October on the Emerald Coast | Beautiful Skies, Stormy Seas & a Little Exploring

October was an eventful month here on the Emerald Coast! Between beautiful sunsets, a SpaceX launch, hurricane preparations, and a little exploring around Destin and Pensacola, there was plenty to see and photograph.

October Skies

One of the best things about living along the Emerald Coast is that you never know what the sky is going to look like from one day to the next. We had some incredible sunsets this month, with everything from soft pink clouds to brilliant orange and red skies reflecting off the water.

We also got to witness something a little different when an early morning SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral created an unusual glowing formation in the sky. Even from our side of Florida, the rocket's trail was visible, creating what people sometimes call a "space jellyfish." It was definitely worth getting up early for!

Hurricane Season on the Coast

October also brought a reminder that hurricane season wasn't quite finished with us yet. As the storm approached, we spent time preparing and keeping up with the latest forecasts, and even had the opportunity to meet Mike from Mike's Weather Page and some of the news crews covering the hurricane.

After the storm passed, we headed back out to see how things looked along the coast. The rough surf, changing shoreline, and stormy skies were quite a contrast to the peaceful beach scenes we're used to photographing. Living along the Gulf means experiencing both sides of coastal life, and this month certainly gave us a little of each.

Out and About in Destin and Pensacola

We managed to squeeze in a little exploring this month, too! A dinner trip to McGuire's Irish Pub in Destin gave us a chance to catch a beautiful sunset over HarborWalk across the street. Sometimes the best photographs happen when you're not even planning on taking them.

We also spent some time in downtown Pensacola as the city was getting ready for its annual Foo Foo Festival, which runs from October 29 through November 9. It was fun seeing the art installations beginning to take shape, especially around the Pensacola Museum of Art.

While we were downtown, we stopped by a couple of favorite spots in the historic district, including Lucy's in the Square for food and drinks and Old Christ Church, one of those beautiful historic buildings that's always worth stopping to admire.

October Through the Lens

Looking back through this month's photographs, it's pretty amazing how much the scenery can change in just a few weeks. From peaceful sunsets and unusual sights in the morning sky to hurricane weather and afternoons spent exploring nearby towns, October gave us plenty of memories to capture.

We're looking forward to sharing more of our adventures around Navarre Beach and the Emerald Coast in the months ahead. In the meantime, enjoy a few of our favorite photographs from October!

Thanks for following along!

JJDykes Photography
The Emerald Coast, Through a Local Lens