clouds and more clouds

with so many clouds around on this early Friday morning I passed on heading on to the beach..  over to the island I stayed along the causeway..  a quiet morning.. as  Tropical Storm Isaias that just hit Puerto Rico is making its way NNW toward Florida and eventually up along the East Coast passed us forecast for this coming Monday.. we shall see what develops

a subdued sunrise.. lots of clouds

just so many clouds this early morning...a subdued sunrise but at least there was one.. almost forgot to mention.. left the house around 530am and right around the corner a deer walked across Persimmon Road in front of me... always go slow in the area knowing they like to cross there in the dark early mornings.. as I started moving again--there's always that 2nd deer.. missed him about 15 feet in front of my car.. no time to snap a pic unfortunately.. talk about 'deer in the headlights'.. all is well

a quiet quick sunrise with all the low clouds

for the disabled who use the 40th street access

rolling over in the surf

clouds and a lightning storm

over to the island just across the bridge on to the causeway at 540am.. saw what I didn't want to see-- another Lightning storm just off the beach and offshore convinced me not to go on to the beach this early morning.. so I shot a short video on my phone.. it's not a good old fashion 1960's Coney Island Schaefer Beer fireworks show but it'll do for down here in s/e NC.. and yop. a familiar white Pacifica Van with a luggage bump on the top and 'TOURON" written all over it passed by.. I knew who that was--right Mike  .. hahahaha  
here's a link to the Lightning Storm video  Lightning Storm Video

early is nice..

a nice 10mph breeze greeted me as I walked on to the beach at 530am this early morning.. at 82* it wasn't cool.. but at least it kept the 'no-see-ums' away.. pretty quiet out there.. met and spoke to a few of the 'usual suspects' .. as the regulars were out and about-- the dog-walkers and Turtle Watchers group

before sunrise 550am

Turtle nest near 34th street

and as posted

so early in the morning.. meeting up with a friend

it was a drive over to the beach as I left the house at 520am.. got my parking spot on the West end.. a few minutes later-- there he was--- the 'Baltimore Connection' is in town-- as I met up with a good friend Mike Heller who was in town on vacation with his family-- long time no see.. off on to the beach at 40th street talking some good times and memories when we all fished the Sunset Beach Pier together every year that they were in town for a visit back then.. super great seeing and chatting with Mike ..missed seeing his Dad Alan Heller who was at home-- Hi Alan !!! .. snapped a few pics of course as he did .. not busy on the beach anywhere near us at all this early morning.. as per the usual-- the Turtle Watchers group and the usual dog-walkers all headed west from the 40th street dunes walkway toward Bird Island and the Little River Inlet Jetties away from us .. off the beach around 7am.. a super nice early morning.. stopped on the drive home down the road from the house and did another Mavic Air 2 drone trial flight to check out the camera without the ND16 filter attached--testing excessive flaring-- don't like to fly it near the beach this time of year with all the peeps around.. playing around with some video editing also-- just having fun
 Mavic Air 2 drone video on You Tube  https://youtu.be/MOnMDi0mWwo

a quiet early Sunday morning at the beach

a quiet early morning.. lots of peeps must have slept in today after their Saturday check-in.. over to 40th street --plenty of parking which was unusual these days.. on to the beach by 545am.. a half hour wait until sunrise.. nice 5 mph breeze that was just enuff to keep the 'no-see-ums' (nats) away.. a pretty day up to 87* and sunny

Panorama

some Crepuscular Rays before sunrise

and more

Sunsrise

some peeps looking for shells just after sunrise

made me smile once again

walkers in the sunlight

quiet looking west toward Little River Inlet Jetties

same-same as early yesterday morning..

 a drive over to the island at 545am.. stopped along the causeway .. cars galore heading to the beach.. who the heck gets up this time of the morning on vacation.... decided to pass on the beach with all the peeps heading there well before 6am...wildness.. the sky was almost a carbon-copy of yesterday morning.. too many low clouds for a decent sunrise and another lightning show with a storm just offshore along the beach..

too many low clouds at sunrise

reflections at the Calabash River on the drive home

a Pileated Woodpecker at the Peanut Suet feeder

storm offshore..

early forecast showed heavy storms along the beach for the early morning.. drove over to the island anyway and there was definitely a 'lightning show' in full force going on looking south over and towards the beach.. needless to say I did not go on to the beach... the storm was running just offshore.. stayed along the causeway.. snapped some sunrise pics.. 88* sunny then some strong afternoon thunderstorms passed thru that cooled everything down for a while

storm just offshore .. plenty of lightning

a pair of Finches drinking the 'hummingbird juice'

afternoon thunderstorms cooled the temps down

quiet at the beach.. another hot day

a drive over to the beach at 530am.. clear morning.. noticed ocean water temps up to 85*.. cookin'... a few peeps out and about .. could have used a lil' breeze... 89* thru the afternoon .. and sunny

back to the beach..

a beautiful morning.. over to the beach at 540am..  pretty quiet after all the peeps who were there yesterday.. not so today..just a few here and there with some dog-walkers mixed in.. only bad thing was there was NO wind so the no-ee-ums -- nats- were flying around biting..   up to 91* at the house.. cookin'...

well before sunrise

a ghost-crab house in the sand

rolling over

leaving the beach along the  dunes

a drone's eye view