Here is a great e-book for info on Gulf County http://www.visitgulf.com/visitgulf_guide2011/ (COPY AND PASTE)
January 2012
Make a break for the beach in February
Today’s temperature is 68° and we’ll be warm all week! Join us Saturday for the popular Bay Day Shrimp Boil with sausage, corn, potatoes & boiled shrimp just $10. Live music, guided tours & birding walks are all free.
The 14th Annual Mexico Beach Gumbo Cook-Off is how we do Mardi Gras at the beach with live music, cold beer & gumbo you can sample from the competitors.
See our complete line up of February events below and great off-season rates including pet-friendly rentals and $50/nt. beach front specials. Learn more and start making your summer reservations at www.mexico-beach.com or www.visitgulf.com
First Friday Shopping Weekends in Port St. Joe February 10
Friends of St. Joseph Bay Preserve, Winter Bay Day Shrimp Boil February 4
14th Annual Mexico Beach Gumbo Cook-Off February 18
Biloxi Snowbird Trip February 22
Mexico Beach Snowbird Luncheon March 1
GULF COUNTY MUSIC FESTIVAL COMING THIS SEPTEMBER 2011 !!!!!!!!!
PoJo Music Fest coming in September July 28, 2011 9:10 AM By Tim Croft
More stage, more acts, a new location, this year’s PoJo Live Music Fest in September will have something for just about everyone.
The event is sponsored by the Gulf County Tourist Development Council using BP funds distributed to TDC’s in seven Florida counties to assist in bringing back the tourists after last year’s oil spill.
And applying lessons learned from last summer’s series of concerts under the PoJo Live banner, Novak said the TDC and executive director Tim Kerigan made some significant changes for this year’s event.
First, the event is during one weekend, Sept. 16-17, and will be held at Veterans Memorial Park in Beacon Hill. Music will take place from 4-10 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 16, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET on Sept. 17.
Kerigan had long sought a way to use Veterans Memorial Park, said Kellee Novak of the TDC, and the PoJo event offered the perfect fit.
“We saw some things we wanted to change from last year,” Novak said, noting that one stage and the limitations on parking and band set-up at George Core Park had the TDC looking for other venues. “We just could not accommodate it at George Core Park.
“This year there will be two stages, there is plenty of parking and most of all it is overlooking the beach and that is part of the point, promoting the beach. Tim thought it was the perfect spot. You will have a great vista of the beautiful beach. We think it will be a great event.”
The two days will be packed with music, from local favorites such as the Bo Spring Band and Buddy Hamm to Saturday headliner ALO, The Sheepdogs, Mishka and the Honey Island Swamp Band.
Novak noted that it will be a musical lineup with a sound for everybody, from rock to blues to Cajun.
“It will be an eclectic group of musicians,” Novak said. “There is a little bit of everything. The cool thing is we will have two stages so there will be constant music throughout the two days.”
With two stages, while one act breaks down and another sets up on the main stage, music will be coming from the second stage, including a number of local musicians getting exposure during the festival.
Another new feature of the musical festival will be free shuttles so tourists and locals alike can leave the car behind and be transported to Veterans Memorial Park.
There will be three shuttles on Friday and five on Saturday traveling continuous routes that will include stops at Salinas Park, Simmons Bayou, the Gulf/Franklin Center, Shark Stadium and WindMark Beach.
Promotion of all things Gulf County will extend to food and beverage vendors.
There will be adult beverages provided by local bars, including the Thirsty Goat, and food will come from Gulf County restaurants.
“It is just another great reason to promote the great restaurants in Gulf County,” Novak said.
The musical acts will also provide promotion. With a number of the acts having local, regional and national fan bases, the musicians will be followed on Twitter and Facebook as they travel to and experience Gulf County and its beaches and vistas.
“A lot of them talk about coming here and for some of them this is going to serve as a kind of vacation, they will be staying here and enjoying the fishing and beach and good food,” Novak noted. “We are bringing in musicians that will advertise the area as much as we do.”
For more information on this year’s music festival visit PoJoLive.com or call 229-7800.
“We don’t think the county or TDC has ever done something like this before,” Novak said. “This will be a great music event.”
HERE IS AN ARTICLE FROM LOCAL NEWSPAPER, THE STAR...........CONCERNING THE COLORFUL HISTORY OF THE FIRST CAPITAL OF FLORIDA.......PORT ST. JOE
The Colorful Past of Port St. Joe February 19, 1998 12:00 AM
In 1909, work was begun on the 2,500 foot railroad pier into St. Joseph Bay, complete with wharf facilities. By 1911 there were 13 sawmills with a total daily output of some 540,000 board feet, operating along the rail line. All were engaged in manufacturing export lumber. World export shipments of lumber, naval stores and cotton began in April 1910 with the sailing of the Swedish barke "Henrietta" followed by the English steamers "Birchwood" and "Cycle". The port traffic has continued to be active to the present time. After a townsite survey, the sale of lots, homes built, etc., the new City of Port St. Joe was incorporated in the year 1913. The new town is located about two miles north of the site of old St. Joseph. At the outset, the town was provided with schools, churches, macadamized streets, sidewalks, parks, recreation center and a 35-room hotel (Port Inn) overlooking St. Joseph Bay. The Port Inn burned on October 25, 1944. During 1911, the railroad shops and general offices were moved from Apalachicola to Port St. Joe and an ice factory, electric plant and water system that included an artesian well, 700 feet in depth, all were completed in that year. From 1910, the railroad operated regularly scheduled summer Sunday excursions to Port St. Joe, bringing passengers from all intermediate points on the railroad and from points in Alabama and Georgia beyond the River Junction terminal, which is now called Chattahoochee. The first train excursion made three trips from Apalachicola to Port St. Joe on April 30, 1910. In addition to the many fine baseball games usually scheduled, special attractions included boat trips across the bay to Eagle Harbor, Black's Island and the Gulf beach at St. Joseph Point where sea shell hunting was a favorite pastime. Also, chartered boats were available for deep sea fishing, and sailboating in the bay waters was a popular outing. The bathing pier, on the bay shore from the Port Inn, was a great attraction with its springboards, high chutes, slides, trapeze rings, shower stalls and concession stands, etc. Adjoining was the hotel park, consisting of about four acres, and which included a bandstand, benches, etc., amid a setting of palm trees, pines, roses, flowering shrubs, etc. In Monument Park stands the marble monument erected by the state in 1922 on the site where the Constitutional Convention Hall stood in 1838. A four day Centennial Celebration, sponsored jointly by the City of Port Saint Joe and the state, was held at the site December 7 to 10, 1938. The celebration included elaborate fireworks, displays, spectacular parade of illuminated historical and allegorical floats, band concerts, free circus, carnival and other entertainment. Thousands attended and the celebration is considered to have been a very important occasion in Florida history. In the old St. Joseph cemetery, which has long been a point of interest to visitors and residents alike, a number of grave stones and brick tombs still stand, dating back to the days when St. Joseph was a hustling bustling seaport and reputed to have been the largest city in Florida during that period. Among the stones still standing, is the one marking the grave of the schooner "Herald" captain, George L. L. Kupfer, who died at sea of yellow fever on September 18, 1840. This was nearly a year prior to the epidemic at St. Joseph in 1841. The Centennial Building, erected in 1938 and situated in Monument Park at the eastern city limits of Port St. Joe, is on ground formerly occupied by the long dead city of St. Joseph. At the site of old St. Joseph, there have been found many pieces of pottery, silverware and other articles used by the former residents of the old city. In some cases, boxes or kegs of valuable metals, gold, etc. have been found but few instances of any definite data. The federal government, upon research and statistical surveys, has stated that in the area of Apalachicola, Indian Pass and the surrounding territory, there is buried more pirate treasure than in any other section of the United States. There have been several known instances of machinery excavations, in the Money Bayou area along U. S. Highway No. 98, in search of the treasure but nothing conclusive has been reported. The museum at the State Constitution Historic Memorial at Port St. Joe contains interpretive exhibits of the 1838 historic event and contemporary history. Included in the exhibits is a replica of one of the locomotives used on the St. Joseph & Iola Railroad in 1836. In the 1913 to 1916 period, just prior to World War I, the Calhoun Timber Company constructed at Port St. Joe one of the largest sawmills in Florida. It became involved in litigation and lasted but a few years, being succeeded by the Parkwood Lumber Company which operated successfully for several years, but was unable to secure the additional timber supply needed in its continued operation. The erection of a drawbridge for crossing the intracoastal canal to reach a new supply was necessary. Owners of the adjacent timber were most reluctant in granting such leases and this operation ceased during the depression period in the 1930's. In 1938, the St. Joe Lumber & Export Company acquired the property and operated for about 15 years, until the timber supply under lease became exhausted. Gulf County was created in 1925 from a part of Calhoun County and contains a large portion of the famous Dead Lakes. Presently, Wewahitchka is the county seat, but in a referendum held in 1964 the county seat was lost to Port St. Joe, where a new court house now under construction is expected to be completed later in this year of 1967. Prior to the abolition in 1923 of the Florida convict lease system many timber and naval stores operators contracted with the state for prison labor in their operations, and there were prison camps of the kind in areas of Gulf and Calhoun counties. After abolishment of the system the prison labor was assigned to county public work camps and the State Road Department, which already was using some of such labor in its road building programs. Port St. Joe's earliest newspaper, the "Port St. Joe News" was started in June 1926. Its officers were R. L. Howell, president, D. H. Bynum, vice-president and C. B. McCranie, secretary-treasurer, while 0. M. Morton, Sr. was editor. The weekly lasted only a few months. During the year 1937, two weekly newspapers were established at Port St. Joe. "The Port St. Joe Sentinel" began publication in April, while "The Star" gave the area its second newspaper in October. Both were dedicated to the progress of the community. The Sentinel has since discontinued. St. Joseph Bay is a beautiful body of water situated on the uppermost west Gulf Coast, about 20 miles west of the mouth of the Apalachicola River and directly south of the dividing line between Alabama and Georgia. The bay represents some points of formation, which differentiates it from all other bays or harbors of the United States, particularly on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The bay is deep and completely landlocked, with the entrance at the north end, which gives it special protection from storms that usually originate in the southeast. The bay is widely known as a safe harbor, and its accessibility and the ease with which a vessel may enter makes it frequently sought by ships plying Gulf waters of the area in rough weather. The United States government recognizes the safety of the harbor. During April, 1914, the entire flotilla of the Atlantic Fleet, accompanied by the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla, the cruiser "Birmingham"
PORT ST.JOE SCALLOP FESTIVAL-GULF COUNTY-AUG 5 -7
Scallop and Music Festival Aug. 5-7 ~Atlanta Rhythm Section to headline 15th annual event~ July 21, 2011 9:27 AM Star Staff Report
Get ready for savory seafood, family-friendly activities and music to groove to at the 15th Annual Florida Scallop & Music Festival to be held August 5-7, 2011, in Port St. Joe.
With headlining act Atlanta Rhythm Section, the festival, along the shores of beautiful St. Joseph Bay in Gulf County, is a northwest Florida favorite three-day event featuring five bands, food of all flavors, especially succulent scallop dishes and a little something for everyone. Frozen scallops are also sold for take home.
Friday’s festivities begin with an all-day merchant sidewalk sale along Reid Avenue in downtown Port St. Joe and concludes with the festival Kick-Off party at the Thirsty Goat Bar and Grill at the Port Inn.
Saturday morning activities include a 5K Run at 8 a.m. ET and a Classic Car & Boat Show with line up at 8 a.m. ET with judging at 1 p.m. Dash plaques will be presented to the first 50 entries and there will be drawings for prizes. The winners of Best of Show in both categories will receive a cash award.
Arts and crafts vendors, educational exhibits, the Kid'z Zone with inflatables, pony rides, a petting zoo, and food vendors galore will all be scattered throughout the festival grounds of shady George Core Park next to the St. Joseph Bay.
Live music begins at 1 p.m. Saturday and continues throughout the day with headliner, the Atlanta Rhythm Section taking the stage from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and performing hits including "So Into You," "Spooky," "Champagne Jam" and more.
Additional Saturday acts include the Bo Spring Band at 4 p.m. and Kevin Jacobs Band at 6 p.m.
On Sunday, food vendors return along with arts and crafts and the Kid’z Zone. Live music kicks off at 1 p.m. Sunday with Brian Bowen followed by the Curry Brothers at 2:30 p.m.
There is a $5 admission on Saturday and plenty of free parking.
Admission is free for active military with ID.
Since the park sits right along the edge of St. Joseph Bay, next to Port St. Joe Marina, the event has become popular with boaters anchoring along the calm shoreline.
Admission is free on Sunday.
Vendors are still being accepted and are encouraged to register. Vendor registration, along with registration for the 5K Run, Classic Car & Boat Show, lodging specials, driving directions and contact information can be found online at www.scallopfest.net.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT HORSEBACK RIDING ON THE BEACH.....PLEASE CLICK ON LINKS BELOW FOR VIDEO OF A VENDOR THAT PROVIDES THE SERVICE:
THIS ONE SHOWS THE VENDOR AND HORSES ON BEACH: http://youtu.be/9_gtqcCi_78 (JUST CLICK ON LINK)
THIS IS A HOME VIDEO SHOWING KIDS ON HORSES AT BEACH: http://youtu.be/EFPKR5ND-DI (JUST CLICK ON LINK).
THESE ARE TWO VIDEO TOURS OF DOWNTOWN PORT ST. JOE SHOWING TOWN, SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, ST.JOE BAY AND MANY OTHER FEATURES OF THE SMALL, QUAINT TOWN. (Just click on link)
youtu.be/yY-B33crfJg = Video part #1 (about 10 minutes)
youtu.be/ZLh9K1Q3e44 = Video part 2 (about 8 minutes)
SEA TURTLES AND THEIR NESTS AROUND GULF COUNTY,CAPE SAN BLAS AND INDIAN PASS
i hope you enjoy the information on Sea Turtles and their nests- Peter- Burns Management
Tracking turtles ~Turtle season opportunity to gain knowledge of species~ June 10, 2011 10:56 AM By Tim Croft
On a glorious weekday morning last week the waters of the Gulf of Mexico were smooth and blue, the sun slowly rising and a pod of dolphins was cavorting about 40 yards offshore.
Jessica McKenzie pulled out her clipboard and began jotting vital stats while John Ehrman dug gently in the sand around the tiny green flag waiting for them when they set out at 6:30 a.m. ET.
About six inches down, Ehrman found what he sought, two white spheres that could be mistaken for ping-pong balls, the top of a turtle egg “clutch” or egg chamber, shaped like an inverted light bulb and which likely holds 100-120 loggerhead turtle eggs.
The nest is No. 14 of the turtle egg-laying season, which started on May 1 and will continue through Oct. 31.
“That’s pretty good,” said McKenzie, the volunteer coordinator for the Turtle Patrol group that monitors the six-mile stretch of St. Joseph Peninsula between T. H. Stone State Park and the Stump Hole portion of County 30-E. “We are up from last year. On this date last year, we had six nests. This year, now we have 14.”
That strip of peninsula – there are Turtle Patrol groups that work independently of each other in Mexico Beach, Indian Pass and St. Vincent Island – came under the auspices of the University of Florida Marine Turtle Research Group this year.
State budget cuts forced the closure of the offices at the St. Joseph State Buffer and Aquatic Preserves – while they maintain the designation of preserves, economics forced the state to eliminate management of St. Joseph Bay, one of Florida’s 41 aquatic preserves, and the surrounding buffer preserve.
In a pinch with turtle season approaching, the staff at the Buffer Preserve asked the University of Florida to take over the permit and oversee the group of more than a dozen Turtle Patrol volunteers, with McKenzie the liaison between volunteers and UF.
“They are a dedicated group,” Ehrman said of his fellow volunteers.
Once the nest was found – staff from the UF research group patrol the beach at night with infrared lights to identify turtles making their way ashore to nest, marking the nest with a flag for the volunteer monitoring the following morning – Ehrman and McKenzie grabbed tools from the back of the ATV they use to travel the beach.
Ehrman pulled out four wooden stakes and a metal screen, known as a self-releasing screen as it will allow the baby turtles that will hatch in about 60 days to escape the nest while keeping out any predators.
Once the turtles have hatched, McKenzie said the “clutch” will be excavated to determine the number of eggs and how many survived to hatch.
McKenzie, clipboard in hand, essentially maps out the location of the nest, how far the turtle had to travel to nest, where she exited and then re-entered the water and the depth of the “clutch.”
Ehrman puts down the screen and the four posts are pushed into the sand around the screen. The stakes are connected by yellow police crime scene tape and the number of the nest for that season, and the date found, are written on one corner stake.
“People are pretty good about keeping away from the nests,” Ehrman said. “A lot of people who vacation here care, they just don’t know the obstacles for the turtle to nest.”
The most obvious obstacle is light, as bright lights serve to disorient the turtles. Another obstacle is the tents and other beach-going equipment often left overnight by visitors and locals alike.
Turtles search for the highest elevation to nest and can see only large objects, said Dr. Meg Lamont, a research biologist with the UF Marine Turtle Research Group. Too often they perceive those tents as dunes, try to nest and become tangled.
“They take a lot of energy to crawl up there and nest,” Lamont said. “If they have tried and tried and been unable to nest, they will go out to sea and drop their eggs. That is a huge loss.”
Ehrman related a story of a turtle found last year. She had obviously been attacked by something like a shark, was missing a fin and bleeding out to eventual death. But the turtle made it to a dune and deposited her eggs.
“That shows the instinct to perpetuate the species,” Ehrman said.
That instinct is just one of many aspects of turtle life researchers are trying to understand, particularly for the Northwest Florida species of loggerheads which is genetically distinct from the four major species found in the Southeast, Lamont said.
Turtles, she noted, live long lives, as with humans. To understand any trend, Lamont said, researchers must examine not just decades but even centuries.
For example, she said the impacts of the last year’s oil spill on turtles – the state relocated thousands to the east coast of Florida – likely won’t be understood for years, maybe decades, Lamont said. Even then, it will be difficult to draw a “straight line” from the oil spill to any impacts on turtles, she added.
The numbers of turtle nests has dipped in recent years for reasons researchers do not fully understand. There were 145 found on the peninsula in 2000 and 154 in 2002, but by 2005 the number had dipped to 85. Last year’s 100 was considered low.
At the same time, there has been an increase in what are known as “false crawls”, an attempt by a turtle to come ashore that was in some way thwarted. Last week, McKenzie and Ehrman documented one false crawl.
Lamont said researchers are not sure why the increase in false crawls.
“We saw the same thing at Eglin AFB,” Lamont said. “We saw a strong decrease (in nests). That has been an international trend, actually. We are seeing it everywhere, this decline.
“That is one reason they are considering moving Southeast Atlantic sea turtles from threatened to endangered. They are the only sea turtles not already considered endangered.”
But the decrease in nests, Lamont added, may be the result of event that happened 40 years ago.
“It is very difficult to pinpoint because we don’t know where the life cycle is being impacted,” Lamont said.
The major reason is that turtles nest in familiar haunts, but spend most of their lives roaming the oceans, underwater, invisible to most, until they decide to nest, the timing of which is dictated by the individual turtle.
As a result, the UF research team has been aggressive in adding a tagging program to the monitoring of nesting turtles. Each turtle is tagged to identify it and also tagged with what amounts to a GPS chip that allows researchers to track movements.
The hope is to better understand population size and track distribution and timing of nests.
What is generally understood – though theories abound – is that at some point during incubation or in leaving the nest turtles have it hard-wired in their brains by magnetic orientation the area of their birth and in turn the area they will return to in giving birth as an adult.
“I don’t think people realize that these turtles have a relationship with that beach, just as people do,” Lamont said. “I think that personally ties people to the turtles.
“The information we are getting (from the Turtle Patrol groups) is huge and it is the only work being done on Northwest Florida loggerheads.”
June 17, 2011- THE ST. JOE BAY BUFFER PRESERVE
This buffer preserve can be accessed just south of Simmons Bayou, it is directly behind TWO PALMS, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF C-30-A. There is a gate a few hundred yards down from TWO PALMS, towards Cape San Blas rd, towards Port St. Joe. It is a easy walk from Two Palms, just take a left out of driveway. If conditions are dry, you can use a bike. If you need to rent a bike, call Clay Lewis at CSB Rentals, just past the Scallop Cove towards the state park. He rents bikes and kayaks. I have cards at Two Palms. His phone is 770-289-8023.
There are bald eagles and their nests in the preserve. Wild pigs/boars. Some kind of lynx, or small cat like creatures. All kinds of birds, hawks and floral species.
Visit guest photos , for shots of the preserve......www.two-palms.com
A vision of Old Florida ~St. Joseph Bay Buffer Preserve offers public free journey into the past~ June 16, 2011 8:16 AM By Tim Croft
Take an hour to trek through the St. Joseph Bay Buffer Preserve for a taste of Old Florida.
Spend a day walking its newly-marked trails to fully soak in one of the last natural stretches of coastal Florida in the Panhandle.
“It is really important for people to realize what they have and support it,” said Jean Huffman, a member of the Friends of the Buffer Preserve and former preserve manager. “The best way to support it is to get to know it.
“It’s open, it is free. You can come back here by foot, by bike, by horse. It’s available and it is open.”
And there are challenges.
State budget cuts have meant that the office managing the St. Joseph Bay Aquatic Preserve has closed and Huffman’s last day as buffer preserve manager was May 31. The position has yet to be filled, so Huffman continues to work with the Friends group as she continues her doctoral studies on forest fire history.
The St. Joseph Bay Buffer Preserve is, as an example, a textbook for the work that has transpired the past eight years as Huffman has used prescribed burns to improve the health of the preserve’s 5,000 acres, the 21 rare or endangered species of flora that grow there and to make the preserve more accessible to the public.
“It’s fire prevention, wildfire prevention,” Huffman said of much of her work using prescribed burns to reduce the fuel on the preserve lands while encouraging the growth of native species, such as Florida Blue Curls, Tropical wax weed or Chapman’s Rhododendron.
“Prescribed burning reduces the chances for wildfires out here. And burns are essential to the ecosystem.”
The impact on the prescribed burns – the burning season ended as the weather warmed and summer arrived – is dramatic. On one side of a road, recently burned acreage is in sharp contrast to the other side, burned last year and now on a full comeback to being the long-leaf pine savannah of its natural state.
The burning also boosts the prospects for the plants that thrive and exist only at the buffer preserve. Such plants bloom and flourish when on a wetlands edge, the divining line between coast and uplands.
Burning out the underbrush and forest residue carves out that coastal edge where the plants bloom when in season.
“We have 21 rare species of plants on the buffer preserve and for four or five of them this is the only place in the world where they are protected,” Huffman said. “This is a very unique ecosystem.”
One that includes some bears, an alligator or two, catfish and the return of quail, as just some examples of the animals that roam the preserve.
And Dr. Joe Collins from the Center for North American Herpetology has been surveying the snakes and lizards on the preserve for more than a decade.
“This is one piece of old Florida along this coast that is the original Florida,” Huffman said. “This is an important natural area.”
The work in recent months, beyond the prescribed burns, has been increasing public accessibility to the buffer preserve, which is also an important stop for a host of migratory birds.
The Friends group has worked with Huffman on turning old fire plow lines, essentially ditches that once served as fire prevention in the wild spaces, and logging roads into walking trails.
A member of the Friends group, Ted Ruffner of Eastpoint, has taken on the job of demarking the trails and posting wooden signs with designated trail names at trail heads and intersections of trails.
“The Friends group is still active and there is a lot going on,” Huffman said. “We are trying to develop more walking trails. Most of the trails are the old roads, but we are also trying to create new walking trails.
“Ted was all for it and came out and marked the system of trails. The Friends group has been so good.”
A map of the walking trails is available at the Preserve Center located on State 30-A. The Preserve Center is roughly one mile south of Simmons Bayou.
June 13, 20111
Yahoo rated best beach towns in US. Mexico Beach was rated #2 on their list. I think BEACH AT TWO PALMS is better with Port St. Joe is there as well. I love this restaurant in Mexico Beach (if it is still there ) Amanda's is the name, very different homemade food , salads and soup across (north side of 98) from Tucan's in Mexico Beach. (Central Time zone, 1 hour behind Port St. Joe).
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-40253438 here is link for whole story.
I have been hearing great stories about the fishing in the St. Joe Bay and around the beaches and St. Vincent Island. Scallop season STARTS soon
Real Estate Activity in Cape san Blas/ Indian Pass area for the week of May 13, 2011.
Real estate seems to be getting very close to a bottom here in Gulf County, particularly in the Cape San Blas/Indian Pass area.......activity is increasing and it is NOT just foreclosure sales. Still most activity is in the Gulf Front home area.
Check out link from a realtor......capesanblasblog.com/
Peter- Burns Management
www.two-palms.com
www.two-palms.com/Data/Sites/1/GalleryImages/56/Thumbnails/56mthumb598c9a89-dbee-47c5-be3d-de75d4686a67.jpg
Click on LINK above for picture of the Giant Redfish that we caught in the St. Joe Bay aboard Captain Trey Landry's fishing boat in April 2011. Apparently the Red's are moving into the Bay. Should prove to be very exciting. The one above was too big and we had to release it. We also caught a bunch of Speckled Trout as well. Captain Trey is my preferred fishing guide on the St. Joe Bay, check out his website. He is very personable and takes a deep interest in getting the client fish. His passion is contagious and his knowledge of where the fish are located are second to none. I highly recommend Captain Trey and be sure to mention that you heard it from me, Peter Burns at Burns Management, that he was the "man" when it came to fishing for the "big ones". He will take good care of you. www.captaintrey.com/
Please send me pictures so I can add them to our website. Good Luck!!!!!!
youtu.be/2_s4E-bTV-o
Above is a link for a YouTube video that shows the beautiful area at the "Tip of the Cape" from a fishing boat with Captain Trey Landry, fishing guide. We caught Speckled trout and a huge Redfish 30 LBS and almost 3 feet long. This area is very special and I encourage folks to get out to and see and fish the Tip of the Cape with Captain Trey.
April 2011- The FORGOTTEN COAST TOUR 101 THINGS TO DO BY CHUCK SPICER
The forgotten coast area of Florida's Panhandle is generally defined as the area from Tyndall Airforce Base just EAST of Panama City, along HIGHWAY 98, and the area going EAST all the way to St. Marks and Sopchoppy area.
Starting from the WEST, you are in Bay County, then Gulf County and lastly Franklin County.
BURNS MANAGEMENT'S VACATION RENTAL BEACH HOMES are located smack dab in the middle of THE FORGOTTEN COAST AREA...... TWO PALMS and THREE PALMS are specifically in GULF COUNTY in the area known as CAPE SAN BLAS AND INDIAN PASS....reached by taken C-30-A off of highway 98, located between Port St. Joe and Apalachicola.( www.two-palms.com )
Peter Burns 847-256-2553 ......peter@two-palms.com
CHECK OUT ALL THE THINGS YOU DO IN THE ARTICLE BELOW:
A Relaxing Journey Along Florida's Forgotten Coast By Chuck Spicer Publisher Reader surveys over the past two decades tell us that what our visitors enjoy most about Florida’s Forgotten Coast is that they are able to ‘just plain relax.’ But if a totally sedate, ‘just plain relax’ vacation lifestyle is not necessarily your cup of tea; we offer for your consideration at least 101 things to see and do on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. This journey is from west to east along a remote and quite rural portion of the Florida Panhandle between hectic Panama City and an area due south of equally hectic Tallahassee, the state capitol. At the urging of this publication & publisher, it was labelled “Florida’s Forgotten Coast” in the early ‘90s because state tourism promoters most often ‘forgot’ to even include this area on their maps. Ironically it has since evolved into quite possibly the leading ecotourism destination in Florida. You are travelling along US Highway 98, a mostly two-lane road along the Gulf of Mexico. It is about 15 to 20 miles between communities. Population of the communities generally ranges from a few hundred to a few thousand. Traffic signals are rare as are shopping malls, bungee jumps, bowling alleys and parking meters. What you will see is lots of trees. More than 60% of this entire land mass is either a reserve, preserve or in the hands of one private landowner. The scenery is fantastic and you can pull over to the side of the road most anywhere and enjoy the view, take a dip or dip a hook. Since the Gulf is to your right you can only take side trips to the left. In fact, Franklin is the only county in the country that has but one east/west artery and one northerly route. (Hint: that means law enforcement has but one main road on which to catch speeders.) MEXICO BEACH Once you emerge from sprawling Panama City/ Tyndall Air Force Base area the first Forgotten Coast community you’ll come upon is Mexico Beach. Unlike the hustle-bustle (western) Bay County cities of Panama City and Panama City Beach, this eastern Bay County city of some 999 folks is just plain mellow. Not only does Mexico Beach draw sugar-white, sand-loving families throughout the summer but also is a popular “snowbird” destination. Sunbathing, swimming and fishing are the three favorite pastimes most enjoyed by visitors. Several miles of unspoiled, beautiful beaches run parallel to Highway 98 and the “no undertow” feature makes these stretches ideal for the entire family. In addition to surf and pier fishing, there are charter fishing and dive boats available. An artificial reef association (MBARA) fishing tournament is held during the year as well as a massive Tourist Development Council July 4th fireworks celebration, a gumbo cook off, an art show, musical and sporting events plus rather unique New Year’s celebration(s). Canal Park, where welcome center is located, on the extreme western edge is a great place to relax. PORT ST. JOE Port St. Joe (Gulf County) continues to be a city in transition. A former paper mill town, the downtown area has been transformed into an “old time” strolling, browsing and shopping area. Exceptional brickwork and lighting make it a real showplace. The relatively new Port St. Joe Marina is a real draw and hosts fishing tournaments. Pate Park, with a public boat ramp and a gazebo at the end of a long pier, is among its outstanding relaxation and photography spots. Maddox Park is also on the shores of pristine St. Joseph Bay, home of the world’s most succulent scallops. The best place for recreational scalloping is near Black’s Island. Scallop Day on St. Joseph Bay is celebrated each summer and a wide range of other festivals and musical events (July 4 Celebration, Christmas Festival, etc.) are also staged by the Gulf County Chamber (850/227-1223), Tourism Development Council and other organizations. St. Joseph (Port St. Joe) was a “Boom Town” in the 1830’s and hosted the Florida Constitutional Convention in 1839. A must-visit museum traces the history of the area. Not always a happy history. A ‘Yellow fever Music Festival’ is among the current celebrations. Gulf County (“Old Florida on Florida’s Forgotten Coast”) is also mighty attractive to birders. WEWAHITCHKA Travelling north along Highway 71 from Port St. Joe to Wewahitchka you will pass through White City (great boat ramp) and Honeyville and you will also see highway signs pointing towards several unique fresh water fishing communities leading to the Apalachicola River. Two lakes peering into the skies resulted in the Native American name Wewahitchka (watery eyes). We don’t know how or where the Native Americans chartered the aircraft. Commonly referred to as “Wewa” by the locals, the northern Gulf County city is home to the Dead Lakes and Tupelo Honey. Dead Lakes State Recreation Area is an absolute must for camera buffs. Skeletons and knees of cypress trees killed by a massive flood make for a unique and picturesque setting. The fishing is also fabulous as are the facilities. Wewa folks have been harvesting Tupelo Honey from the swamps of the Apalachicola River Basin for more than a century. Generally regarded as the world’s finest, Tupelo is pure and does not granulate. The 1997 Movie “Ulee’s Gold”, written and directed by Tallahassee resident Victor Nunez and starring Peter Fonda, was filmed in Wewa and the surrounding area. A Tupelo Festival is held in the spring as well as many other celebrations (including a catfish tournament or two) during the year. That Tupelo Festival is held in Lake Alice Park, which features children’s play equipment and restrooms beneath a mighty cathedral of moss-draped oaks. CAPE SAN BLAS/ INDIAN PASS Driving from Port St. Joe to Apalachicola, visitors have the option of taking scenic route State Road C-30 rather than Highway 98. A marina (charter fishing), RV site and boat ramp plus St. Joseph Bay Country Club, featuring an excellent 18-hole golf course, are located in Simmons Bayou / Jones Homestead area. A southerly turn toward the Gulf takes you along a winding Cape San Blas Road on St. Joseph Peninsula and miles of absolutely beautiful beaches. You will pass an outstanding Salinas Park (dune walkovers, beach, restrooms, and play area), the Cape San Blas Light, a refuelling facility, a wonderful handicap park, another county park and the Salt Works Cabins, (site of Confederate Salt works destroyed by the Union in 1862). Boat rentals and horseback riding are available. At the end of the road is the highly rated State Park (best beach in the country) and its many amenities. There are not many permanent residents but Cape San Blas (featuring many upscale beach resort rentals) is a major vacation destination. Back on Scenic C-30 which meanders towards Indian Pass which features a highly popular raw bar (established 1929), bed & breakfast, campgrounds and public boat ramp. This is also the closest you will get to St. Vincent Island, unless you have a boat; can charter one or can catch Joey’s “ferry” at the campground. This pristine state- owned island, featuring fresh water lakes and unique critters, can be walked only during the daylight hours. St. Vincent Wildlife Refuge Center officials in Apalachicola (end of Market Street at Scipio Creek) will answer all of your questions and is a great place to browse. APALACHICOLA At the “Heart of the Forgotten Coast” is Apalachicola. Established in the 1830’s, the 3,000-resident community features a 2.5 square mile Historic District lined with more than 200 historically and architecturally significant structures. An organized Tour of Homes is held the first Saturday in May and visitors love to stroll the tree-lined streets throughout the year. Also popular is the John Gorrie (inventor of the ice machine) Museum. Apalachicola is home to the Florida Seafood festival (first Saturday in November) – the state’s oldest maritime and seafood celebration, and a wide range of Chamber (850/653-9419) and Tourist Development Council sponsored events. Including the Chef’s Sampler, Antique Boat & car Show (April), art shows (including popular Plein Air Paintout) and Christmas Celebration (day after Thanksgiving). Once the third most significant port on the entire Gulf of Mexico, Apalach (as the natives refer to it) still features a colorful working waterfront complete with shrimp and oyster boats and seafood houses. Two accommodations complexes are situated on the banks of the Apalachicola River as well as eateries and a private marina. The centerpiece of the community is the historic (1907) Gibson Inn, which was restored in 1985. The city also features several fine hotels and bed & breakfasts. The restored and renovated downtown area features dozens of unique and charming shops. Plus a whole host of award-winning restaurants. Restoration and recreation projects include the Grady Building, Blair Building, Roman Building, Sponge Exchange and Dixie Theatre. Parks and attractions include Battery Park (public boat ramp), Lafayette Park, Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) “Estuarine Walk”, St. Vincent Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Raney House, Orman House State Park and the Scipio Creek Marina. Also Chesnut Street Cemetery. Last, but certainly not least, there is a most significant Viet Nam War Veterans Statue and Park on Market Street. Nearly 200,000 acres of the Apalachicola River & Bay plus surrounding territory make up the ANERR, (Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve) the largest and most magnificent estuarine reserve in the country. Hundreds of protected and rare species of plants, fish, birds and animals call it home. It is also the spawning ground for great Gulf seafood and Apalachicola Bay produces the finest oysters in the entire world. Why? The mainland and the barrier islands form a sort of mixing bowl. Salt water from the Gulf and fresh water from the Apalachicola River blend ideally in this semi-shallow bowl. Spats sprout into fabulous topless treats. “Sports Afield” named Apalachicola one of America’s 50 Best Outdoor Sports Towns - number one in Florida. Excellent charter & guide services are available and it has evolved into a leading fly fishing mecca. As well as a mighty popular “skinny water” fishing destination. It was also named one of the nation’s "Top 10 Getaways" and has been recognized for its cultural preservation. EASTPOINT The unpretentious Eastpoint waterfront is lined with some seafood houses and oyster boats as many area residents continue to make a hard-earned living harvesting the sea. Eighty per cent of Florida’s oyster supply is generated by these oystermen. About 20% of the nation’s supply. As you travel the John Gorrie Bridge (Apalachicola to Eastpoint) and the Bryant Patton Bridge (Eastpoint to St. George Island) you can often see the harvesters working the oyster beds. Their nine-foot tongs manually worked from the side of a unique boat. No mechanical means allowed. In addition to featuring a fishing lodge plus a couple highway & waterfront restaurants, Eastpoint has become a “commercial” center on the Forgotten Coast. Many new businesses have sprung up during the past few years. It is also the new home of the expanded ANERR operations. ST. GEORGE ISLAND Selected as Florida Rural Community of the Year in 1992, St. George Island is home to about 999 permanent residents and the annual (first Saturday in March) Charity Chili Cookoff & Auction. The nation’s largest International Chili Society (ICS) sanctioned regional chilli cookoff; it has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the island’s volunteer fire department and first responders unit. The 26-mile-long barrier island features an award winning state park (the beach has been rated among the Top 10 in the nation) on one end and an exclusive upscale residential area (the Plantation) on the other. Thousands of visitors flock to this delightful oasis each year for water related activities and to just plain relax. The island’s upscale vacation homes enjoy outstanding occupancy (winter rates are extremely reasonable) and provide a considerable amount of visitor traffic for the area. Three other motels are also available. Those visitors can select from among outstanding restaurants and visit the souvenir (and the practical) shops, bait stores, grocery, and, of course, restaurants and oyster bars. The fishing is outstanding from the beach and several other land based locations including the State Park. Portions of the demolished old bridge were left intact and serve as fishing piers. This unincorporated area features an active civic club as well as fun-loving crew known as the St. George Island Yacht Club. St. George Island also provides the foundation or barometer of the area’s Real Estate Industry. Dirt cheap prior to 1990, SGI land values climbed steadily and mainland values went along for the ride. About a half dozen of the areas more formidable real estate companies were started on the island and have expanded to other areas of the Forgotten Coast. A bike path runs the length of the island and the center of attention is the lighthouse that was moved from “Little St. George” to the main island. There are a few planned events and many more spontaneous events. ISLAND CHAIN To the West of St. George is Little St. George Island. It all used to be one large island ‘til a “cut” was dredged in ’55. There’s no bridge. The lighthouse that was located on Little St. George suffered from instability and rescuers moved it to the main island and it is now a major tourism attraction. Farther west is St. Vincent Island and then Black’s Island off the Gulf County coast. To the east is Dog Island. A chartered ride is sometimes available to this 100-home island with a single dirt road. A small hotel and a grass landing strip complete the picture. CARRABELLE Like Port St. Joe, Carrabelle (999 residents), also known as “the Pearl of the Panhandle”, has a history that dates well back into the 1800’s. Like several other Forgotten Coast communities, Carrabelle is undergoing considerable change while attempting to maintain its down-home “fishing village” ambience and charm. Despite crippling commercial fishing regulations, a handful of residents still make their living on the water. The focus in recent years has shifted from commercial fishing to sport fishing (the harbor is the deepest on the Big Bend), and the Carrabelle Boat Club even offers ownership of condos for boats! The city is headquarters for several “fishing classic” tournaments, for charity and for large purses, attracting upwards of 800 competitors, and a holiday Boat Parade of Lights in December. Marine Street, a half-mile of “Old Florida” Riverwalk, now includes a restaurant, Pavilion and night spot. The stretch is site of the April Chamber of Commerce Riverfront Festival (an artistic affair). GUMBO CONTEST At one time the festival featured a charity gumbo cookoff and the 1997 winner (Jackie Gay) subsequently won the Good Housekeeping Magazine recipe of the year contest (sponsored by Paul Newman) and a $50,000 check to help build the beautiful Franklin County Public Library on Highway 98 in Carrabelle. Today, the festival features dozens of art, craft and food booths, and live beach music day and night. The Camp Gordon Johnston Museum (located just off Highway 98 at the City Complex) commemorates our WWII D-Day victory that followed years of top-secret amphibious training on this coast. Camp Gordon Johnston Days in March are quite possibly the nation's largest non-Veterans Day celebration of our troops - past and present. Timber Island, across the harbor, is transforming to a desirable residential, commercial and water access spot, nestled among square miles of untouched estuarine salt marshes. One “must” stop for any visitor to Carrabelle is the World’s Smallest Police Station, located smack dab on Highway 98 in the center of town. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it. One visitor at a time allowed in. Featured on TV shows such as Johnny Carson, You Asked For It, etc, and in international magazines, the local police station is a genuine phone booth. Like the one used by the greatest crime fighter of them all. The local police force actually used it as a base of operations. And don’t forget to visit the local history museum and the Crooked River Lighthouse out west past Carrabelle Beach. The non-commissioned light has a visitor center, complete with a keeper’s house, area information and parking on off Highway 98. From the lighthouse don’t miss the Tate’s Hell State Forest entrance just down the road. Walk miles of forest trails past the same all-natural Florida, the Seminoles walked thousands of years ago, and see the only stand of dwarf cypress trees in the world. LANARK VILLAGE During the late 1800’s Lanark Village was a major tourist destination. Many believed that the waters in the area were of “healing” value. The area featured a magnificent and highly regarded hotel visited by folks from throughout the country. It disappeared long ago. This area was also the home of Fort Gordon Johnston during WWII. The “secret” base was used as an amphibious training facility for the Normandy Invasion. Munitions are still found throughout Franklin and Wakulla Counties. Do not handle! In March of each year a reunion, parade and good fellowship are in order. With all veterans and active troops invited by the Camp Gordon Johnston Association.. All that remains of the “Fort” is some asphalt, a few concrete blocks and some “barracks.” Lanark Village has an abbreviated “par three” golf course, a community center (Chillas Hall) and boat club. After jumping through hundreds of environmental hoops, an 18-hole championship golf course called St. James Bay was created just a couple miles up the road .- There is also a large St. Joe Company development called “SummerCamp” at the Highway 98/Highway 319 fork in the road. It is also the location of the Florida State University Marine Lab. ALLIGATOR POINT Again, miles and miles of unspoiled beaches are at your disposal along the shoreline of the Alligator Point peninsula on the Franklin/Wakulla border. There are only a few hundred permanent residents as most of the waterfront homes serve as second homes or transient rentals for fun-loving vacationers. At the very end of Alligator Point is a large marina with a store and refuelling facilities. There are also charter boats available. The state purchased the pristine portion of the peninsula known as “Bald Point” and hiking trails (as well as a beach) are available to the public. Gas up before making the trek. Why the name ‘Alligator Point’? Just look at the shape on a map. OCHLOCKONEE BAY/ PANACEA Waterfront camping is available in the Ocklockonee Bay/ Panacea coastal communities in Wakulla County. Several marinas are featured (with all of the amenities) as well as a couple of outstanding restaurants. These restaurants draw food lovers from the east, west and north. “Panacea”, like Lanark, was once known for its soothing/healing waters. Mashes Sands Beach is an attraction as is Woolly Park, which hosts the annual Blue Crab Festival. The first Saturday in May event draws upwards of 20,000 people. Besides crab pickin’ and lots of entertainment, the festival features a parade plus dozens of art, crafts and food booths. The unique Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory is located in Panacea and is a great place to bring the youngsters. Touch tanks galore. The Wakulla community of Medart (on Highway 98 just after the turn to Crawfordville) is home to a full-fledged, outstanding 18-hole golf course called Wildwood Resort that features restaurant and bar facilities and inexpensive play. . Continuing on Highway 98 (Coastal Highway) brings you to the Shell Point and Spring Creek coastal portions of the county. It is a popular destination for Tallahassee weekenders and vacationers. This is the site of the annual Stephen C. Smith Memorial Regatta in April. The two-day event is for charity. Nearby is Spring Creek, popular among boaters and anglers. ST. MARKS Back on Highway 98 and travelling eastward takes you to the turnoff for St. Marks. This coastal community is the starting point for the St. Marks Rail-Trail that wanders on towards Tallahassee. Following the former Gopher, Frog and Alligator (GF&A) Railroad line. It also features a couple of marinas. St Marks hosts several festivals (stone crab and monarch) and features the nearby San Marcos de Apalache State Historic Site. San Marcos has a long and colorful history dating back to 1528 and 1679, (when the fort was built). It’s a must for history buffs as the museum houses great artifacts and historical documents. Some signed by Andrew Jackson. .There’s also a 150-year-old lighthouse nearby as well as a public boat ramp and park. Head slightly east across the bridge over the St. Marks River to Lighthouse Rd. (Co. Rd. 59) and start your exploration of the natural Florida of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Hiking, bird watching, salt and freshwater fishing, hunting and photography are popular activities within this 70,000-acre preserve. The historic and beautiful St. Marks Lighthouse and the Visitor Center are also located on Co. Rd. 59. For more information, visit saintmarks.fws.gov or call 850/925-6121. This is also the stopover point for migrating Monarch in the fall of the year as well as rare whooping cranes that follow aircraft to the location.. WAKULLA SPRINGS Some have called it the “Eighth Wonder of the World” and that’s why Wakulla Springs State park draws visitors from across the world. It is home of one of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs. Because of its magnificent natural beauty, several movies have been filmed there. Including the old Tarzan flicks. There are nature trails, guided boat tours, swimming, picnicking and a whole host of activities held throughout the year. The park also features a large, charming and venerable lodge and conference center. There is an outstanding restaurant on the premises as well as a gift shop. Many of the nation’s leading companies use the facilities for weekend retreats and rewards for their top performers. Many special events are staged throughout the year (see Coastline calendar). WOODVILLE Nearby Woodville is the site of the annual Battle of Natural Bridge re-enactment in March. The Rebs win this one. The Crawfordville area is one of the fastest growing areas of the state. The city features an old courthouse that has been restored and a modern livestock pavilion that is the site of the annual Wakulla County “Pig Party”, a swine show and festival in late February. The Wakulla Chamber (850/926-1848) is located here. SOPCHOPPY Sopchoppy, which features some quaint older homes and a truly neat old train depot, grabs the area spotlight on the Fourth of July as it hosts a celebration that is the envy of the entire area. A parade and lots of entertainment and food. The community works the entire year in order to put on its really big show. A musical “hotbed”, Sopchoppy also hosts a Worm Gruntin’ Festival in April and a big “jam session.’ And, of course, the Worm Grunters Ball! TOUR COMPLETE There you have it...at least 101 things to see and do on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. Hope you enjoyed the trip. For even more detailed information contact the individual Chambers and Tourist Development Councils (your bed tax dollars at work) in each area and be sure to pick up your free monthly copy of “Forgotten Coastline.” If you aren’t here next month, you are also encouraged to download the online PDF version of Coastline at the all new and exciting www.forgottencoastline.com. There you can read feature articles on all the parks, lighthouses and attractions along the Forgotten Coast. Oops, one other thing - please take a few minutes to fill out our visitor survey. You will sometimes find it in our publication and it is always online. It helps let us know if this publication and area has its act together. Thanks – and enjoy. -30- v
FISHING/HUNTING FOR BLUE CRAB’S AT BURNS MANAGEMENT’S VACATION RENTAL: TWO PALMS AND THREE PALMS LOCATED IN THE CAPE SAN BLAS/INDIAN PASS AREA BY: Peter Burns –Spring 2011 www.two-palms.com 847-256-2553
Fishing is fantastic in the Forgotten Coast all year long. There are so many different kinds of fishing and waters to be fished that it boggles the mind!!! Fresh water/salt water, Deep Sea and Shore Fishing, Flats and Bay fishing, Lakes and Rivers, Sport and Good eating fishing……you could spend a lifetime exploring all the venues and varieties of fish located within close proximity to TWO PALMS and THREE PALMS.
While this area is truly one of a kind in terms of fishing and options, and there is a plethora of information on this BLOG about fishing in the area, my purpose of this entry is to remind renters of TWO and THREE PALMS to not forget about the one of a kind opportunity and availability of BLUE CRABS that is just minutes away and in some cases steps away from your vacation rental. It is a tremendous family adventure and once your kids learn how to do it (minutes) they may spend the rest of the vacation hunting blue crabs!!! And if you haven’t tasted the one of a kind sweetness of blue crab, it will knock your socks off!!!
Don’t get me wrong…scalloping is a blast and another great family adventure that I suggest everyone try at least once.(during the brief season) but, honestly after one outing……I had the feeling of : “Been there done that !!”. It is a lot of work!!!!! And not that much fun, except for the novelty part. I love scallops, especially the fresh ones from St. Joe Bay, but honestly I would rather just buy them. At all the various events that they have in Port St. Joe, and they have a LOT OF GOOD ONES, the scallops they serve are almost always FROZEN from some other area!!!!
Now, Blue Crab is not Alaska King Crab, with the huge chunks of Crab that easily come off the legs and other parts. BUT, pound for pound, blue crabs are much sweeter IMO. There is also a process, ritual or “rites of passage “with blue crab that comes from the fun and challenge of catching the crabs, steaming/boiling them and digging in with your fingers and a fork and devouring them. When I am lazy or in a hurry, I love buying the cleaned crab meat only. I don’t know of any place you can purchase the crab meat, only except, in Panama City. I may be wrong, but I have never found any in Apalachicola, yet.
Here is what you do to hunt/fish for Blue Crabs: get a hold of a crab net, there should be one or more laying around TWO PALMS and THREE PALMS. The net has about a 4 or 5 foot pole attached to it, and it is usually green colored net. They sell them at all the convenience/gas stations as well. In the Gulf shallow water look for black/brown clumps, and as you approach the clump it should move very quickly, that is your telltale sign that it is a blue crab. There are very, very fast and quick with excellent vision. They spook very easily. The trick is to sneak up on them, moving slowly and then pounce on them with the crab pole. Try to anticipate where the crab is going and slam the pole a couple of feet in front of the crab. Once you get the crab in the net, drag it along the sandy bottom so that the crab gets entangled in the net. Take the crab out of the net with these techniques 1.) Shake the crab pole over a bucket or container until the crab falls in 2.) WITH GLOVES (rubber or cloth) pull the crab out of the pole/net and place in bucket. 3.) If you can get your hands on a “needle nose” pliers used for pulling out fish hooks or similar tool and untangle them. BE CAREFUL HANDLING THEM WITH BARE HANDS!!!!! This is a blast to do with your kids and you can, with enough help, collect enough to have a nice meal most times. There are times of the month when there are more crabs. They seem to be more active and available around full moon periods, but I have caught them even when it is not near a full moon. You can also catch them at night time. It is a bit more challenging and it is a good idea to have a flash light or lantern shining on the water, both to attract them and to see them. I prefer day time hunting.
It is VERY IMPORTANT to not place or store the crab in ANY WATER!!!! Just put them in a bucket and leave them there until they go for a swim in the hot boiling water!!!! You can boil or steam crabs, as well as any other way you can think of. Just wash off crabs in running water to get rid of sand and throw it in the boiling water. They will turn redder and cook rather quickly. I put old newspapers on a table, get a ton of napkins or paper towels, melt some butter, slice some lemons, grab some forks to pry open legs and shells and dig in with my hands, You have to use your hands so you can pick out the meat and get every little scrap of the tasty /sweet crab meat. Of course, you can use cocktail sauce, tobacco or whatever u prefer.
Now, if you are serious about catching a meal for the whole family and don’t have the patience to catch them individually, it is time to go to the crab trap. There is one crab trap underneath the deck at TWO PALMS near the coolers, under the hot tub. There is a little door on the trap to put the bait in. Put a chicken neck, piece of chicken or a fish head (many of the bait stores will give you them free) in the compartment. Get some heavy string/rope and attach it to the trap. (at least 10 feet, maybe 20 ). Throw trap in gulf and find something to attach the rope to (a stake, beach chair, cooler etc. ) and walk away. There is an unwritten law that people don’t steal crab traps or your crabs at Cape San Blas. I have never had one stolen. I have left traps in the Gulf overnight and go check in AM to take crabs out and check on bait. HOWEVER, I have had gear, VERY NICE beach chairs stolen, once, when left on beach. Now, I am stupid trustful, and have left expensive gear on the beach MANY times, for many years, before I had the one incident of theft. People can drive cars/trucks/golf carts on the beach with permits……..so be careful. Maybe it was just like episode in Seinfeld when they went to the Hamptons and Kramer found the lobster traps and thought it was free. BUT usually, most times, 99 out of 100 you should not have anyone take your crabs or trap. If they steal the trap, you owe me a trap, please.
Next, is the family adventure of individually catching crabs with a string. This can be done in the Gulf of Mexico, BUT it is most effective and successful at TWO PALMS in Money Bayou. Just about 100 yds to the left of TWO PALMS (facing the gulf) is a little creek, called Money Bayou, where legend has it that Pirates would stash their treasure in it. (None has ever been found). This is JAMMED PACKED with blue crabs, and when u can’t see or catch any crabs in the Gulf, you can ALWAYS get them in Money Bayou, anytime. Get some string, twine or even fishing line about 10 to 20 feet. Use chicken necks, fish heads or a piece of chicken and securely fasten one end of the string to the piece of bait. Toss the bait with string attached into Money Bayou, and wait. Soon you will feel the crab attached to the bait, you can tell, by the tug you feel. Slowly, slowly start pulling string in to the bank of Money Bayou. 3 or 4 feet from shore you will see the crab. Take the crab net and slam it on top of the crab. Drag the net to the shore along the bottom of the creek and then pull it out and put it in the bucket. Remember the crabs have excellent vision and can see you on the bank, sneak up, be cool, calm and collective and then pounce and slam that crab net quickly on top of the crab. Kids just love this and it is much easier than traditional fishing with a rod and reel. They will spend hours hunting for the crabs, once they get the feel for it. Although, they may get nervous about handling the crab. But, even if they lose the crab it still is tons of fun. The adrenaline really gets going and it is a great activity!!!
Folks at THREE PALMS as well as at TWO PALMS can also go to the bridge over Money Bayou and throw the crab traps into Money Bayou from the bridge. This is the bridge on C-30- A over Money Bayou between THE RAW BAR and Two Palms. There should also be a crab trap at Three Palms, if not ask DONNA, the manager, )(850-229-5421)who lives right next to the bridge at Money Bayou, and she will let you use some of hers. It is right at the bridge, 1st house east of the bridge, North side of highway C-30-A. Make sure your rope is long and strong enough. True story……we had a family of 12 at Three Palms who crabbed from the bridge and fed themselves every night on Blue Crab. Have a blast and try some crab on a saltine, in a omelet, with melted cheese or on your entrée. Share your adventure with us or email a picture and we will put it on the website. HAVE A BLAST!!!!!!! Burns Management 847-256-2553 www.two-palms.com
THIS WEEK IN REAL ESTATE FOR THE CAPE SAN BLAS/INDIAN PASS AREA BLOG-BY Sheri dodsworth
For week ending march 26 , 2011
provided by Burns Management, Cape San Blas Vacation Rental, TWO PALMS and THREE PALMS, 847-256-2553
This is the full link for the the report with pictures.capesanblasblog.com/
Mar 26 2011 Cape San Blas Real Estate Week in Review – March 19-25, 2011
Published by Sherri Dodsworth under Barrier Dunes,Beach Renourishment,Cape San Blas,FEMA,Foreclosures/Short Sales,Forgotten Coast,Indian Pass,Port St. Joe,Real Estate
For Sale and Sold SignJust another gorgeous week in paradise with warm sunny weather nudging the azaleas, wisteria and wild flowers of spring into full bloom. Our real estate market continues blossoming as well, with one sale and three new contracts, ten new listings and two price changes. As you would expect, our inventory remains virtually unchanged, moving up just five to close the week at an even 350, with 131 homes and 219 lots listed in our MLS in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and C-30 market.
Bank-Owned Cape San Blas Bay Front Home Sold March 21, 2011 for $265,000
We begin today’s review with our solo sale, a bank-owned bay-front fixer-upper home in Peninsula estates located about a mile south of the entrance to the state park. The value in this property is its location on a 100′ wide lot in the best area of bay front on all of St. Joe Bay. If you’re into boating and enjoying all the fun living on the bay has to offer, you want to be in this north-west quadrant of it. Here the water is deeper and there are stretches of firm white sandy beaches. The shot above is the sizzle that sold this property.
Cape San Blas Bank Owned Bay Front Home Sold March 21, 2011 for $265,000
This is the home itself. She needs a good bit of TLC but she’ll be an awesome coastal retreat when she’s fixed up. The bank had her listed for just $277,200 and some lucky buyer snatched her up this week for just $265,000, not too far above the county’s assessed value of $231,395. This home last sold in 1996 for $125,000; those owners listed it in 2007 for $950,000.
Park Side Barrier Dunes Townhouse Under Contract March 24, 2011 with List Price of $129,500
The first of our three contracts is on a bargain-priced townhouse at Barrier Dunes. It’s a 2-bedroom, 2-bath, 1,172 square foot interior unit built in 2003 when it sold for $180,000. Those folks more than doubled their money just two years later selling it in late 2005 for $389,500. This week it went under contract with a list price of just $125,900. There are several other townhouses around this price if you’re interested in a weekend getaway on the coast for a super reasonable price.
Bank-Owned Ovation Bay Crescent lot Under Contract March 25, 2011 With List Price of $99,000
Our second new contract is just next door in Ovation where this bank-owned lot on the crescent overlooking the bay went under contact with a list price of $99,000, less than a third of its 2005 sale price of $375,000. The last lot along here to sell went for Ashwood’s full list price of $125,000 and since they still own several others it’ll be interesting to see if they stay at $125K or drop them to meet this new comp.
If you’ve read this blog for awhile, you have no doubt noticed I’ve been a big fan of Ovation, but I have to tell you I learned something disturbing about it this week that has me cooling off a bit. It seems the DEP leaned on the developer to amend their covenants to prohibit cats anywhere on Ovation, even inside homes. Their purported purpose is to “protect” St. Andrews beach mice, which no one aound here has ever actually seen on the Cape, but according to DEP the habitat is right and they could live here. So we have eagles, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, alligators, etc., etc., but little Fluffy perched on a sunny window sill is a greater threat than any of them. If the government wants to stop development, they should just come out and say so, not try to hide their true intent behind the guise of “saving” vermin.
Classic 1930's Beach Cottage at Indian Pass Under Contract March 21, 2011 with List Price of $$199,900
OK, I’ll climb down off my soap box and get on with our third and final new contract which takes us all the way over to Indian Pass Beach Subdivision where this 2-bedroom, 2-bath, 940 square foot classic circa-1930′s Florida cottage went under contract with a list price of just $199,900. That’s less than a third of the $635,000 it sold for in 2005, and also below the $515,000 it sold for in 2003.
Beach Porch
This primitive cottage was completely restored inside and out in 2001 to keep with the originality of it’s time. It has all natural heart pine walls and floors, and has updated heat/air, septic, wiring, plumbing, appliances and paint.
Beach Cottage Dining Area
What a beautiful little piece of Florida’s past.
Lagoon Front Lot at Indian Pass for Just $149,000
It’s Pick of the Week time, and this week I’m going with this bank-owned lagoon front lot at Indian Pass as the best of the crop of our ten new listings. It’s a little over half an acre, with 69′ of water frontage and 350′ deep. Plenty of room in the “X” zone for building your home high and dry. In 2004 it sold for $325,000, but you can have it now for just $149,000. Such a deal! If you’re familiar with Indian Pass, this lot’s located just a couple of hundrd feet west of the stately large blue and white home locally referred to affectionately as “Tara”.
That’s a wrap for this week. If you’re in the area this weekend there’s lots to do. This afternoon there’s a nature tour of St. Vincent Island wildlife preserve, the annual air show is at Tyndall both Saturday and Sunday, and there’s the Florida Realtors Tour of Homes. Whatever your plans for the weekend, I’m glad you stopped by here today. If you’re interested in finding out more about picking up some coastal property while the market is at the bottom, let’s talk. Give me a call on my cell phone, 850-227-5197 or shoot me an email to sherri@sherridodsworth.com. Share
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March 28, 2011
Burns Management -Cape San Blas Vacation rental -Pet Friendly Beach Homes in the Cape San Blas/Indian Pass area in the Forgotten Coast of Florida.
.www.two-palms.com
847-256-2553
Fishing info for the Gulf County, Fl. Area from www.visitgulf.com (Tons of info about the area)
* Things to Do: Fishing
Gulf of Mexico offshore charters to the calm flats fishing of St. Joseph Bay, and freshwater fishing in Wewahitchka's Dead Lakes-
We've heard that some anglers even bring two boats! Gulf County offers a wide range of fishing fun, from one convenient location. Whether you're after Grouper and Snapper on a bottom fishing trip, or in search of Tarpon and Redfish inside St. Joseph Bay, you'll find plenty of options. And, the Dead Lakes are known worldwide for bass fishing.
St. Joseph Bay - Accessible by numerous boat ramps and Port St. Joe Marina, the bay's shallow, protected waters are designated as a aquatic preserve and home to trout, flounder, mackerel and more. Numerous species are available by simply wade fishing or from one of our piers. Pontoon boat and kayak rentals are popular with families and Jetty Park offers restrooms and picnic facilities.
Gulf of Mexico offshore - Whether you take your own boat or a local charter, offshore bottom fishing trips are available with anglers bringing in Scamp, Snapper and Grouper. View our charter services below.
Wewahitchka's Dead Lakes - This 6,700-acre waterway in the middle of the Chipola River, just 20 minutes north of Port St. Joe, offers stunning scenery and some of the best bass fishing in the world. More information on our annual Flathead Catfish tournament and other tournaments is available on our Calendar of Events page.
Bait Shop - Supplies Business Location Phone email Scallop Cove Bait & Tackle Cape San Blas 850-227-1573 Paul's Bait & Tackle Dalkeith 850-639-2682 Bluewater Outriggers Port St. Joe 850-229-1100 Daly's Dock & Dive Center Port St. Joe 850-229-6330 eMail Half Hitch Tackle Port St. Joe 866-872-7100 Seahorse Water Safaris - Boat Rentals & Charters Port St. Joe 850-227-1099 eMail Wewa Bait & Tackle Wewahitchka 850-639-3477
Charters Business Location Phone email Brown Eyed Girl Fishing Charter 850-227-5154 eMail Flat Bottom Fishing 850-227-6108 eMail Mexico Beach Charters 850 -381-1313 eMail Blue Water Bandit Charters Indian Pass 850-229-1760 A Bay Charter Port St. Joe 850-229-3474 AG DOC Charters Port St. Joe 850-647-6072 Bar Hop'n Charters Port St. Joe 850-227-8659 eMail Big Time Charters Port St. Joe 850-647-3474 Congo Charters Port St. Joe 850-229-8034 Dog House Charters Port St. Joe 850-227-7281 Fishin' Express Port St. Joe 850-227-8200 Forgotten Coast Adventures Port St. Joe 850-258-4067 eMail Killfish Charters Port St. Joe 850-227-7480 Lady J Charters Port St. Joe 850-227-1200 Premier Sportfishing Adventures Port St. Joe 850-227-9720 Seahorse Water Safaris - Boat Rentals & Charters Port St. Joe 850-227-1099 eMail Southern Tide Charters Port St. Joe 850-227-4542 Tall Tales Fishing Charters Port St. Joe 850-229-7149 Tarpon Tarpon Tarpon - Charter Fising/Dolphin Sea Life & Adventure Cruises Port St. Joe 850-509-0573 Miss Lillie Charters St Joe Beach 850-647-6244 Illustrious Charters Wewahitchka 850-899-3283 Jus'Rite Charters Wewahitchka 850-639-6713 Captain Alan's Sea Escapes Mexico Beach 850-340-0643 Charisma Charters Mexico Beach 850-648-8211 Floridaze Adventures Mexico Beach (850) 896-4930 eMail Miss Mary Charters Mexico Beach 850-527-6272 Reel Magic Fishing Charters Mexico Beach 850-648-4073 Sharp Hook Guide Service Mexico Beach 850-648-6670
* o Beach Weddings o Pet-Friendly o Fishing o Snowbirds
Display only pet-friendly
Beach Blast 2011
6
FISHING IN AND AROUND TWO PALMS AND THRE PALMS VACATION HOME IN THE CAPE SAN BLAS/ INDIAN PASS AREA OF THE FORGOTTEN COAST. (BY Peter Burns of Burns Management Spring 2009)
www.two-palms.com 847-256-2553
Greetings: Please find below links for fishing in and around the Florida Panhandle. Specifically this is designed for Gulf County and the area of Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and Mexico Beach and Apalachicola.
There are many kinds of fishing available: Surf fishing, Deep Sea fishing(Huge Grouper, Snapper and King fish )St. Joe Bay fishing and scalloping, Inner Coastal fishing, Apalachicola Bay Fishing and, even, Dead Lakes Fishing (freshwater). From our rental homes: I have caught over 10 species of fish from the beach and there are many more species I have not caught. The fish were catfish, whiting, pompano, Redfish, speckled trout, flounder, striped bass, mullet, and There is an boat ramp in Indian Pass,(closest spot) they sell bait and can arrange charters. I have used the guy who runs the Indian Pass Shuttle to fish in and around St. Vincent Island. He is reasonable, very laid back and if it in season he will rake up some oysters and shuck them on the boat. His link is below. You can go deep sea fishing for Grouper, Snapper, Kingfish and the other biggies or go flat fishing for tarpon and other game fish. You can fish from the boat launch. Preshnell's harbor at Simmons Bayou on C-30(between Port St. Joe and the Cape) has live and frozen bait, equipment, and does charters mostly in St. Joe Bay. There are half day or full day charters. They do everything: licensing, equipment, bait and cleaning the fish. Nice little outfit. Out towards the state park on the Cape there is the Scallop Cove for bait and a charter operation right next door. Popular spots are at the Stump hole for shore fishing and wade fishing in the bay. In the town of Port St.Joe the action is at the Port St. Joe marina, big charter companies, lots of info and a good little place to fish on the bay at the mouth of the harbor. There is a store right next to the Piggly-Wiggly in Port St. Joe that sells live bait and fishing gear. Good info from the other fisherman as well, nice alternative if the weather is not co-operating at the beaches and the Gulf. You can also rent a boat yourself here. (link below) .Fishing is also very good at the jetty of the Marina.
The FAVORITE spot, especially when conditions are windy or poor on the Gulf and Bay, is under the bridge on Highway 98,and the inner coastal river, just north of Port St.Joe, There is a gas station/store called Cheap Butt’s, there is also Raffield Fisheries on waterway, right next to fishing spot. The address is 1624 Grouper Ave.in the Highland View neighborhood. The LOCALS love this spot and seem to always catch fish and a lot of them, here. Go to fish store, right next to Piggly Wiggly, for live bait and gear. They will also direct you to the spot. Mexico beach is full of charter companies. Apalachicola is full of charter companies, bait and gear. They say Apalach is where the folks from port St. Joe go to party and they do have a little more night life, restaurants and bars than PSJ. Please feel free to call me and I will be happy to further instruct you. Don't forget about blue crabs which are a blast for the little ones, they are all over the shoreline. At 2 Palms , Money Bayou, has tons of blue crab, and there is a crab trap underneath the hot tub for your use. Also bring your throw net and cast for some bait or go for the schools of mullet or whiting when they are running. I have seen locals pull up over 150 mullet in a single cast on the beach. Thank you and e-mail me with any tips or suggestions you may have. Peter Burns 847-254-2325 or email me Peter@two-palms.com or visit www.two-palms.com
http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/forum/search/query.asp?action=search&searchforumid=all&keywords=&author=&days=01 = Chat room http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/forum/category-view.asp= more chat rooms,inshore,offshore reports http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zeroforum?id=15 http://www.fishingportstjoe.com/ = Captain Gary Goodrich lives very close to 2 and 3 Palms, small boat reasonable http://www.florida-fishing-guide.com/charters/apalachicola.htm = Info for Apalachicola fishing charters http://www.floridasportsman.com/4cast/ph/ http://www.mbara.org/= Mexico beach artificial reef info and helpful links http://www.visitgulf.com/thingstodo.cfm = Great site for info and things to do in Gulf County http://www.psjmarina.com/ = Port St. Joe Marina web site, charter companies, boat rentals http://www.presnells.com/ = Close to 2 and 3 Palms. Preshnells Harbor at Simmons Bayou, supply, baits, and charter boats http://cyberangler.com/reports/fl/womble/ = Panama City to Port St. Joe west http://cyberangler.com/reports/fl/crawford/= St. Marks to St. Joe Bay east http://www.doghousecharters.com/ = charter out of PSJ www.indianpasscamp.com = Indian pass campground, supplies, bait ,charters, fish at boat ramp. Closest to 2 and 3 Palms http://www.gulfchamber.org/ = Good site for Gulf County info http://www.stvincentisland.com/ = Shuttle boat to St. Vincent Island at Indian Pass campground. Good value for half or full day fishing.
March 26th, 2011
Fishing at Two and Three Palms. www.two-palms.com in Port St. Joe, Fl.
Fishing is fantastic in the Forgotten coast, particularly in and around Cape San Blas and Indian Pass.
I have caught over 10 different species of fish right from the shore of the Gulf of Mexico in front of Two Palms and Three Palms. You can fish in the St. joe Bay from the shore or by walking/wading into the water. You can out a VERY long way because the bay is very shallow. Just make sure you have some decent water shoes/boots. This is also where people scallop along C-30 during the season. Scalloping is very easy,simple and great family experience. There is a plethora of local info on how to, where to and when to scallop.
You can enter the St. Joe Bay from many locations along 98 in the town of Port St. Joe, all along C-30 out towards the Cape and off Cape San Blas rd all the way out to the State Park. I have waded into the Bay many times and have caught a variety of fish, including some nice big Red's. You can also hire a guide and I have used the folks at prescnell's harbor, by Simmons Bayou . They also have live bait and fishing gear.
Indian Pass has a campground and tiny store by their boat ramp across from St. Vincent Island. Tons of guides use boat ramp as their launching pad for fishing in the Apalach Bay and deep sea fishing. The guy, Joey, who runs the shuttle pontoon boat also will take folks out fishing for smaller fish up to sharks. He is reasonable priced. You can also fish and find some decent fish from the shore/beach at the boat ramp. You can even fish in the Indian Pass Lagoon which is just North of Indian Pass Road
Burns Management has a vacation rental called Three Palms less than 1 mile from the Indian Pass boat ramp and campground. The beach rental sleeps up 15 people, has a screened in fish cleaning room, has a 4 foot long B-bcue grill and a fenced in pool yard for dogs. A great place to have as your base camp for your fishing adventure. We also have a private manager/concierge who can help book your charters, plan an outing, help you locate fishing bait and equipment vendors, or book a dinner reservation that lives 1 mile away from Three Palms. Address is 181 S. higgins rd. Port St. Joe, Fl 32456 www.two-palms.com (click on link) 847-256-2553
Sunday, March 20, 2011 4:43:12 PM Peter
CAPE SAN BLAS VACATION RENTAL HOMES AVAILABLE .......CALL 847-256-2553 www.two-palms.com
St. Joseph's Bay, is located just east of Panama City, and is one of Florida's most pristine waterways where the rare, tasty scallop thrives. Our coast is crystal clear and beautiful SPRING weather has arrived with warm days, cool nights and family-friendly festivals.
The tall dunes and sparkling sands of St. Joseph Peninsula State Park led to our ranking as America's #1 Beach, in 2002, and that natural beauty remains today as an uncrowded family paradise with affordable beachfront rental homes, historic inns and charming shops.Our calm waters don't have the dangerous undertows found on the beaches further west and you can even bring the dog along - our beaches are pet friendly!
Sunday, March 20, 2011 12:28:13 PM Peter
March 20 weekly real estate blog from Sherri Dodsworth
Copy and Paste link for pictures and to keep weekly Blog....http://capesanblasblog.com/
Cape San Blas Real Estate Week in Review – March 12-18, 2011
Published by Sherri Dodsworth under Cape San Blas
For Sale and Sold SignIt has been a tumultuous news week, but the headlines didn’t deter buyers, as we had another strong showing, closing six sales and writing three new contracts. We also added eight new listings, and eight price changes. Not much impact on our inventory, though, up by one, closing at 345, with 133 homes and 212 lots in our MLS in the Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and C-30 Corridor markets. Lots to look at today so let’s jump right in.
Interior Lot One of Two Which Sold March 16, 2011 for $25,000Interior Lot One of Two Which Sold on March 16, 2011 for $25,000
On to our six sales, the first two of which are adjacent interior lots in Park Pointe subdivision on the north end of the Cape, siding the state park. They have no water view, and both sold on Wednesday for $25,000 each having last sold in 2005 for $449,000 and $379,000 respectively. So lessee . . . 2005, combined value $828,000, 2011 combined value $50,000, or about 6 cents on the dollar. As I said when these two recently went under contract, it’s either carnage or carnival, depending on which side of the table you’re sitting. Unbelievable. The county thought they were each worth $50,000.
Cape San Blas First Tier Townhouse sold March 17, 2011 for $125,000
Our third sale takes us about 3 miles south to Cape Shoals, where this 2-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, 926 square foot bank-owned one-half of a duplex listed for $133,000 sold on Thursday for $125,000. That’s not too far off from the $117,551 the county has it assessed for. Built in 1986, it last sold in 1997 for $80,000. Those owners first started trying to sell it nine years later putting it on the market in March 2006 for $565,000.
Cape San Blas Bay Front Home Sold March 2011 for $385,000
We’ll head a little over a mile further south for our fourth sale, one we’ve seen on the market for a long, long time waiting for someone to call her home. It’s a lovely 4-bedroom, 4 bath, 2,525 square foot home on 50′ of bay front complete with shared dock on St. Joe Bay and deeded gulf access. The owners built it in 2003 and started trying to sell it shortly after the market tanked in 2005. They eventually lowered the list price to $399,900 as a short sale and that did the trick, selling this week for $385,000, somewhat above the county’s assessed value of $339,925.
First Tier Lot Near the Cape Sold March 2011 for $132,000
This may look like a non-descript lot, but the views from this first tier, quarter-acre, x-zone lot in the micro-subdivision of the Curve at the Cape are awesome. Located on C-30 just a couple hundred yards east of the turn off from Cape San Blas Road, it’s actually a beautiful piece of land with a commanding gulf vista. It last sold in November 2002 for $200,000, and the sellers tried to re-sell it three years later, listing it in late 2005 for $610,000. Unfortunately, there were no takers until they got that list price all the way down to $140,000 which did the trick, and they closed this week for $132,000. Drastic as that may be, that’s still more than twice the county’s assessed value of $60,000., which seems unrealistically low even under current conditions, so I’m not sure what they’re factoring in to arrive at that.
Indian Pass Road Front Home Sold March 18, 2011 for $145,000
Our sixth and final sale takes us all the way over to near the far end of the Indian Pass peninsula where this 3-bedroom, 1 1/1 bath, 1,578 square foot circa 1980 home on Indian Pass Road sold on Friday for $145,000, not too far off its $157,900 list price. The sellers have owned it since 1992 when they purchased it for just $44,500. My, how times change.
Bay View Home at Ovation Under Contract March 16, 2011 With $479,000 List Price
Now for our three new contracts the first of which is my New Listing Pick of the Week from four weeks ago, an outstanding value at Ovation where this awesome 3,100 square foot, 3-bedroom, 3 1/2 bath Florida style home went under contract as a bank-owned listing for an unbelievable price of just $479,900. This home is top-end throughout, with such details as Brazilian teak floors, African granite counter tops, solid pine interior doors, Anderson windows and doors throughout, and custom cabinetry of the finest quality. It’s located on the bay crescent, so the views are magnificent. My buyers are absolutely thilled and anxious to close so they can move right in. Can’t blame them.
Ovaton 1st Tier Lot Under Contract March 2011 as Short Sale With List Price of $185,000
More action at Ovation where our second contract is on this first tier beauty under contract as a short sale with a list price of $185,000, having last sold in the summer of ’05 for $775,000. These numbers are just staggering. The county has it valued at $150,000, so it will be interesting to see what it eventually closes for, which may take some time since the bank has final approval on the offer.
1st Tier Bay View Lot Under Contract March 15, 2011 With $29,900 List Price
Our third and final contract takes us off the Cape and over onto C-30 to Treasure Bay where someone snapped up another terrific short sale value, this one a first tier half-acre bay view lot with a mighty attractive price tag of just $29,900. That’s about 10 cents on the dollar for the $225,000 it sold for in 2004, and just half of the ocunty’s $60,000 assessment. This buyer’s getting a heck of a deal on a terrific building site as Treasure Bay is a nice quiet residential area with attractive homes and deeded bay accesss for all owners. Also, not being on the Cape in the CBRA area, federal flood insurance is available.
I am out of time as I have to show property this afternoon in just a short while – as gorgeous as the weather and gulf are this weekend it hardly seems fair to show people real estate as they just don’t stand a chance! We are having Florida postcard picture-perfect weather right now. Lots going on – great values to be had so if you’re thinking it’s time to make your move, give me a call on my my cell, 850-227-5197 or send me an email to sherri@sherridodsworth.com . I hope your weekend is good – I appreciate your taking time out of it to stop by here and check out the market. Share
