So close and yet so far · National Parks Conservation Association
Photographer Rory Doyle doesn’t mince his words when describing Horn Island. “In my opinion,” he says, “it’s the most beautiful place in Mississippi.”
Horn Island is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, a 160-mile-long chain of islands with historic forts and coastal areas that stretches from Mississippi to Florida. It lies about eight miles offshore. Because the small barrier island is difficult to reach—visitors must be serious kayakers or have access to a private boat—it is quiet, leisurely and unspoiled. It is a fascinating mix of turquoise waters and ever-changing light, ospreys and dolphins, marshlands and sand dunes, palmetto palms and skeleton trees, swamp pines and spiny yuccas.
“The beauty of Horn Island is that every 180 metres there is a completely different ecosystem,” said Doyle.
Doyle, a longtime Mississippi Delta resident, first visited the remote island a few years ago to shoot a magazine story. That April trip was organized by someone he met on another assignment who has been gathering like-minded friends to camp on Horn Island for nearly a decade. The group this time consisted of two writer-journalists, two photographers and two painters. That is, Doyle said, they all shared an interest in documenting the beauty of their destination. “That was a common thread — really paying attention to what a special place the island is,” he said.
The trip there didn’t go quite according to plan. Matthew Mayfield, a friend and co-owner of Eagle Point Oyster Company, had agreed to drop them off there, but the waves were too big to fight – even with his 26-foot boat. The group ended up spending the first night on Deer Island. Deer Island is part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area (and is almost entirely owned by the state). It’s also stunning, but so close to Biloxi that campers can see the lights of the casinos that line the shore and hear the hum of traffic. Finally, the next morning, Mayfield took Doyle and his pals the rest of the way to Horn Island.
The friends camped on the side of the island facing the Mississippi Sound. They swam, fished and hiked. The painters painted; Doyle took his camera out, hiking over sand dunes, through pine forests and past ghost forests of dead and dying trees. After dinner around the campfire, Doyle went back to looking for sunset shots, which yielded some typical images of melting skies and frothy waters – including the image that graces the cover of this issue.
“You have to pinch yourself. No one can get to this place. You’re out here and you basically have the island to yourself,” he said. “It’s just a great way to disconnect from technology and all the distractions of modern life and then feel a connection with the natural world and Mother Nature.”
—Rona Marech
The group spent the first night on Deer Island after they were unable to reach their destination due to stormy seas. Since Deer Island is not part of the park, different rules apply to aerial photography than on Horn Island, where drones are prohibited.
©RORY DOYLE
Aerial view of Deer Island.
©RORY DOYLE
Beach grasses contribute to the stabilization of the dune ecosystem.
©RORY DOYLE
A visitor fishing. It’s a rare sight because Horn Island is so difficult to reach, Doyle said.
©RORY DOYLE
During a previous assignment on the island, Doyle spotted an alligator that appeared to be sunbathing or sleeping. “I got pretty close to it, and when it saw me, it ran straight into the water,” he said.
©RORY DOYLE
Plein air painting.
©RORY DOYLE
Snakes like this black racer are an important part of the islands’ food chain, serving as both predators and prey.
©RORY DOYLE
The friends were all responsible for their own food, but they shared a meal of oysters they had found in the Gulf, eating them raw with lemon, hot sauce and some white wine from the carton.
©RORY DOYLE
Doyle set out alone to take his sunset photographs, including this magnificent blue
Heron in flight.
©RORY DOYLE
A blooming yucca.
©RORY DOYLE
Exploring the island at dusk.
©RORY DOYLE
The beach at sunset.
©RORY DOYLE
Rabbit tracks.
©RORY DOYLE
The trip was timed to coincide with a full moon. “The weather was just perfect,” Doyle said.
©RORY DOYLE
Campers are permitted to build fires on Horn Island Beach provided they avoid vegetation, build their fires below the mean high tide line, bring their own firewood, and remove unused firewood.
©RORY DOYLE
