JUST ANOTHER DAY OF BEACH COMBING—

We meandered up highway A1A that day, roaming the outer islands from Vero Beach northward toward the Sebastian Inlet.  That’s a pretty coastal road but sadly, plain folks are denied even a peek at the ocean most of the way.

The shoreline is infested with opulent homes, expansive landscaping and walls creating a beach-side enclave most travelers can only imagine.  But, here and there are found slivers of public access, culminating in a large state park near the inlet where the highway spans the cut between the ocean and the intercoastal waterway.

It was on that beach we found Pedro netting for bait fish (above).  My Spanish was worse than his English so we just shared a smile while pantomiming small swimming fish.

  

Surf casting is a very popular form of sport fishing on Florida’s beaches.  The really serious fishermen equip themselves with little wide-tire carts that carry their tackle, coolers, and bait.  That’s the A1A highway bridge over the Sebastian Inlet in the background.

Sue usually busies herself with capturing some sunshine on a beach blanket while I go in search of seashells in the pounding surf.  I often wonder if the little sea shell is disappointed when it is examined then discarded.  Such musings are allowed geriatric snowbirds while splashing in the bathtub-warm surf on sunny February days.

When the shelling proves less than bountiful I usually wander back to the truck and retrieve the camera to continue my visual exploration.

  

This is the Sebastian inlet from the sea (right) where fishermen crowd the pier (background) and the seawall (foreground) while a steady stream of fishing and pleasure boats roam by and by.

We had the pleasure of watching several, very colorful sea turtles cavorting in this inlet while seagulls squawk about most everything and pelicans dove into the surf for their lunch.

This could really be habit forming!