Florida Beaches
Clearwater Beach
This post was originally published January 18, 2018.
Happy 2018! I am back, and I am mildly less pale. While Maine has been shivering in subzero temperatures, I flew off to sunnier lands. To celebrate my college graduation, my friend and her gracious parents offered to have me stay with them in Florida for a week, while I visited some of the state’s attractions, including—of course—some beaches.
The first beach I stopped at was Ben T Davis Beach. It’s a small sand strip off the road that is only accessible at low tide. It was here where I first dipped my fingers into the Gulf of Mexico and understood why people would want to go into the ocean’s water. Though still cold from Florida’s 50-degree cold snap, it was unthinkably warm compared to Maine’s water.
On the muddy shores, I bounced between kelp-covered rocks and caught shots of the seagulls flying towards Tampa’s high-rises. Nestled between the seaweed was the shell of a horseshoe crab, who had surely become too big and buff to fit in its tiny little shell anymore. Perhaps, this is why so many seagulls gathered along the water, just hoping to catch little guys like this horseshoe crab.
With my sneakers caked in mud, I left the beach to set up my beach towel somewhere drier.
Days later, the fog had settled in on Sand Key. Despite warm temperatures and a sunny mainland, the beach did not clear off for the 2 hours I stayed there. Though the weather was not ideal for long walks on the beach, I was mostly unbothered. I admired the piles of shells that had been pulled to the shore by the tide and arranged them into mosaics. While my friend was bundled up in a blanket on the sand, I waded waist deep into the water.
My favorite of the beaches, and probably the most beautiful beach I’ve ever been to, is Clearwater. The sand was remarkably soft like my feet were stepping on billions of micro-blankets, and the water was, in fact, very clear. The beach was not crowded or even full. People spread their blankets far down either side of the wooden pier, while others slid down the giant inflatable slide or studied a human-sized chessboard away from the water.
As crafters began setting up their tables on the pier for the evening, I walked through the nearby town shops. Overflowing with bathing suits, tourist trinkets, and the occasional tacky t-shirt, the shops never fell short of offering something interesting. I even went into a Hulk Hogan shop, who I will admit, I didn’t even know about until I saw the shop. After that, it was pretty apparent he was a big-time wrestler.
While the sun began to set, street performers came out to the beach. Several people came out to sing, and one man stuck an entire sword down his throat before bending forward. Everyone else was gathered along the water to watch the sun shoot colors across the sky and sea. Children continued to romp around in the sand, adding finishing touches to their castles, and I joined their parents in watching the sun quickly sink out of view.