florida | the atlantic coast

After a few days relaxing on Sanibel Island for our second anniversary, Larry and I drove across southern Florida from the Gulf Coast to the Atlantic Coast to visit my dad in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea for a few days. I was looking forward to more relaxing on the beach, swimming in the ocean, hanging out with Dad, and taking Larry on a tour of Everglades National Park.


We arrived, Dad took us out for a nice dinner (hardest part about being in Florida was that we had given up eating seafood the year before!), and the next morning I woke up while it was still dark out. I crept out of the guest room and onto Dad's balcony to photograph the sunrise over the Atlantic.


When the guys got up, Larry made Bloody Marys on the balcony and we drank them while looking out over the beach. Pretty great way to start the day...




We had some beach time, enjoyed happy hour with my aunt and uncle who also live in Dad's building, and then I came down with a fever and spent the rest of the vacation sick. I spent hours shivering in bed, had a terrible cough, and finally relocated to the balcony where I sat huddled under a pile of towels watching the windsurfers. At least I had a view of the beach. I guess being sick on vacation is still better than being sick at home stuck in a snowstorm!





And there was some rainy weather, which made for some cool panoramic photos.





We didn't get to go to the Everglades, but I did get to swim in the ocean with my Dad, who was about to turn 80 and still swims almost every day. We've shared a love of the ocean since I was tiny tot and Dad took me swimming in New Jersey every summer and hoisted me above the waves.

Dad: I'm glad you love the ocean.
Me: I'm glad you taught me to love the ocean.

:)