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The Emerald Coast by Thomas R. & Deborah A. Fletcher
The panhandle of Florida, stretching along the Gulf of Mexico, is often called the Emerald Coast--the name is not in vain. The translucent waters of the gulf are not quite the color of emeralds but light reflecting off the micro-algae gives it a lovely green tint. The water's clarity results from the fact that no large sediment-bearing rivers flow directly into the area's gulf waters. The incoming water is filtered through the estuary of Apalachicola Bay.
The powdered-sugar, brilliant white sand squeaks as one walks
across it. The sand is actually made up of very fine pieces of highly-polished
quartz. These eroded quartz particles originated in the Southern Appalachian
Mountains, tumbling down mountain streams into the gulf. Since the ocean journey
to the gulf was longer than to the Atlantic Coast, the sand is much finer than
that found on the eastern seaboard. The long
Things are a bit spread out. We wouldn't recommend this as a
shopping destination, but there are a number of shops around. If one is looking
for fast-food chains, perhaps this isn't the destination of choice. We don't
recall seeing any such establishments, but are told there is at least one in the
area. What one does find are many locally-owned restaurants with excellent
eating options, from barbecue, to seafood, to ethnic cuisine. Seafood is
featured at most all restaurants. The Seagrove Wheel House, located right
across the street from Seagrove Villas (our place of stay), provides
several excellent fish entrees at very reasonable prices. Another place to be
recommended is Angelina's Pizzeria & Pasta--the seafood pasta is
incredible. Appreciate nature without throngs of people? This is the place, especially if one goes in any season but summer. Unlike most other Florida destinations, summer is the high season here. Since visitor numbers dramatically drop after Labor Day, there are many accommodation discounts to be found. Winter prices, in many cases are half those found in summer. There are around 6,000 lodging units available in the area. As cooler weather approaches, thoughts naturally turn to warmer
days. The
Not into hiking or beach strolling? There are enough golf courses in the area to satisfy the most avid golfer. Tennis is another option, with several available facilities. Of course there are a number of water-related activities, from snorkeling to deep-sea fishing. A request to the South Walton Tourist Development Council will get one a packet of information listing accommodations, golf & tennis facilities--everything needed to plan an excellent get-away. One morning we stood on the balcony of our condo unit and watched a dolphin playing in the gulf waters below. It was skimming along near the water's surface, its dorsal fin slicing through the water. A strolling couple saw it also, and from the looks on their gape-mouthed faces, they thought it was another species of sea life. They didn't have our high vantage point. The dolphin playfully plied the waters then leapt and dove, as if it were teasing the onshore couple. Performance Apparel @ ExOfficio.com
Stock photography by Thomas R. Fletcher at Alamy
If You Go Sidebar If you drive down from the north, the area can seem out of the way--since there is no major North-South Interstate nearby, which serves to weed out the masses. Fort Walton Beach Airport provides air service to the region. Another option is to fly into either Panama City or Pensacola. There are many lodging bargains to be found in the off-season (three seasons out the four). These discounts, the moderate temperatures and the uncrowded beaches are natural attractions.
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mood often matches those long gray days of winter. Nothing, it seems
can shake the gloom, nothing but a dose of sun, sand, and sea. The sultry gulf
air will do wonders to lift that gray mood. Those southern latitudes produce a
definite change in attitude. There is nothing like lying in a hammock, listening
to gulf waters lap at the shore to free the mind from the clutches of the winter
blues and call to mind old Jimmy Buffet songs. The winter temperature averages
69 degrees and the water temperature is an average 64 degrees. We've been to
Maine in the middle of summer when the ocean water wasn't that warm--and it was
still filled with swimmers.
Two areas under state management that we recommend are Topsail
Hill State Park and Grayton Beach State Recreation Area. Topsail
Hill State Park has been identified as "the most pristine piece of
coastal property in Florida." It is a two and one-half mile stretch of
beach that serves as a nature conservatory. It is an ideal place for solitude
serenity and "getting back to nature." This is the place to see
Florida as it was, and, in our opinion as it should be. Grayton Beach State
Recreation Area has an extensive system of self-guiding hiking trails. We
spent an afternoon meandering along the Dunes Trail. We observed
quite a variety of flora and fauna, including one badly twisted Slash Pine
stump--probably the victim of some past hurricane.
(#1-8-33-3 Sunset, Gulf of Mexico, Florida
Panhandle
