On the (frigid) Beach

[Riley Smith]

The cold came riding on the north wind last night, all the way down to the Gulf Coast. That strong north wind conspired with low tide to empty the bayous, lakes, and bays of water. What was underwater along all the shorelines was now "dry", or at least visible. The ocean had left on that north wind, and told some of its secrets.
All the water leaving left a whole new world that was now exposed. The bar in the little bay in front of the house was high and dry. As a matter of fact, the little bay was almost not there; only the river channel on the other side of that bar held any appreciable water.
The gulls were hanging out there, and a few other shorebirds. There a few terns and an osprey but it was mostly gulls. They were picking over the exposed bar and bathing in the clear water. The shrimp will be leaving and they were probably scooping up the last of the lot available. Also, some were most likely stranded in certain places when the water left.
And along the hurricane wall, the Spanish Needle's flowers drew a couple of monarchs in the warm sunshine. Maybe they'll make it through the cold, and the pair did an aerial ballet for a while in the sunbeams.

Horn Island floating on the fata morgana out there, with the river channel on the backside of the bar and what is left of the little bay in the foreground.

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[Riley Smith]

What is so nice in Mississippi, is that the cold only lasted one night. It did get to 25F here and there are a few less potted plants that I'll have to move around. Good riddance! I'm advocating using the last green tomatoes we have for a special dish my wife makes. Fried green tomatoes and a creamy crab meat dressing. It's to die for. The wind now has south in it (SW @ 5kts) and it is 48F now. I'm considering if the water will come back in for high tide and fishing under the lights.