Florida's Forgotten Coast?

Florida’s Forgotten Coast?

18 BETTER OFF WET | SEPTEMBER 2022

Florida’s Forgotten Coast?

Florida’sForgotten

Coast?

By: Benjamin Chewning

The first time I saw a sign that read “Florida’s Forgotten Coast”, I was a bit taken back. I thought to myself, what do they mean? It seems impossible to forget an entire coastline, especially in a State like Florida. But, after having the opportunity to spend a week exploring the “Forgotten Coast”, I understand why the name sticks well and holds a true meaning. Florida’s

Forgotten Coast is located in the panhandle and it is the last remaining stretch of unspoiled, pristine Gulf Coast beaches, that haven’t been overrun by high rises and strip malls. The Forgotten Coast includes the charming communities of Apalachicola, Alligator Point, Carrabelle, St. George Island & Eastpoint. Once I was nestled in, I quickly had clarity on the name and how appropriate it is.

I had the pleasure of spending my

time in Florida’s Forgotten Coast, with my Wife, Family, and some good friends. To say this area is a perfect Summer family destination getaway, would e an understatement. And, if you love the water like me and my family, you can look at the area as a big playground. We spent most of our time in Carrabelle, a historic panhandle city, with a ton of history. Carrabelle is definitely a water person’s community.

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Florida’s Forgotten Coast?

Carrabelle has a deep water seaport, great public boat ramp, and is also home to the world’s smallest police station (we managed to stay out). Saint George Sound separates Carrabelle from Dog Island. Dog Island is not very far from the shores of Carrabelle Beach. If memory serves me correctly, from our boat’s GPS, it is around 4 miles off shore. Dog Island has beautiful white sandy beaches that are just a stone’s throw between the Ocean side and the Sound side. This entire area is home to great boating, fishing, sightseeing, and most importantly…eating. The seafood in this area is in my opinion, hard to be rivaled by many others. Everywhere we ate the seafood was extremely fresh and surprisingly affordable, even with the wonky inflated prices we are seeing now. Of course, if you want to eat your own catch, you will need to put in a little work to make

that happen. We caught beautiful Triple Tail, while fishing old pilings and buoys. If, you have never tried Triple Tail, it is a true delicacy and the fresh catch certainly brought smiles to everyone in our party. For water lovers, Carrabelle is a definite must visit. There are many things to do in this area from Apalachicola to Alligator Point. But, that being said…there is also plenty not to do, like just chill on the beach and enjoy the lack of ambient noise. We never saw the beaches overcrowded while we there and unlike many Florida beaches, unfortunately, the beaches in this area are pristine. I love being at the beach as much as any big kid. But, I am not your typical “beach lounger”. I prefer snorkeling, playing in the waves, building sand forts, chasing birds, throwing the football, or tossing the Frisbee around. Luckily for me, most in my family and party on

20 BETTER OFF WET | SEPTEMBER 2022

Florida’s Forgotten Coast?

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Florida’s Forgotten Coast?

this trip think along the same lines. I do understand the draw for some folks to lie around and read a book or whatever, but, that is just not me. I would much rather be moving. It is amazing to me how fast time can just melt away while enjoying the simplest of things at the beach though. One of my favorite things I’ve done recently was with the kids on our trip, building our own little “pond”, at the beach. We did not have any excavators or wheel loaders, just a couple small buckets, and a plastic shovel but we were able to complete our pond on time and under budget. After the pond was built we needed to stock it, of course. So, with the trusty old cast net, my Cousin and I caught some

small fish, in the surf, near the pond. The kids in our party and other kids on the beach were amazed and enthralled with the different species of fish and crabs we were putting in the pond. Some species liked to hang in the deep end, by themselves, while other species instantly formed a school, and followed their little leaders around and around the pond. Even other adults stopped by our little pond to check it out. It is amazing how something so simple can occupy hours, with almost no cost, and be so rewarding in the long run, especially to the children. As it was getting close to time to leave the beach, that day, we dug a “canal”, connecting our little pond back to the waters of

the surf. We left a little dam in place during the construction of our canal. And, upon completion of the canal, we removed the dam and all the fish that were in the pond went back out into the surf, in what we called operation fish freedom. The construction and demolition were a success on the beach. I say it all the time, “nobody needs to be told where Miami and Clearwater are”. Both are great cities, with tons to offer. But, maybe next time you are searching out a good family vacation spot, consider the Forgotten Coast… because, the memories made there will surely not be soon forgotten.

22 BETTER OFF WET | SEPTEMBER 2022