Shoal Creek Preserve in Florence, Alabama

Water flows over the shoals in the creek at Shoal Creek Preserve in Florence, Alabama.

While we were in Florence, Alabama¹, for our church marriage retreat, we were looking for something to do in the free time that we had. Hiking is our thing, so we found a trail at Shoal Creek Preserve and gave it a try.

The preserve was a little bit of a drive away from the main part of the town, and then another drive down a long gravel road. Just the kind of thing to make for a good trail, in our opinion. The trail was mostly just a wooded trail, although it did eventually go by the creek seen here. We liked both parts, the woods and the creek. I took lots of photos of both, but I decided to post a creek photo first.

If you are wondering, a shoal is a place where a sea, river, or other body of water is shallow, or a sandbank or sandbar in the bed of a body of water, especially one that is exposed above the surface of the water at low tide². So the rocky ledge in the foreground are shoals, as are the ledges in the background. Shoal Creek is very appropriately named.

Laura at the Creek

I like including photos of us to show that we were really there, so here is Laura actually there at Shoal Creek. Hopefully, that makes these posts a little more personal and personable.

The weather was perfect that day, not too hot and not too cold. Goldilocks weather, you might say. We greatly enjoyed our time there. And there was no charge, which makes it even better. Plus, it was a perfect thing for us as a couple to do with our marriage retreat free time.

Technological Blessings

Technology can be a great blessing. I know that might sound strange coming just after some nature photos, but bear with me.

If it were not for technology, we never would have found this place. We used phones to look ig up on the internet, and we used phones to navigate us to the place. We used phones to make sure we were on the right trail when we were hiking. We even used phones to take photos, although the photos you see here were taken with a digital camera, another technological marvel.

Yes, we used to find our way around with paper maps and guidebooks way back in the old days. But that is so 1900s now³, when we have so many better ways of doing things, getting places, and just figuring out where we are.

I am very thankful for the blessing of technology!

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. - Psalm 91:2-3 ESV

About the Photos

I have been on a little bit of a black and white kick lately, and the first photo here reflects that. I hope you do not mind. I do plan to share some Shoal Creek color photos in the future, too. And the photo of Laura in color gives you a little feel of how things looked there, too.

Photo: Each photo is a single Raw exposure, processed in Darktable.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: Rokinon 35mm f/1.8
Date: February 1, 2025
Location: Florence, Alabama