Sunsets by the Sea

I've always been drawn to a beautiful beach. And I've always been fascinated by sunsets. So I take many of my vacations at the shore. Whether it be a salt water shore or a fresh water shore, it doesn't really matter. Just give me the beach!

We just returned from a trip to Marco Island off the southwest shore of Florida. This peaceful little spot is very beautiful, and very relaxing. My goal during our trips there is to catch the sunset at the beach every night. But we had a bit of rain this time, so I didn't make it to sunset every single night, but almost!

A sunset is a beautiful thing, no matter where you are. But if I stand with my feet in the warm waters of the gulf of Mexico while watching one, it's even more incredible.

As lovely as these shots may be, there is no way to fully grasp the beauty until you are standing right there. It's something about the way that the whole sky is involved.

On Marco, the sunset beauty isn't just confined to the western sky. It always seems to wrap itself all around us, from north, south, and east too.

Autumn in the tropics is often rainy and stormy, and while the weather was not perfect, I think it actually made the sunsets even prettier. Seriously, I've never seen pink rain before!

Because the weather is so mild, many restaurants don't even bother having such things as windows and doors. For instance, this lovely sunset was captured right from my seat, while eating dinner and enjoying a glass of wine.

For this beach side sunset, I did have to leave my dinner seat and walk out onto the beach. But it wasn't exactly a chore.

Now I'm back home, and there isn't a palm tree or beach to be found. But the sun still sets! It's just not the same without a beach there to set it off.