clouds.. and rain.. but all was not lost

with heavy thunderstorms forecast by 7am I decided to drive over to the island anyway-- clouds and all as I left the house at 6am..  a scant chance maybe I'd see the sun-- but after a 20 minute or so wait it just wasn't going to happen..  a nice 73* though.. short sleeves and shorts..  a few pics along the causeway on the island and I was off back over the bridge and a stop at the Lake about a mile away..  with a lower barometer usually good things happen when 'wetting a line'---it did not disappoint.. it was feeding time for the fish.. I landed 2 Largemouth Bass including a nice 'fatso'--- then the rains came down in buckets as I packed up my gear and jumped back into my car

a non-sunrise on the island

no one around.. no peeps.. no cars --dark.. uglee.. gloomy

the Canon 6d Mk II 10 second timer

the smaller Largemouth Bass

the 'fatso'-- fish that is

just before the rain started I make my final cast

an Osprey 'flyover' at the Lake

here comes the Rain

earlier 6am radar showing what's heading my way

73*

a fun sun this early morning

on this 68* early morning at 6am as I left the house.. a lot warmer than yesterday.. headed on over to the island .. and why not.. today it was crowded .. saw one car leaving the island as I sat along the causeway.. no peeps around..  a beautiful sunny day-- all day-- got up to 75* this afternoon--  perfect weather ..

just one car as I catch it in the sunrise passing me

a real fatso gator trying to get closer to me

Green Heron over the Pond near the Lake

all alone am I-- at least on the island this early morning

off I went--again. on my usual drive over to the island with the excuse of taking pics-- actually it is a fishing trip--shhhhhhh.. 47*  with a chill in the air.. sure was empty .. not a car or person in sight on land for longer than I had expected even at 6am well before sunrise   -- only a couple of boats on the water....  73* this afternoon and sunny..  and a short video https://youtu.be/xqVUMuVDWNk

down to the East End ..

drove to the very East End of the island before sunrise.. beach still closed .. so did the next best thing..  sunrise came up behind the high-rise on Ocean Isle Beach across the way the other side of Tubbs Inlet.. saw 2 peeps jogging the entire time I was out there.. no one around.. stopped at the Lake-- same there.. not even the Gator or a bite . kewl temps at 54*.. took a while but finally got up to 73* and sunny by late afternoon

overlooking Tubbs Inlet toward Ocean Isle Beach

the 4 Quacks at the pond not too far from the house

getting some 'rays' in our front yard

I got a little too close-- he tries to 'blend'

Momma Cardinal found the goodies-- their favorite-- Safflower Seeds

Chickadee found his breakfast too

the sun is shining.. but first a MESSAGE about this Blog

well .. I thought it best to make some temporary minor changes to the Main Page of My Blog that I normally try to do on a daily basis.. I created My Blog mainly for friends and relatives who are not on Facebook for when we travel on our cruises and are away from home to follow along in our journeys if they care to.. I have enjoyed doing it for the past 9 years.. btw.. no politics.. no b.s. with a lot of pics and just having fun .. hopefully I'll get to remove these changes when this Covid-19 lets all of us get back to a more normal life--if that would ever be possible-- hopefully sooner than later .. My BLOG WILL Go On and continue as it is with just some minor 'text changes' at the very top of the Main Page     ....stay well.. stay healthy.. stay safe.. stay at home...

 0610 am I was out of the house and on the drive over to the island with hopes of Clear skies that was in the weather forecast--almost.. low clouds delayed this morning's sunrise .. so patience ..patience ..patience as I waited it out on the island.. a stop by the Lake on the drive home to 'wet a line'.. no takers but was being watched closely by a 'regular' with big teeth .. over to the docks in Calabash to check it out..

before sunrise on the island causeway

Gator at the Lake in my fishing spot

a wide-eyed cat watching the Laughing Gulls eat his breakfast

Shrimp Boat at the docks in Calabash

a pseudo-Lighthouse down at the Calabash Docks

clouds .. and the Phantom

over to the island this early morning.. what looked like a chance for a nice sunrise went 'bust'.. clouds took over for the rest of the morning.. stopped at the Lake to 'wet a line'.. nada.. got up to 71* and sunny this afternoon..

found some nice Broadway style shows on You Tube on this special channel -- 'Shows Must Go On' Channel at this link.. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmPjhKMaXNNeCr1FjuMvag playing on the large screen TV-- Andrew Lloyd Webber's ' Love Never Dies' as well as a series of Phantom of the Opera Videos ..I knew that 75" Samsung TV would come in handy one of these days..

atop the Sunset Beach Bridge over the ICW

quiet as a mouse on the causeway

this was it-- as the clouds took over the sky

the old One Lane Sunset Beach Bridge-- now a mini museum

Osprey flying over the Lake

Cormorants drying out at the Calabash River