Wind Swept Beach Day

It's really amazing to be so close to the beach and to be aware of the weather, winds and changing character of the beaches.  Since we decided to become 'snowbirds' for the first time, I decided to watch and record the temperature profile of St. Simons Island (SSI) while we're here.  The graph below compares the temperature that we have been experiencing at SSI for the month of February (the black line).  I have been comparing the current data to the historical data the last time there was a strong El Nino winter, i.e., 1998.  The blue, red and green lines represent the high, average and low for February 1998.  We were above average until the 6th; but the last two days we've been below average.

I have also been recording the daily high temperature at SSI and some occasional other data. Displayed below is my Excel spreadsheet where I have been chronicling the daily temperature.

This urge to track and record the data is in my engineering DNA.  It also reflects the joy and freedom to do whatever the heck I want to do as a snowbird-retiree!  Data does not lie or deceive, unlike the plethora of accusations and innuendos that are currently saturating the media in this political primary-race season.  To paraphrase a time tested expression, "You can take the engineer out of ..."

We have also noted the effect of the large tide changes on the beach topography.  One way that we have observed is how the sand accumulates at different times at the base of the steps by us that lead down to the beach.  Embedded below are views of the steps on two different days (Feb. 7th & Feb. 9th) that show significant change of the sand accumulation at the base of the steps.  The picture below is from Feb. 7th and shows 11 steps.

The following picture shows the same place on Feb. 9th, but here there are only 10 steps.

The very large tidal changes along with very strong winds moves massive amounts of sand around the beach.  We saw more dramatic changes in the beach topography yesterday as we walked northward on the beach from these steps at low tide.  About a half-mile up the beach we could see where the tides and winds had produced a large depression in the sand that was smooth beach yesterday, but was now a gully of several thousand square feet that was 10 feet lower than the same location yesterday!  Very impressive demonstration of Nature's power.

Even though the current temperatures are unseasonably low, it is still very nice to be able to go out for a long walk in the bright sunshine even if it's only 50°.  Don't mean to rub it in for all you Yankees, but as the gunslinger character Walter Brennan used to play on a TV Western said, "No brag - just fact."