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Stump Pass Beach State Park – A Retrospective in Photos

This is a pic
It is easy to see how the park got its name

Stump Pass Beach State Park is located in Englewood, Florida.at the southern tip of Manasota Key. The park is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the west and Lemon Bay to the east. The pass itself connects the two bodies of water. The park is a favorite among locals and the parking lot is often filled to capacity early in the morning even on weekdays.

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Dead trees line the beach along the Gulf of Mexico

Boaters can access the park as well and the Lemon Bay waterway has been known as “Ski Alley” for years. On the Gulf side bathers crowd the northern portion of the park while walkers enjoy the 1.3 mile trail from the parking lot to the pass. It is a favorite among bird watchers. Rare terns nest in the area every spring. Sea turtles lumber ashore to lay their eggs in the sand.

A skier throws up a rooster tail along “ski Alley”. The area is favored for the sport as the long straight waterway is protected from the wind meaning few waves to spoil the fun.
These terns are protected and their nesting area is roped off
The terns just lay their eggs in the sand.
I used a telephoto lens for this shot. The birds will not let you get too close

The park was transferred from the Port Charlotte Beach State Recreation Area to the state of Florida in 1970 and the state park opened to the public in 1971. Back then the park offered no services, but today there are restrooms, showers and picnic tables. Boardwalks crossed over the dunes offering passage to the beach.

A unique aspect of the park is that it is always changing. Trees and brush die off due to saltwater intrusion and erosion. Years ago it was easy to see how the park got its name. Dead trees and stumps lined the water’s edge. With each passing year storms and wave action brought down trees along the water. Some stood out n the water as the beach eroded. Eventually they would fall into the water and be gone. A coastline that made it hard to follow without getting wet turned into wide beaches. Today it is different. Few stumps remain and most large trees are gone. Grasses, sea grapes and palm trees still cover the sandy ground. Shells can be found in abundance along the waterline. Some of those shells end up as decoration on bushes.

A trail starts near the parking lot and leads the pass. It starts on a boardwalk and then turns into a very sandy path. Along the way one was treated with views of the Gulf and bay. Some wild flowers brightened the landscape, attracting insects and butterflies. Ospreys and other birds could be spotted as well as turtles and an occasional rabbit. One section beneath a canopy of trees stayed wet and a colony of fiddler crabs could be heard scuttled off the trail into the brush, their movement sounding like rain on the leaves. At the past one could find a beach often crowded with boats. The flats offered sanitary for the terns and other shore birds. We would often sit in the water here as the water was protected from the hind and was seldom choppy. My hope is the trail will once again be usable.

A rock jetty was added to the beach just north of the pass to help prese3rve the beach on the Gulf side. It worked. At least temporarily.

This is the rock jetty that was built
The rocks were soon buried in sand. At the center of this pic is a sign warning visitors to keep off the rocks.

Weathered picnic shelters sit low to the ground as sand is piled from passing storms
Shells piled up. Check out the visitor in the center.
A turtles journey to find a good spot for her eggs before returning to the Gulf Of Mexico
Shells decorate a tree stump
The perfect Christmas card from paradise

The land is low enough that waves from storms wash across the park. Hurricane Ian took down many if not all of the tall trees within the park in 2022. Then came 2024. Hurricane Helene moved north through the Gulf sending storm surge and crashing waves along Florida’s west coast. Manasota Key took a beating. Before the residents could recover Hurricane Milton moved up the coast. This storm brought new storm surge to the key already devastated by Helene. Homes and businesses were destroyed and roadways torn apart.  A new pass opened in the state park just south of the parking lot. As a result the park is now closed. While it listed as a temporary closing, I have doubts that the park will be able to open to foot traffic any time in the near future.

Temporary comfort station put in place after Hurricane Ian in 2022
These trees are long gone
Sometimes the park held a surprise or two. An abandoned bot washed up after a storm.
The beauty of this park cannot be overstated

In case you did not get enough, you can find more of my Stump Pass pics here:https://robertwilderjr.com/collections/stump+pass+beach+state+park

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Clouds Rock!

Clear Blue Skies?

In Florida we have a lot of clear blue skies. Especially in the winter (dry) months. In the summer maybe in the morning (afternoons are often filled with storm clouds).

Clear skies are great for the beach or maybe getting a tan. From a photography standpoint they are dull and boring. Unless you are doing a postcard.

The blue skies in this postcard do not distract from the message of “Visit Miami Beach!”

Clouds add character to a landscape. A dull listless day becomes filled with beauty, excitement and maybe even a little danger. Trees reach up to the life-giving clouds. A church steeple stands as good against an evil sky. Thunderheads turn a lovely day at the beach into a nightmare of swirling winds. A mood created or changed by clouds.

Red Bug Slough (pronounced sloo) is a 72 acre preserve hidden in suburban Sarasota County.
Clouds add a level of interest to a typical Florida landscape.
A menacing sky makes this church steeple stand out.
An empty beach in Venice, Florida is unusual. The clouds create a mood of loss or foreboding.

Clouds offer texture. Feathery streaks become magical fairy wings. Puffs are cotton balls adding fun thoughts of cotton candy. Dark clouds filled with swirls, shades and levels that nothing else can match.

A warm winter day in Florida brought this vision of frost in the sky.

At the very least clouds fill negative space. They fill a void with interest. Sometimes so much so that they become the focus.

Nothing wrong with that. Clouds can be amazing by themselves. The varying textures and shades portraying a story all their own.

This is Venice, Florida’s North Jetty. The usual summer afternoon storms were building to the east and moving toward the Gulf of Mexico. This is not a tropical system, just an interesting cloud formation.
Sometimes the clouds decide to tell their own story. This shot was taken during a protest about a toxic algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico. this warning seemed to rise from the water. I have not edited it other than converting a color photo to black and white.

Anyone familiar with my work knows I prefer monochrome photos. I feel they tell a story rather than just capturing a moment. Clouds are an important element in my vision. In monochrome every swirl, feather and wisp becomes a part of the story I am trying to convey. I will sometimes enhance the clouds to bring out their true nature, at least as I see it.

Without clouds the sky is just a blank canvas. Unfinished art. Still, I will not add clouds. Not sure why. It has been a common practice for longer than I have lived (looking at you, Ansel Adams). I guess I just feel that is too much, to create a mood where none existed. Or maybe I am just too lazy to create all those layers.

Of Course blue skies are not always what they seem to be. This blue sky is actually a sever thunderstorm moving into St Augustine.