Pensacola Beach

We drove through Alabama and then finally into Florida. It was storming when we arrived in Pensacola, with heavy rains and a few bolts of lightning. We checked into our place for the rest of the week, which had this great view of the beach (and the dark clouds hanging over the Gulf).



Later on, the sun managed to break through the clouds. And we were treated with a pretty great sunset from the balcony of our rental.





The beaches at Pensacola are beautiful. The water was crystal-clear, and the sand was fluffy and brilliantly white. And most of the land along the island is preserved and protected, which means most of the beaches are undeveloped and pristine.



One night after dark I went out onto the balcony and tried to get a few pictures. The moonlight had illuminated the white sandy beaches, and the stars were shining out above the Gulf.



I set up the camera for some star trails. It was an ideal place, since I could just retreat back into the rental property while the camera sat and took pictures for two hours. There were a few clouds that drifted through the sky (along with a few helicopters), but it resulted in this star trail photo: