Florida’s Forgotten and Emerald Coasts

We never intended to stay in Florida for two and a half months, but we DID intend to not rush and to pay close attention to enjoying the unexpected. We will be leaving Florida on Valentine’s Day and heading inland through Mississippi and Louisiana, then to Texas beaches, and then into the vastness of West Texas. I have no qualm in confessing that the awaiting open spaces are daunting. But we will proceed headlong with eyes and ears open.

Before we reached Apalachicola on Florida’s Forgotten Coast, we had a wonderful stay camping for free at Goose Pasture in the Suwanee River Water Management District. We met a lot of wonderful people (though others’ generators still plague us; get solar!), and had a surprise visit from dear friends.

After Goose Pasture, we made our way to Apalachicola – Apalach in the local parlance – the heart of the Forgotten Coast. This isn’t a gimmick. The town is genuinely keeping its soul intact, forbidding big box stores and limiting buildings to 30 feet in height. We felt so enthralled, we (I) came up with a great plan, which I am in the process of vetting with local officials. See the pic below.

We made our way up to Panama City, which is still rebuilding from Hurricane Michael five years ago. The historic neighborhood of St. Andrews was great. The Panama City Publishing Co. museum has working letter press and linotype machines dating back to the mid-1800s.

We have wrapped up our Florida chapter on the Emerald Coast. We camped for three nights at Topsail Preserve, and then made our way to Fort Pickens in the Gulf Islands National Seashore. This part of the coast is just stunning with its squeaky white sand beaches, emerald green water and dune lakes – found in only five places in the world.

In a short time we shift from an abundance of water to a vast desert. The change is good for me. I’m keeping myself open to new ventures, while learning a healthy distaste for the cookie cutter stores lining the main roads. We will sail through the deep south and land in Texas, which will take us through the end of March. We have good news to share about upcoming visits, so stay tuned.

Holly and I deeply appreciate that people read this. It makes us feel at home wherever we find ourselves.