As we reach the middle of October the weather has turned rather nicely to become cooler, wetter and more blustery. We have had several days of steady rain to soak the ground which always makes for great hiking. Leaves are changing color and beginning to fall, adding a new layer to enrich the humus. Fungi are popping up to release their spores and the lichens are becoming vibrant as the moisture soaks into the dead and decaying wood on the forest floor. One of my favorite times of year to hit the trails at the Indiana Dunes, this day I decided on the West Beach trail loop. It is a trail with a lot of variety including beach, foredunes, interdunal wetlands and mature forested dunes.
Although not apparent in this photograph, there was a light rain with a sustained 30 mph winds off the lake on this day. I consider this to be near optimal beach weather, though it would appear that not many share my opinion on this matter. Regardless I thoroughly enjoyed my stroll along the beach this day.
The grassy backside of the foredunes facing the lake. Although it may not look like it this stage of dune formation is quite fragile. The grasses which are stabilizing the sand are easily damaged so it is important to stick to the marked trails.
Eastern Prickly Pear cactus, one of the main attractions along the West Beach trails. The whole area is very sandy and these hardy cacti can be found all over the open areas where they can get plenty of sun. The fruits are still attached and healthy, their orange hues contrasting nicely with the green.
Fallen leaves will form many layers where they soak up the moisture. Eventually they decay and form a fresh and nutrient rich layer of new soil for the coming spring.
It is early Autumn and the grasses are still vibrant green, though they are beginning to get matted down. I enjoy examining the crisscrossing patterns and the droplets of water which collect at their vertices. This is the sort of scene which makes it well worth being out in the rain.
The day alternated between light misty rain and short bursts of moderately heavy rain. Here I spent a few minutes examining this interdunal wetland while waiting out one of those moments. Just standing still, listening to the rain fall all around me and wind gusting all about. Being out in nature in the rain is one of the best experiences, and I never get tired of it. When appropriately dressed it is very enjoyable.
Another thing which you can really only find on overcast and wet days. The water soaking into this fallen branch has perked up the lichens and bracket fungi. And the over all dampness really intensifies the colors of everything. Many people associate overcast and rainy conditions with dull and drab, but the actual experience is just the opposite once you know where and how to look.
Water droplets act like tiny lenses, distorting and magnifying the structure of the veins in the leaves. Although similar in many ways to wet leaves in Spring and Summer, these Autumn leaves have fallen to the ground and are lying flat and still. This makes them so much easier to photograph as opposed to when they are still attached to plants which are usually bouncing around in the wind.
This old bracket fungi has taken on the appearance of a clam, or perhaps a mouth.
As I described earlier, colors are the most intense in these rainy conditions. One a bright sunny day the deep reds and greens of these leaves would be washed out and lost amid the intense brightness differences between the deep shadows and sunlit highlights. The uniform lighting of an overcast day is perfect for capturing the true colors of nature.
On this day it turned out that I timed my visit to the park perfectly. It was overcast, windy and rainy for most of my 3 hour hike. Only near the very end did the rain subside and bits of blue sky begin to appear. Time to return to the car and head home.