Florida's Forgotten Coast
Monday, April 13, 2009
Carrabelle, FL
The Gulf Coast that lines the "bump" or "horn" on the panhandle of Florida has been termed Florida's Forgotten Coast. Why?
The beaches aren't as spectacular as those near Destin or Ft. Walton Beach or Panama City. The area is out-of-the-way and harder to get to... the nearest Interstate Highway is 50 miles to the North and the nearest airport with commercial service is about that far off too. Despite numerous attempts, big-time development just hasn't happened here, much to the chagrin of those who've invested in it. Shopping can be a project -- there's not even a Walmart anywhere nearby. It's slow. It's sleepy. It's very laid back. There's no pretense, no bling, no fa-lala-lala. It's cool!
The past two days we've gone off exploring the area around Carrabelle.
During WWII, the Army hastily put together a training camp on 155,000 acres, right here and surrounding the area where Ho-Hum RV Park is. If you look hard enough there's evidence of it that still exists more than 65 years later. We found a small museum in Carrabelle that's dedicated to keeping the memory of that camp alive. The facility's official name was Camp Gordon Johnston and it only existed for 4 years between 1942 and 1946. But during that short time more than a quarter million soldiers were trained here... mostly in the tactics and the use of equipment for amphibious assault. These skills were invaluable during the D-Day landings in France as well as the island-hopping operations against the Japanese in the Pacific. Apparently the camp was a miserable place and became known among the trainees, unofficially, as "Hell by the Sea". But they endured and went on to do what they had to do. And they did it well.
How could I not say something about The World's Smallest Police Station? I know, I know... right here in Carrabelle... it's almost too much to believe. But these are the kind of small town gems that we love to collect. You could go looking for that perfect sea shell by walking along the low-tide line; or you could get all apoplectic over your first siting of a Yellow-Breasted Crown-Crested Bunt Sucking Nuthatch. But not us -- no way. We love natural history. We love finding and then celebrating the quirky nature of people, their imaginations and the creations they produce. It's really what we all are if we'd just lighten-up and let our hair down long enough to realize it.
We also visited a couple Florida State Parks -- this area is full of parks, both State and National. Large areas set aside and protected from development, they're invaluable in understanding the natural state of affairs of a given area. They're often islands of solitude and peacefulness that can also renew the weary soul.
Monday afternoon the rain started and it came out of the sky in torrents. It's still pouring as I write this about 10pm. After our wet experience in Alabama, and now this, I'm thinking we have a new business opportunity staring us in the face -- Drought Busters! These torrential downpours, inches of rain per hour, local flooding, have, on and off, followed us since leaving Texas. Today, believe it or not, we heard much of Central Florida is in severe drought. Well, here we come! I'm sure our presence in the area for the upcoming week or more will take care of that little problem.
T
Carrabelle, FL
The Gulf Coast that lines the "bump" or "horn" on the panhandle of Florida has been termed Florida's Forgotten Coast. Why?
The beaches aren't as spectacular as those near Destin or Ft. Walton Beach or Panama City. The area is out-of-the-way and harder to get to... the nearest Interstate Highway is 50 miles to the North and the nearest airport with commercial service is about that far off too. Despite numerous attempts, big-time development just hasn't happened here, much to the chagrin of those who've invested in it. Shopping can be a project -- there's not even a Walmart anywhere nearby. It's slow. It's sleepy. It's very laid back. There's no pretense, no bling, no fa-lala-lala. It's cool!
The past two days we've gone off exploring the area around Carrabelle.
During WWII, the Army hastily put together a training camp on 155,000 acres, right here and surrounding the area where Ho-Hum RV Park is. If you look hard enough there's evidence of it that still exists more than 65 years later. We found a small museum in Carrabelle that's dedicated to keeping the memory of that camp alive. The facility's official name was Camp Gordon Johnston and it only existed for 4 years between 1942 and 1946. But during that short time more than a quarter million soldiers were trained here... mostly in the tactics and the use of equipment for amphibious assault. These skills were invaluable during the D-Day landings in France as well as the island-hopping operations against the Japanese in the Pacific. Apparently the camp was a miserable place and became known among the trainees, unofficially, as "Hell by the Sea". But they endured and went on to do what they had to do. And they did it well.
How could I not say something about The World's Smallest Police Station? I know, I know... right here in Carrabelle... it's almost too much to believe. But these are the kind of small town gems that we love to collect. You could go looking for that perfect sea shell by walking along the low-tide line; or you could get all apoplectic over your first siting of a Yellow-Breasted Crown-Crested Bunt Sucking Nuthatch. But not us -- no way. We love natural history. We love finding and then celebrating the quirky nature of people, their imaginations and the creations they produce. It's really what we all are if we'd just lighten-up and let our hair down long enough to realize it.
We also visited a couple Florida State Parks -- this area is full of parks, both State and National. Large areas set aside and protected from development, they're invaluable in understanding the natural state of affairs of a given area. They're often islands of solitude and peacefulness that can also renew the weary soul.
Monday afternoon the rain started and it came out of the sky in torrents. It's still pouring as I write this about 10pm. After our wet experience in Alabama, and now this, I'm thinking we have a new business opportunity staring us in the face -- Drought Busters! These torrential downpours, inches of rain per hour, local flooding, have, on and off, followed us since leaving Texas. Today, believe it or not, we heard much of Central Florida is in severe drought. Well, here we come! I'm sure our presence in the area for the upcoming week or more will take care of that little problem.
T
