Hello, and welcome to my Happy Beachcomber site! I first discovered the beach as a child when we made the long drive from the piney woods of north Louisiana to visit relatives on the beautiful Florida Gulf Coast. It was love at first sight.
I have loved the beach all my life. To me, everything about it is divine – the feel of my bare feet in the sand, the smell of the salt air, the sound of the waves gently rolling in or crashing wildly on the shore, the sight of the sun sparkling on whitecaps or the moon glimmering on the calm night surface of the sea.
At times there is something incredibly peaceful about the ocean. Other times it can seem dark and threatening. It has moods, perhaps because it has a life of its own, and despite all we know about the sea it still has its mysteries.
Do you begin to get the idea? I don’t just enjoy going to the beach, I need to be there. It’s beautiful and calming and sort of feeds my soul in a way that nothing else can. I’ve heard some people say that visiting the mountains is a spiritual experience. For me it’s the ocean. It’s almost as if I feel a little closer to God when I’m at His magnificent seashore.
My favorite beaches are those in Florida and Alabama on a stretch known as The Emerald Coast. I created this site simply for the love of those gorgeous Gulf Coast beaches. My purpose is to share everything I have learned and keep learning, to inspire you to visit this gorgeous area, to help you with planing your trip, and highlight all the food, fun, and activities you can enjoy during your stay.
There are also lots of articles that answer frequently asked questions or provide information and education about the fascinating world of the beach, the ocean, the wildlife, the history… oh my, the topics I plan to cover here are endless!
Then of course there’s the practical side of it, which is dealing with the elements and having all the gear that makes being on the beach even more enjoyable. For help with that I share some of my favorite finds for beach fanatics like me, or for anyone who needs a gift but isn’t sure what to buy for their favorite beach bum. (In my book “beach bum” is meant as the highest compliment!)
Thanks so much for visiting. I do hope you enjoy the Happy Beachcomber, and I hope you thoroughly enjoy your next trip to the beach. Maybe I’ll see you there!
Update 2023: As this site has evolved, so have I. You will now find articles that cover my travels to beaches far beyond the Emerald Coast, and to other destinations nowhere near the sea. The story of one excursion even includes a bit about my cancer journey. I’m not yet sure if I’ll write more about that, but I hope what I’ve shared is uplifting and encouraging to someone, somehow, somewhere.
Susan
