Buccaneer State Park — Gulf of Mexico
Just south of Bay St. Louis, MS, hugging the edge of the Gulf of Mexico, is Buccaneer State Park in Waveland.
We went in the afternoon. And the light made the difference.
The morning had been cold enough for hoods and zipped jackets on the Bay St. Louis beach. High around 50, low in the upper 30s.
Before 10am on the Bay St. Louis beach — hoods up, sunglasses on.
By afternoon at Buccaneer, the sun had come around and warmed things up considerably — different jackets, no hoods, a completely different mood.
Ben at Buccaneer State Park — rocky shoreline, late afternoon light.
The two of us at Buccaneer State Park. Much warmer by afternoon!
The park sits right on the coast, with a rocky, rugged shoreline rather than the wide sandy beach we’d had at Bay St. Louis. A different character entirely — wilder, quieter.
Sea grass in the late afternoon sun at Buccaneer State Park.
The sea grass caught the light beautifully. Tall, golden, glowing.
It’s a small park but worth the stop — especially in that late afternoon winter light when the Gulf goes still and the shadows get long.
Highly recommend.