out with a distinct sparkle as Jupiter and Venus are easy finds. Late August brings a rare treat with Neptune in plain view casting a blue-green orb. The darkness heightens the roar of the sea and the rhythm of the sand moving beneath the waves. On the horizon a distant flash of pink shines through a cloud bank. And we whisper the prospect of a storm brewing.
The next morning, the wind blows from the south and clouds slowly crawl across a sea covered in white caps. Even the rays retreat to deeper waters after a rough beating by pounding waves. A sparse crowd enjoys the morning sun while a brisk breeze gains more fury.
Pods of dolphins, young and old jump into the air and slap their tails on the surface. They seem to enjoy the rougher seas, perhaps more movement of fish and an invigorating massage for their sensitive skin. We watch pelicans skim the waters diving for their morning meal while gulls tag along doing the same.
This is a scene we have enjoyed for decades along the snowy-white sands of Pensacola Beach. No matter the season the beach delivers infinite possibilities. Still waters bring marine life viewing while storms wash in waves of seashells. But perhaps the greatest gift is pure relaxation and serious therapy.
Pensacola Beach Tourism, www.visitpensacolabeach.com, 1-800-635-4803
Santa Rosa Island Authority, www.sria-fla.com, 850-932-2257
Emerald Isle Condominiums, www.emeraldislelife.com, 1-800-801-4689
Native Café serves great breakfast and lunch, www.thenativecafe.com, 850-934-4848 Dog House Deli right across the beach,www.doghousedeli.com, 850-916-4993
PegLeg Pete’s with waterfront dining, www.peglegpetes.com, 850-932-4139
An award winning writer, photographer and social media specialist, Deb owns a Media Arts degree from Tulane University with published work on a local, regional and national level. She specializes in travel, lifestyle, culinary culture and historical architecture along with social media promotions for authors, publishers and small business owners. Deb enjoys a loyal following as a travel and food columnist with Louisiana Road Trips magazine and keeps busy with local publications. A frequent contributor to nationally distributed magazines Fine Books & Collection, Old House Journal and Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine, Deb served as Louisiana bureau chief for the regional blockbuster, Southern Breeze magazine. A New Orleans native now living in Mandeville, Louisiana, she is the co-founder of the Northshore Literary Society, member and former board member of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association.
Deborah Burst, freelance writer and photographer, lives and writes in the piney woods of Mandeville. After a 30-year stint in banking, she graduated from Tulane in 2003. Her work has appeared in regional, national, and international publications. A personal translator blessed with an emotional art form, Deb discovers the food, culture, and people along the backroads each month in Louisiana Road Trips.
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