The Electric Sunset

Sun, Rain and a Hearty Helping of Lightning along Jacksonville’s Scenic A1A

The Electric Sunset - A Dramatic Thunderstorm Sweeps Down the Coast at Dusk

Rumor had it that a very rare unicorn-level car, the 10 million dollar Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, was headed our way as part of the Gold Rush Rally that we posted about earlier today. So, after finishing up photos at the Ritz-Carlton, we headed south on A1A, to the spot where we had begun our afternoon. We never did get to see the car, but what we did get to see was just as amazing.

The Electric Sunset - A Dramatic Thunderstorm Sweeps Down the Coast at Dusk
The Electric Sunset Panorama - A Dramatic Thunderstorm Sweeps Down the Coast at Dusk

As we waited in vain for the CLK GTR, something special began to materialize in my rear-view mirror as the sun began to set. It began as just a hint of color underneath a growing bank of ominous clouds, but quickly matured into an impressive shelf cloud, plowing the sky ahead while the sky behind began to glow. Camera in hand, I could feel the noticeably temperature drop as the summer thunderstorm rolled to the south, tracing its course along scenic A1A.

The Electric Sunset Panorama - A Dramatic Thunderstorm Sweeps Down the Coast at Dusk
The Electric Sunset - A Dramatic Thunderstorm Sweeps Down the Coast at Dusk
The Electric Sunset - A Dramatic Thunderstorm Sweeps Down the Coast at Dusk

As the sun continued to set, the lower tendrils of the shelf cloud, now directly overhead, began to warmly glow – lit by a small gap in the western wall of the thunderstorm. As day gave way to night, and hopes of seeing our automotive unicorn similarly darkened, we left Big Talbot Island and Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, heading south along the marsh-lined road.

The Electric Sunset - A Dramatic Thunderstorm Sweeps Down the Coast at Dusk - Lightning
The Electric Sunset - A Dramatic Thunderstorm Sweeps Down the Coast at Dusk - Lightning
The Electric Sunset - A Dramatic Thunderstorm Sweeps Down the Coast at Dusk - Lightning

But creation wasn’t quite done with the show just yet. Heading south, the sky was all but continually lit by lightning – and as we approached the Sandollar Restaurant, along the northern shore of the St Johns River, we decided to stop and see what we could capture. Now typically, when I do this sort of thing I manage to time it just as the storm is fizzling out – but not this time! The lighting show was absolutely amazing – a cherry on top of a great all-around day of photography. Be sure to click the link below to see over 100 high resolution photos and panoramas from our thunderstorm adventure!


Full Isles of Shoals Gallery

Thank you for spending a few moments on our blog today. To see our full gallery of photos from this post, click on any of the images in this article, or visit the gallery directly. Do you enjoy our content? Please consider purchasing a print, canvas or other fine art product quickly, securely and easily directly from our site to hep us continue to bring you interesting and compelling stories of our adventures.

Instagram @deremerstudios | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

Copyright 2019 Deremer Studios LLC. | deremerstudios.com | 904.744.1103

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.