BOCA GRANDE - BUNGALOWS, BEACHES, BOUGAINVILLEAS AND SUNSETS

Across the road from the Innlet on the Waterfront, Boca Grande, a short walk down a gravel road, lovely cottages and glamorous digs on either side, is the natural, unspoiled beach.  Sparkling Gulf Coast waters, shells, blue skies, sunshine and magnificent sunsets.  

One of the cute little ones, garden of greens.

Lovely beach house

Bougainvillea and oleander - pink on pink - hides the wall that hides the pretty home inside.

Living in Maryland, I miss the palm trees of the sub-tropical Durban I came from - not to mention the spectacular bougainvillea that were so abundant and flowered profusely all summer long in my garden. 

Loved this leafy entrance to another be beachy home

Pretty or what!

Walk for miles, swim, pick up shells, soak up the rays - don't forget the sunscreen, it's hot

I'm in the warm swells, with my camera and all I see are fish and seaweed around me.  I wouldn't exactly say "surf's up!!"

Great to see the grasses growing naturally everywhere along the beach - holds the sand, provides nesting sites for water birds and turtles  

Coming to the end of another beautiful day on the Gulf Coast, southwest Florida

Not a soul in sight - peace and tranquility as the sun sets

Do I see a wave??

Plovers, plovers everywhere - scurrying back and forth with the water, drilling into the sand for treasure to snack on at the end of the day  

Going.........

going........... 

GONE.  THE END - of another beautiful beach day.

BOCA GRANDE, FLORIDA - INNLET ON THE WATERFRONT

On a recent trip to Naples, FL I headed north on a 2-hr drive to Boca Granda, on Gasparilla Island and spent a few days staying at the lovely, affordable Innlet on the Waterfront.  It sits on the Boca Grande Bayou which is an outlet that opens into the Gasparilla Sound.  Across the street and past a few pretty homes is the beach, the Gulf of Mexico.  Boca Grande is small, beautiful white sand beaches, lovely shopping area, adorable cottages, beachfront mansions, beautiful emerald green/azure blue Gulf water, great swimming.  Lots of bicycles, golf carts, ice creams, the Gasparilla Inn which is famous for hosting presidents and celebs alike, palm trees, manatees and fresh fish.

Innlet on the Waterfront, 11th St. Boca Grande - great location

Looking out from the room

Yes that is a manatee - oh I wanted to jump in and swim with it but are there alligators lurking beneath the surface??

There goes the magnificent creature, bobbing lazily along, munching on vegetation.

View from outside the ground floor room, across the Bayou

Peace and tranquility - a beautiful white heron adorns the piling

Gecko amongst the shells - and lots of them scurrying back and forth wherever you look 

View across the water from the Innlet - behind the mangroves, a golf course

Boca Grande Bayou - directly across from the front of the Innlet on the Waterfront

SNIPPETS OF SPRING IN MY GARDEN

A furry friend

Honeysuckle - loved by the hummingbirds

An orchid that comes back each year

Philadelphus - Mock Orange with the most exquisite scent

Roses brighten up any summer garden

Evening primrose, reseeds and blooms for a long time

The beautiful pink evening primrose

Climbing rose hanging over my herb boxes - chives in bloom

Seedpods of the gorgeous yellow woodland poppies that self-sow and love the shade.  

Purple iris with daddy long legs spider visitor

FLYING OVER ANNAPOLIS, MD

I DON'T TRAVEL WITHOUT MY CAMERA AND LOVE TAKING PHOTOS OUT OF A PLANE WINDOW - I TOOK THESE A FEW WEEKS AGO FLYING OVER MY HOMETOWN OF LOVELY HISTORIC LITTLE ANNAPOLIS, MD - TO BWI (BALTIMORE WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL) AIRPORT NEARBY.

THE CHESAPEAKE BAY - KENT ISLAND ON THE LEFT ACROSS THE BAY BRIDGE - A 4-MILE CROSSING FROM THE WESTERN SHORE TO THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND.

LOOKING ACROSS CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM BROADNECK PENINSULA, WHITEHALL CREEK SNAKING UP THE MIDDLE.  I LIVE ALMOST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PHOTO - WHERE??????  LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE IN A TREE HOUSE.

BROADNECK PENINSULA WITH WHITEHALL CREEK ON THE LEFT OFF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, AND THE START OF MILL CREEK ON THE RIGHT.  HUGE CONTAINER SHIPS COMING UP THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TO THE PORT OF BALTIMORE.  

THE SEVERN RIVER FLOWS INTO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, TWO BRIDGES CROSSING FROM THE BROADNECK PENINSULA, AND THAT'S ANNAPOLIS DOWNTOWN AND TOWN CENTRE ALONG THAT PIECE OF LAND.  IF YOU COULD ONLY SEE ALL THE HOMES NESTLED AMONGST THESE TREES!!

THE SEVERN RIVER, THE BRIDGE ON THE LEFT IS THE NAVY BRIDGE WHICH LEADS TO THE US NAVAL ACADEMY ON THE FAR SIDE, ON THE WATER AND OUR LOVELY LITTLE HISTORIC "CITY" HIDING SOMEWHERE OUT THERE.

WATER, WATER AND TREES EVERYWHERE.  WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.