Florida Coasts by Jackson Laurie — Journal

What a Gulf Coast Sunset Actually Looks Like

jackson@jacksonlauriefloridacoasts.com (Jackson Laurie) — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The first thing to understand about a Gulf Coast sunset is that the sun going below the horizon is not the event. It is the opening act. The people who fold their chairs and walk back to their cars at that moment are leaving before the performance begins.

Driving the Overseas Highway at Dawn

jackson@jacksonlauriefloridacoasts.com (Jackson Laurie) — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The trick is to leave Miami before four in the morning. That gives you enough time to clear the city before the commuter traffic starts, to get through Homestead and Florida City while the sky is still dark, and to reach the first bridge of the Overseas Highway as the horizon begins to lighten.

What the Gulf Coast Teaches About Patience

jackson@jacksonlauriefloridacoasts.com (Jackson Laurie) — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Gulf Coast faces west, and this is not a trivial fact. It means that every evening, the entire western shore of Florida is oriented toward the setting sun, and the water, which is shallow and clear, reflects the light in a way that the Atlantic side never does.

Destin vs 30A: What the Difference Actually Is

jackson@jacksonlauriefloridacoasts.com (Jackson Laurie) — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

People who have been to both Destin and 30A often describe them as opposites, and in many ways they are. But the more useful way to think about them is as two different answers to the same question: what do you do with the most beautiful stretch of coastline in Florida?

The Panhandle in October

jackson@jacksonlauriefloridacoasts.com (Jackson Laurie) — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000

October on the Florida Panhandle is a secret that the people who know it are reluctant to share. The summer crowds are gone. The water is still warm, somewhere in the low 70s, warm enough to swim in comfortably.

Amelia Island and the Atlantic Coast's Quiet End

jackson@jacksonlauriefloridacoasts.com (Jackson Laurie) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Amelia Island sits at the northeastern corner of Florida, separated from Georgia by the St. Marys River and from the rest of the Florida Atlantic Coast by its own particular character.

Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands

jackson@jacksonlauriefloridacoasts.com (Jackson Laurie) — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Marco Island is the largest of the Ten Thousand Islands, which is a name that is not quite accurate but is not quite wrong either. The Ten Thousand Islands are the mangrove islands and shallow bays and tidal creeks that make up the southwestern corner of Florida.