sailing the tropics

with a palm tree sailboat.  Drawn with a ballpoint pen.

a study of palms

The random grouping of palm fronds have such a natural patterns, which is so rythmic and harmonious to me. When I first arrived in Florida recently, the sound of wind through the fronds added to the rythm. It's a wonderful reminder of how much I love the coast.

moon flowers

I found these moon flowers in Florida, right in front of a boat pier. They were indeed reaching up to the moon. I listened to The Marriage of Figaro while inking this drawing.

lemon tree

These are really big, and very juicy lemons. They're also very tart, so they're perfect for a lemon merangue pie. Punta Gorda, Florida.

Florida farmers' market

This was an unusually cool Saturday morning in Punta Gorda, Florida. The variety of clothing was entertaining.

Florida palms

I'm in sunny Florida for Thanksgiving. I love the sound of wind in palm fronds. It's cool here, but it looks and sounds tropical.

the surf

Having been on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico recently, I needed to draw water. Observing waves and water is fascinating to me.

palm fronds

These short palm trees create nice shade. While in Florida, I escaped the sun while on a bike ride to sketch this hedge of palms.

Cayo Costa cabin

After hiking around the beach for a couple of hours, I went looking for shade. There are 12 very rustic cabins on the island. I don't think they have electricity either. I sat at a partly shaded picnic table and sketched this cabin. It was closed because of the eagles nest just off to the left. Florida is great about wildlife protection. If a sea turtle lays eggs on the beach, it's roped off, the same as with eagle's nests and burrowing ground owls.

leeward side, Cayo Costa, Florida

Cayo Costa island is 8 miles long and about a mile wide. The leeward side is accessable by boat from the Intercoastal Waterway. It is one of a string of barrier islands owned and protected by the state of Florida.

windward side, Kayo Costa

This is the Gulf of Mexico side of the barrier island. On the horizon is Gasparilla Island.

eagles' nest

Two fledglings and an adult eagle. The nest is in a dead tree which is roped off for protection against us humans.

urban nature

"Manicured" nature in Florida. Over the weekend I visited Kayo Costa State Park, a barrier island off the southwest coast of Florida. Nature is allowed to do its own thing on this island. Off the paths, it's hardly passable on foot, but there is alot more wildlife. Kayo Costa is accessable by boat only.

coconut tree

While sketching, it was very windy. It was a bit disconcerting sitting under the tree.

urban nature

Southwest Florida flora and fauna. Plants include ginger, fern, bromeliad, Thai plant, banana plant, orange tree, bird-of-paradise, and hibiscus. I have no idea what the tree with the dangling potato things could be. While sketching, the squirrel climbed down a palm tree to relieve himself. He was very friendly.

Gasparilla Marina

Boca Grande, Florida. This was sketched on-location. It took several days of studying water to create this sketch.

Florida coffeeshop

The past week I have been in Florida for the annual visit with my parents. This is a subjective interpretation of my iced coffee at the Cafe Rouelle in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Holidaze Boat Rental

Punta Gorda marina. You can rent everything from a kayak to a pontoon boat to an outboard motor fishing boat. The fake plastic palm trees are a "special" touch to the decor.

Florida mango tree

Charlotte Harbor bridge in the background. I love mango, I wish these were ripe! When they are ripe, these are really messy trees. The fruit ooze sticky syrup all over everything. The fruit at the top of the tree were stripped away by the birds.

Charlotte Harbor, Florida

A quick sketch done this summer in a watercolor moleskine.