Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA

Think what you will about the often maligned gull but, it is still a majestic and beautiful flier.

Strong winds were common this week and helped in photographing the gulls.

In fact, it got so windy here that this building was turned upside down!  You can see the workers on cranes trying to figure out how to turn it back right-side-up.

But otherwise, life continues on normally - the sun shines, shadows exist.  But danger lurks everywhere.......

All appears calm and normal - until a meteorite splashes in the ocean near here.  When such an event occurs, the resulting tsunami should be more than sufficient to knock down the "tsunami zone" signs the city erected on the beach.  (See this blog on 3/1/11). Perhaps the city should replace the "tsunami zone" signs with "meteorite zone" signs? Hmmmmm? 

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA

This morning it rained buckets.  But it stopped at midday, the sun came out, the wind came up, and the temperature rose to 70 degrees F - pretty great for a winter day according to my New England blood! 
 

The storm brought a favorable surf for the surfer dudes - even though the water temp was still only in the upper 40's F.

Surfers weren't the only ones enjoying the after-storm activity, this river of fresh water runoff on the beach became the preferred bathing spot for hundreds of gulls. 

Don't they look just sparkling clean and fresh now? 

But the day passed quickly - a lone gull stood in the waning golden light just before sunset.

And in the immortal words of Elmer

Fudd, "uh.....that's all, folks!"

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA

Nice place to have a back yard patio deck...... I am calling the shrubbery in the foreground the area's namesake "myrtle" until someone more knowledgeable about plants corrects me.

North Ocean Boulevard hosts countless beachfront condos and private homes in addition to bike lanes on both sides of the road. I kept staring at the bike lane logo each time I passed it and was struck by the realization that the rider's head looks more like the little black plastic plug-in thingy for Mr. Potato Head's eyeball than it does a bicyclist's head.

This oceanfront home gets my "coolest tree overhanging the driveway award."

And if you're not rich or fortunate enough to have direct oceanfront access, the city offers numerous access points with some free parking at many of them.

Or, if your feet long for concrete or planks on which to walk, downtown between 2nd Ave and 14th Ave they have a recently completed "boardwalk."

The 2nd Ave Pier features a restaurant, bar, and fishing/walking pier.

A section of the "boardwalk" with recently planted palms.  This will be stunning when the palm fronds get bigger.

After all that walking, it's time for yours truly to rest the weary muscles.

(Sorry to blind you with the pasty white sun starved New England skin).

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA

Although parts of Myrtle Beach are certainly reminiscent of the Maimi-Ft. Lauderdale stretch of beach, Myrtle still has quirky delights.

Like the resident who brings a pocketful of gull food on his beach walks.  The gulls know him well and seem to recognize his arrival at the beach.

He's a smart guy, too, he only feeds them walking into the wind so they stay slightly behind him - this prevents the gulls from leaving an unwanted surprise on his head or clothes.

Oceanfront real estate varies widely - resort style high-rises.........

.....or resort-style mid-rises......

.......or private mansions.......

.....or 1950's era bungalows.

According to Zillow.com, the Zillow Home Value Index in Myrtle Beach, SC is $111,000, compared to Ft. Lauderdale, FL at $172,000; Miami Beach, FL at $219,000;   Boston, MA at $322,000; San Francisco, CA at $670,000; Laguna Beach, CA at $980,000; Newport Beach, CA at $1,100,000; or Beverly Hills, CA at $1,900,000.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA

The day dawns at high tide in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Named after the southern wax myrtle shrub which grew abundantly, this former home of the Waccamaw tribe now hosts millions of tourists annually to enjoy the mild winters or hot and humid summers.

Although the air temperature was in the mid seventies Fahrenheit, water temperature in the upper forties kept all but the children out of the water.

What is it about kids and birds?

Midday at low tide creates a hard-packed sand perfect for long walks.........

..........or any other beach pastime.

And as the sun dips toward the horizon, the light turns golden before the end of another day.

Meanwhile, there are still two feet of snow on the ground back in the Boston area.