Siesta Beach

Siesta Beach, originally uploaded by zuctronic.

The day after Kevin's wedding in Sarasota, I went to visit Joel and Cesily for lunch and then stopped at the Historic Spanish Point on my way back to Sarasota. Also on my way back, I stopped at Siesta Key to see the world famous Siesta Beach.

This beach is known for its 99% pure quartz sand that is so fine and white that it is cool to the touch, even in the blazing heat of the summer. The beach has earned “the whitest and finest sand in the world” (The Great International Beach Challenge, 1987) and “The Best Sand Beach in America” (The Travel Channel, 2004) awards. I can personally attest to the incredible feeling of this sand beneath my feet... it's like walking on baby powder!

Gulf of Mexico from Longboat Key

Gulf of Mexico from Longboat Key, originally uploaded by zuctronic.

All the walking around I did at the park got me hungry so I started to head back toward St. Armands Key to get something to eat. On the way back I saw this beach. I wanted to get a good look at the Gulf of Mexico. The only time I've really seen the Gulf was from Louisiana's shore at Grand Isle. The water there is brown an smelly and there are oil platforms within view from shore. The Florida Gulf coast is not like that at all! The water is blue, the sand is white, and the wind keeps the air smelling fresh. I walked out to the water and it was pretty warm, about 70 degrees.