A Magical Place Revisited
Returning to a particular place to photograph has always brought me joy. I am able to bring a new set of skills as my craft develops, share the experience of the place with new people, and always create a new memory even if I am alone! Beer Can Island at the Northern tip of Whitney Beach is one such special place. I first found this stretch of beach back in 2007 when I took my flats boat down to Sarasota and went out searching for Redfish with my fly rod. I came out of Sarasota Bay late in the day and passed under a drawbridge into the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico; this small island with hundreds of dead and windswept trees came into view on my port side and I beached the boat to go explore. That entire day I spent alone fishing and photographing has always been a fond memory and has inspired a few trips back to this quiet, isolated, and magical place!
Last week I was able to once again head back and for the 2nd time find access to this island by land, it’s always further down the road than I think and takes me a while to figure it out! It’s quite a hike from where I could park my car and walk first though a neighborhood and then onto a narrow unmarked path; through a hole in a chain-link fence, and around a corner where this amazing beach appears! I realized I have been here for sunrise at 4am and a few times as the sun sinks behind the Gulf. I spent a couple of wonderful hours living out my dream of photographing the awesome beauty of our planet!