Pelican Rock Sunset

by Catherine Sherman

Title

Pelican Rock Sunset

Artist

Catherine Sherman

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

"Pelican Rock Sunset, Dauphin Island, Alabama" by Catherine Sherman.

Pelicans, double-crested cormorants and gulls gather on rocks near Pelican Point as the sun sets on Dauphin Island, Alabama.

I had scrambled onto other rocks to get this view on the southeast side of the island, near the 137-acre Audubon Bird Sanctuary, a public beach and 19th century Fort Gaines. I wish I could have captured everything happening this evening in one shot -- the birds, the sunset, a dolphin, a full moon, people playing on the beach, Sand Island Lighthouse, and even a beaver swimming near the rocks where I stood. Yes, a beaver! I discovered that beavers sometimes enter the ocean. (I later saw a beaver swimming in the sanctuary's lake right in front of a sunning alligator. I worried for the beaver.) The dolphin swam near the rocks for at least an hour, probably chasing dinner. I saw a few cormorants with fish, so the fishing must have been good.

The waves lashed the rocks as the tide began to rise, and I began to worry that I shouldn't have traveled to the end of the rock jetty. I didn't want to touch the guano covered rocks with my hands, so I had to hop from rock to rock, hoping I wouldn't lose my balance. But when I successfully got back to the beach, I decided the view was worth the risk. Emoji

The next night, my husband and I returned to Pelican Point, which was very foggy. The beach was crowded with people, but there were few birds and I saw no other animals. It's a different scene every night.

Dauphin Island was named sunset capital of Alabama by its town council with the support of the Alabama Tourism Department, and now it has trademarked the description. Sunrises on the island are spectacular, too!

In addition to its sunsets and sunrises, Dauphin Island, on the Gulf of Mexico, is known for its white sand beaches. The island sits at the entrance to Mobile Bay, where the prominently positioned 19th-century Fort Gaines features original cannons and a look at the living quarters and working areas of this historic fortification. The Audubon Bird Sanctuary on the island is a refuge to wildlife year-round, including alligators and turtles in the lakes, and is an important stop for migrating birds. The Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Estuarium offers aquariums and a living marsh boardwalk. Ferry services takes travelers across the mouth of Mobile Bay from a port on the east end of Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan on the east side of the bay.

Photographed Friday, February 26, 2021: High tide 9:52pm (1.09ft); Sunset. 5:50:51 pm; Full Moon

Featured in "SunriseSunsets" group (03/06/2021); "Lady Photographers and Artists" group (03/11/2021); "Your Very Best Photography" group (03/15/2021); "Go Take A Hike Photography" group (11/13/2022); USA Photographers Only" group (08/19/2023)

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March 6th, 2021

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