Thursday (26-December-2019) — Florida

Gone to See Florida — 2019 Road Trip.

Boxer Day — Dawn and Sunrise at Fort De Soto Park. Every year while visiting Florida I like to go to Fort De Soto Park to view the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at dawn and sunrise. My brother and I got there early, just as the and sky and clouds were starting to show some colors. I set up two cameras on tripods, and one handheld. When we arrived the Skyway bridge piers were still lit up with red overnight lights for the holidays.

Fuji X-T3 camera set up to record the sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1250, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Fuji X-T3 camera set up to record the sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1250, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Fuji X-H1 camera set up to record the sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1000, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Fuji X-H1 camera set up to record the sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1000, 23 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 13 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4, 1/8 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 13 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4, 1/8 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 13 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4, 1/8 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 13 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/4, 1/8 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 23 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 23 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. composite of 11 images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 23 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. composite of 11 images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 1600, 23 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 4 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/11, 1/20 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 4 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/11, 1/20 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/16, 1/80 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 9 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/16, 1/80 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 4 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/16, 1/80 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway bridge from Fort De Soto Park. Composite of 4 images taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens with a 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/16, 1/80 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and AutoPano Giga Pro. (DAVID J MATHRE)



Daily Electric Energy Used (52.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 20.4 kWh. Most of the hydroponic gardens were off or only on for fewer hours. Also, the thermostat for the Geothermal heater and hybrid heat pump hot water heater were set for vacation mode.

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Five-Years Ago (08-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2013 Road Trip. Day 5: St. Petersburg and Merritt Island.

I started the day at Fort De Soto park for sunrise. There is a small beach at the end of the road where you can watch the sun rise under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. I then drove across the state to Merritt Island to spend a couple of days at the National Wildlife Refuge.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Sunrise from the East Beach at Fort DeSoto Park. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/11, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Sunrise from the East Beach at Fort DeSoto Park. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/11, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dawn from the East Beach at Fort DeSoto Park in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 160, 18.5 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dawn from the East Beach at Fort DeSoto Park in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 18.5 mm f/1.8 lens (ISO 160, 18.5 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Hawk on a Palm Tree in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 and 180 mm f/2.8D lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f/2.8, 1/640 sec). FOV = 486 mm. (David J Mathre)
Hawk on a Palm Tree in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 and 180 mm f/2.8D lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f/2.8, 1/640 sec). FOV = 486 mm. (David J Mathre)
Wood Stork in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 1600, 300 mm, f/2.8. 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Wood Stork in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 1600, 300 mm, f/2.8. 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (24-December-2011) — Florida

December Road Trip to Florida in 2011: Fort De Soto Park

Sun rising under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge from Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County Florida. Later in the morning a male Osprey protecting its mate and nest.

Sunrise Rising Under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge from Fort Desoto County Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-200 mm f/2 VRII lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16. 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunrise Rising Under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge from Fort De Soto County Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-200 mm f/2 VRII lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16. 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Top Gun Protecting His Mate and Nest. Osprey Aerial Battle. Fort Desoto County Park in St Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Top Gun Protecting His Mate and Nest. Osprey Aerial Battle. Fort Desoto County Park in St Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (23-December-2011) — Florida

December Road Trip to Florida in 2011: Fort De Soto Park

Sunshine Skyway Bridge at sunrise from Fort De Soto Park. Later in the morning I watched a nesting pair of Osprey.

Low Tide Panorama of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn. Taken from Fort Desoto County Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/16, 1 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Low Tide Panorama of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Dawn. Taken from Fort De Soto County Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 14 mm, f/16, 1 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge Panorama at Dawn from Fort Desoto Park. St. Petersburg, Florida. Composite of 3 vertical images taken with an Nikon D3s and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 200, f/11, 0.5 sec). Images processed with DxO, AutoPano Giga, Photoshop CS5, and Topaz Define. (David J Mathre)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge Panorama at Dawn from Fort De Soto Park. St. Petersburg, Florida. Composite of 3 vertical images taken with an Nikon D3s and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 200, f/11, 0.5 sec). Images processed with DxO, AutoPano Giga, Photoshop CS5, and Topaz Define. (David J Mathre)


Two-Years Ago (27-November-2014) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2014. Day 3: St. Petersburg & Fort De Soto Park.

Sunshine Skyway at Sunrise on Thanksgiving from Fort De Soto Park. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-55 mm lens (ISO 400, 56 mm, f/11, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Google Efex Viiveza 2, and Photoshop CC 2104.

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Sunshine Skyway at Sunrise on Thanksgiving from Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. (David J Mathre)