On one of my stays at Seahorse Key, an archaeologist from the University of Florida was conducting an experiment about ancient fish techniques. She and her team were catch fish, id'ing, and counting fish that they caught in the weirs. I had purchased a small fish tank to photograph any marine life in water. She happily dropped her more interesting specimens in to my tank where I could get up close and personal with them. She also said that 'baby fish' were her favorite, so this photo is dedicated to Genessa!
Back Beach
Shooting the Moon: Self-portrait
Seahorse Key Lanthorn
Pickled Science
Seahorse Key is the location of a pre-civil war lighthouse. One afternoon I had just come into the lighthouse through the doors directly behind me. Upon closing them off from the bright western sunlight I was met by a strong filtered light that absolutely lit up the painted floor of the lighthouse central hallway. I really like the way the lantern staircase is silhouetted yet just enough details are left so you can really see the steps and the handrail.
While scouring the 'back beach' of Seahorse Key at low tide I stumbled upon this little guy at the waters edge. Apparently, this crab is classified as uncommon and none of the staff and scientists had noted its presence at Seahorse Key before. Am I lucky or what!
The gulf coast of Florida can be very chilly during the winter months. On this particular day we where experiencing the back-end of a winter weather cell that really churned up the seas. You can see the evidence of the water churning in the scrubbed rippled sand. This handful of seafoam was pushed fairly far inland from its source quickly on its was to extinction further along the beach. Capturing its fleeting existence seem an important thing for this observer. The wind was howling but in its fragile existence I found serenity.
This horseshoe crab caught my eye while I explored the 'back beach' of Seahorse Key, in the Cedar Key National Wildlife Reserve. My senses fired with concepts like ancient, prehistoric, spider, venerable, self-reliant, armoured, and a being that does not need the hand of man to survive. See it?
Hanging Around
After searching the low-tide water line on the back beach of Seahorse Key for remnants of ancient human habitation along this sand dune I came across this conch shell. The tip of the shell was no longer present. It could have been used by the ancients to batter another conch to release the muscle of meat or nature may have cracked it off in rough seas. No matter its beginnings, when I found it the shell it looked like a sculpted eye. Buried deep in the sand the shell turned into the EYE OF A SAND MONSTER in my imagination. Can you see the Sand Monster, too? It sees you.
Detail of a weathered Live Oak tree resting on the 'back beach' of Seahorse Key, which is part of the Cedar Key National Wildlife Reserve, Florida. What caught my eye and my imagination is this image depicts 'a tree' in a tree. The weathering created this appendage of itself that caught passing dendrite, decorating the 'branches' of the newly formed appendage which to me looks like a tree. Isn't that fun?
Sand-made Sculpture
Solitude
On my second trip out to Seahorse Key I was struck by the change in atmosphere on the back porch. Last time I stood here these chairs were occupied by animated weekend science camp students. Now they are empty but somehow they are still present, something is being communicated by these chairs.
A horseshoe scientist visited the opening of the show. She says that this photo may show the beginnings of a molt. The bemused smile on this horseshoe may be caused by the separation of the lower shell at the smile. This splitting will allow the horseshoe to emerge out of the shell backwards and start growing a larger shell. Fascinating.