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Sea oats


Sea oats
Photo Information
Copyright: Alli Hemingway (annagrace) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 545 W: 17 N: 853] (2992)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-07
Categories: Seascape
Camera: Olympus C4000Z
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/200 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-08-12 15:28
Viewed: 936
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Among the most picturesque plants of dune habitats along North Carolina's coast is sea oats. Three to six feet high, its seed heads wave in the wind like so many golden flags. Sea oats are the anchors of its ecosystem, surviving and thriving in wind, salt spray, and sun of coastal environments, but creating and protecting habitats for many other species. Native from coasts of the southeastern U.S. into South America, a close relative lives in the Bahamas and Caribbean.

Sea oats create dune habitats by trapping windblown sand. They stabilize dunes with extensive fibrous root systems. Sea oats do best where there are shifting sands. If storm winds bury sea oats, they can grow upward through as much as two feet of sand to begin life anew. But sea oats don't do well where the water level is less than a foot below the surface -- they are tolerant of salt spray, but much less tolerant of salt in the sand.

Some endangered and threatened species depend on North Carolna's dune habitats. Snowy Plovers and the southeastern beach mouse find shelter, food, and nest sites among the dunes. Sea oats are protected by North Carolina law -- picking them destroys dune habitats, and makes habitats inland from the dunes more vulnerable to storms. It is against the law to walk on the fragile dune structures, and many boardwalks have been built across them to protect the habitat. http://wildthings.fgcu.edu/transcripts/script100.html

This photo was taken on the last day of our beach vacation at Emerald Isle in North Carolina. A person on the beach was cloned out, otherwise unchanged.
goldfinchtr, halki, dew77, marhowie, scottevers7 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Alli!
What a great place! I envy you this wonderful shot because it means you spent there wonderful time. And I have no holidays at least!

Hello Ali,

This's a wonderful capture! The light on the Sea oats is very good! A good beach to swim:)

I've never seen the Atlantic Ocean or the beach there, this is so lovely it makes me want to go! I miss the ocean so much, I used to live there, I can almost smell the ocean breeze, your photo is so lovely. I love the open area leading off towards the ocean, and the little part of fence you can see. The sea oats are very charming, I learned a lot from your note, well done.

  • Great 
  • halki Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 253 W: 8 N: 105] (467)
  • [2005-08-13 3:01]

Hello Alli!
Very nice capture.Wonderful composition.
Thanks for posting...

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2005-08-13 8:53]

Hello Alli!
An artistic capture.DOF you managed,POV,details and composition are excellent.TFS...:-)

Hello Anna Lu, Well, you keep taking me back to the beach! Lovely shot showing the sea oats, beach and surf very well..Where's my beach towel? ;-) Well done.

Hi Alli,
I love this seascape shot. The composition, framing colors, detail, and DOF are right on the money. I really need to get back to a beach soon. Beautiful!!!!!
Scott

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