We had no more than a few short days at St. George Island State Park, one of those producing a “frognado” (thanks to my friend Beth for providing me that title) after an afternoon downpour, and another so foggy that exploring was out of the question, although we did attempt to give it a go. Cabin fever was settling in and thankfully our final day brought sunshine so a walk on the beach seemed the perfect medicine.
St. George Island is a 22-mile barrier island nestled between Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Part of Florida’s Forgotten Coast, a large stretch of undeveloped, serene coastline in the Panhandle, it resembles a long finger jutting out into the sea, no more than one mile across at its widest.
St. George Island State Park occupies the far eastern end of the island, with 9 miles of sugary white-sand beach and dunes to explore. Stretching our legs on the beach, a brisk wind in our faces, and lungs deeply filled with salty sea air was just the ticket to shake off the cloak of lethargy after several rainy days. If you long for some solitude, a symphony of wind and surf, with visions of a lovely little pond and a majestic heron hanging out in the surrounding trees, this could be the place to settle for a few weeks.
Had we the time and weather permitted, we could have spent an entire day exploring the lovely little town of Apalachicola, nationally acclaimed for both its history and its seafood. Given Mother Nature’s temperament, we had to content ourselves with sampling the local steamed oysters and blackened grouper at the bayside restaurant Up the Creek Raw Bar in Apalachicola, which was wrapped in fog. Except for the lapping of water along the shore you would never know the bay sat beyond this shroud of white.
The shallow waters of Apalachicola Bay are some of the cleanest and most productive in the country, supplying more than 90% of Florida’s oysters and 10% of the nation’s supply. They are recognized as some of the best tasting oysters by some of the finest chefs in the country and we had to agree they were pretty fabulous. Many times these sleepy little coastal towns are some of the best finds.
A walk down to the bay on our last evening left us with yet another fond memory, our first lovely sunset since arriving in Florida.
Perhaps the tides have turned, weather-wise at least. 🙂
Paint Your Landscape 
I am so glad you had at least one day of good weather in St. George Island. These are great pictures. For those of us who may never have the opportunity to visit some of the places you encounter, we appreciate your thoughtfulness of giving us some information about the areas you encounter. Thank you. Also, I have meant to comment on your “Words That Inspire Me.” I love them and hope you will continue that part of your blog.
I plan to change them periodically. Thanks Joan. 🙂
P. S. Thanks for the sunset pix.
It was nice to finally see one. 🙂
Glad you got at least one nice day. Boy, the weather had been very strange. Now the temps are dropping again…ugh! BUT, on the bright side, there is only a huge sun for many, many days!!! Maybe the Sunshine State is returning:)
Enjoy your new location!!! I am going to look into St George Island State Park.
Thanks for sharing!!
My pleasure Pam, and the temps are dropping here again in Cedar Key as well. We are hoping to get to Crystal River to see the manatees but we may hold off until early next week when the weather looks more promising. Let’s enjoy the sun while we can. 🙂
We are hoping to kayak with the manatees at Manatee Park but so far no luck. My mother arrives Sunday from northern NY. Sure hope we have some nice weather. We moved her visit from two weeks ago because the weather there and here were so bad.
We were planning to get out and explore today but no sun today, although it was expected. Sure hope your mother gets some nicer weather than what she probably has been experiencing in NY.
my my my! those are some beautiful photos, and the serenity of your time there definitely comes through those images!
thank you for sharing that very sweet location with the world!!! z
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My pleasure Z! I was out and about last night and the moon is almost full! 😀
I see you are mastering that new camera pretty darn well as the photos are beautiful. So glad you had an enjoyable day on the beach….probably much needed. Safe travels and I look forward to more stunning photos 🙂
I have mastered nothing yet but I am giving it my best shot (as it were)! 😉
When all else fails….auto – works like a charm 🙂
I am still very much in the iA mode. 😉
Those are truly magnificent photographs of a wonderful place LuAnn, I’m not surprised you had such a pleasant time there and I’m very glad for you. Thanks for sharing they’re lovely 🙂
My pleasure Mike. 🙂
intoxicating photos…I would love some weather like this, especially if I was looking at Europe from your perspective. I wish you the very best in weather from now on and then we shall be treated to more wonderful photos. Another post that makes me jealous of you guys hehe.
Just wait until we kayak with the manatees (weather permitting of course), then you should be quite green, just like my little frog friends. 😉
But I appear in less fairy tales…green is the right colour though!
Green is my favorite color. 🙂 Oops, it seems I have forgotten the letter ‘u’.
Yes i do cringe when you colonials desecrate the mother language lol.
And rightly so! 🙂
beautiful pictures. seems lilke a great place. i’ve always heard about it. looking forward to your next destination
Thanks David! 🙂
The Forgotten Coast is lovely. We’ve camped at St Joe a coupe of times and love it out there. Unfortunately, it’s just not warm enough for us until mid-March. We tend to hang around SW Florida – Myakka River SP, Collier-Seminole, etc. to keep the chill away in Jan/Feb.
Love your pics that amplify the serenity of your surroundings.
Thanks Marcia! We are heading the same thing from others, that mid-March may be the perfect time for the Panhandle.
Beautiful header photo.
With your wonderful description, I feel like I am there with you!
Thanks Marsha! 🙂
Oh yeah! a great captures of a Florida sunset. Lucky you, where we are I could not get a good sunset as you have.
I will look into St George since we have an open week that we have not make a reservation before heading to Blackwater in March.
Today is one of those gloomy overcast sky and cool, no humidity.
We were supposed to have sun today but she apparently changed her mind. It is cool here today as well and is going to get even more so for the next couple of days. We are hopeful we will get to Crystal River and kayak with the manatees before we leave here (fingers crossed). 🙂
The Forgotten Coast was our absolute favorite part of FL when we were there. What a gem! We stayed at St. Joseph Peninsular State Park (right on the other side) and I think it’s probably similar to st. George. Love, love, love your sunset shots!
Nina
Thanks Nina. I think we may have had some better weather if we had arrived just a bit later in the year, but then again, maybe not, given what has been going on with much of the country. It was so foggy the day we went into Apalachicola, which was probably the most disappointing for us, as it looks like a fabulous place to explore.
By the way, really like your site redesign. Very nice!
Nina
It is a work in progress, but given my less than high-tech abilities, this may be as good as it gets. 😉
Gorgeous, wonderful images, LuAnn. Particularly loved the heron and the sunset. Turn me green with envy! Oddly enough your beach looks a lot like Bullards here on the west coast. Hope you’re having a wonderful time and enjoying that new camera! I can’t wait to see the great images you’ll be sharing.
If the sun will cooperate for a few days I will get some more practice time. I have so much to learn! Thanks Gunta. 🙂
Planting ideas for our trip to FL in late February or early March. Heading home minus our Airstream. Call us when you have a chance. Marilyn
We hope to see you in Florida this winter. I will give you a call. 🙂
“Apalachicola” sounds like I should say “Bless you” hehe
It looks like it was lovely there
It does, doesn’t it? It was lovely, at least the last day. 🙂
🙂
A beautiful spot, great pictures specially the sunsets.
Thanks Ute. It was nice to finally see the sun. 🙂
What a gorgeous day, LuAnn! Fabulous shots. The blue bay side is stunning, and the sunset… awe!!!
Thanks Amy. I am working with a new camera and I feel like I’m on a steep learning curve. 🙂
I bought my Cannon last year and had used the auto for a while, I just started getting acquainted with those additional feagures 🙂
I am determined to wrap my head around many of the features available but for now I am staying within the safe confines of the iA mode. 🙂
The iA mode is safe and it’s built for that purpose 🙂
I won’t hide behind it forever. 🙂
Wow what a gorgeous trip including steamed oysters 🙂 Absolutely stunning photos! Thank you for sharing!
My pleasure Anne. 🙂
Glad the sun came out for yous. 🙂
It did for a day, now it is raining again. 😦
and what a sunset it was too… sounds a lovely place …pity the weather was not a tad kinder….
It will be soon, I’m confident. 🙂
LuAnn, an eloquent description of your wonderful day. Gorgeous photos!! I am glad you got your sunset! Safe travels!!
Thanks Sheila! 🙂
We consider ourselves lucky when the weather gives us a beautiful, sunny day. I guess the Florida weather is mirroring the rest of the east, only the swings are a bit more temperate! At any rate, every day is a good day. Your sunset pictures are spectacular – thanks for letting us see them.
Sue
I’m so enjoying traveling this coast again with you. We were there about 3 years ago.
Thanks! Was it warmer I wonder? This morning it was 31 degrees! 😉
We were tortured with 22 deg at night!!! There was a lot of messing about with plumbing to be done. Daytimes were ok and sunny so we still enjoyed our time there.
Wow, I feel better already! 😉
Glad to be of service! It was when the iguanas were dripping out of the trees further south. They were torpid with cold!
😦
Wonderful sunset photos LuAnn. I hate to think of how many sunset photos I’ve screwed up. You’ll have to let us in on your secret. I agree with you that his part of the FL coast is wonderful. We’ve camped up there many times, and it’s always great fun. ~James
Thanks James, but I have no secrets for great sunsets, just dumb luck right now with a new camera. 😉
i’m trying to imagine nine miles of sugary white beach – must be what heaven looks like. 🙂 gorgeous shots and about the oysters, wow! i did not know that. thanks, LuAnn!!
My pleasure Sun! 🙂
Marvellous turn round of weather and your pictures show it LuAnn !
I love your ‘tranquillty at the shore ‘ Stunning .
Thanks Poppy! 🙂
New year, new look. Much better picture quality but the same brilliant writing.
Thank you kind sir! 🙂
Gorgeous blog, in every way. I grew up visiting my grandmother in Apalachicola, and you certainly captured the “essence” of the area. We’re currently just across the bay in Eastpoint, visiting my parents. Wish we could have been here when you were on St. George! (Sorry for the duplicate comment, I need to get rid of that other WP account!)
Thanks so much Laurel! We loved Apalachicola and Eastpoint and so wished that the weather would have cooperated for the short time we were there. We will just have to come back! Seems we were like two ships passing in the night. Are you still in the area? Perhaps I should just pop over to your blog and find out for myself. 🙂
What a beautiful post and gorgeous pictures. We are currently on the forgotten coast having spent 2 months in Cedar Key (north of Crystal River). We’ve explored Ochlockonee River State Park (loved it) and are now at St. Andrews. it’s amazing how many people think Florida is all like Miami and Ft. Lauderdale…we definitely prefer this coast.
We are in Cedar Key right now and are headed to Clearwater to visit some friends. This is the first time we have explored this FL coastline and are loving it. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂