On the Beach in December

Since the weather has been so balmy of late here on the Florida peninsula we decided to go frolic in the waves at New Smyrna Beach, one of my favorite coastal towns on the Atlantic shore. We spent the afternoon at the beautiful Smyrna Dunes County Park, which is located at the northern end of the barrier island where it juts into Ponce Inlet.

This spectacular park protects a large population of endangered gopher tortoises and preserves the last remaining chunk of undeveloped sand dune and coastal scrub ecosystem in Volusia County. It also includes extensive bay & river frontage as well as a magnificent strand of Atlantic beach. I must admit that I love wearing swim trunks in December.

A large gopher tortoise heading into its burrow.

Atlantic Ocean


A snowy egret in Ponce Inlet


New Smyrna lighthouse


Old Man of the Sea