As we painted this scene off the Gulf coast the tide was coming in and the water came up through the sand beneath us. We were surrounded by water in a matter of minutes. Hiking back in the water with our gear was not as much fun as getting out there, but the painting experience was well worth it. Because I was fascinated by the colors and shadows in the sand, I used this piece as the study for my large 72 x 60 painting, "Island in the Sand".