On one recent morning, I drove to Marineland in hopes of capturing another sunrise. I had been to this beach countless times before photographing the coquina rocks but this was the first time that I have encountered tiny little bugs biting my feet and ankles. I walked into the water to try to get these things off but to no avail, so I decided to give up the shoot early and head back to the vehicle.

After doing a little reading, I discovered that these things are not insects at all but crustaceans, a type of common sand flea. Commonly found along the coasts of Europe and the eastern coasts of the Americas, are 1 cm in length, dark brown or gray in color. Sand fleas live in the damp sand near the high tide mark where they remain buried during the day but come out at night to forage for food. Since this was just before sunrise, they were out making a meal of my feet. I never knew these things would be hiding in the wet sand of the ocean but now I know. So the next time I come here to shoot a sunrise, I will not be wearing sandals!

This was the only shot that I got from that morning. A long exposure taken just before sunrise.

“Ocean Sunrise” Image No 523:
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, 24mm lens, Hitech Firecrest 1.5 GND
30 seconds @f/11, ISO 50

Taken on Canon EOS 5D Mrk IV, Canon EF 24mm f/2.8L II lens

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