Mandeville Sunset Groupies

There seems to be a group of people living in southwest St. Tammany who keep an eye on the skies each day, looking for just the right combination of elements that might produce a spectacular sunset. About mid-afternoon, they start looking at the cloud layers, particularly in the west, the clearness of the air, the wind speeds, and the horizontal spaces between clouds.

Around 5 p.m. they start getting excited when it becomes obvious that conditions might be right for a glorious sunset. They get into their cars and start heading for the Mandeville lakefront. If they time it right, allowing for traffic, they arrive just in time to park, walk out to the concrete bulkhead, watch the water for a few minutes, then turn their attention to the setting sun.

 They are not always rewarded for this effort, but on some days they are not disappointed. Quite often they are astounded by the awesomeness of the sunset. The clouds light up in every shade of orange, the yellow streaks are magnificent, and there are even tinges of purple streaming across the horizon. They just stand there, people of every age, every walk of life, every philosophical bent. For some it is therapy, for others it is an expression of nature's finest art, and still for others, it's just a quiet peaceful time to reflect on where they live, who loves them, and what lies ahead.

People have been standing on the Mandeville lakefront watching the sun set for hundreds of years, and the tradition continues each day. It's become a "star" attraction in the area.

Here are some photographs from yesterday's sunset on the Mandeville lakefront. There were about 30 people at the Mandeville Harbor playground checking out the setting sun. Click on the images to make them larger....

 

 

 

See also:

Mandeville Sunsets