St George Island State Park
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the sound is constant
like that of a train passing.
hearing the rhythm of the breaths between the cars
I let the waves take over.
I have been waiting to return to this empty beach
in order to pause, to stop moving.
the panorama is bigger than my heartbeat
it lulls me to sleep.
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Having waited for almost a year to return to St. George Island State Park - I am not disappointed. It is everything I remembered and more now that we have the days to explore more of the 1,962 acres. Sitting at the east end of a long barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, the park has 9 miles of white sand beaches and dunes as well as hiking trails laced thru the salt marshes and tall pines.
sugar sand beaches
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We woke to a sunny, but cold day. At less than 40 degrees we bundled up for our first walk thru the slash pines and coastal scrub along the trail to Gap Point, a small spit along the East Slough. An easy hike out, the 2.5 miles were aided by some raised boardwalks over the marshes. The vistas were spectacular and the neutral colors were both calming and refreshing. We emerged at the main road that runs down the center of the park lands and decided to return to the campground via the beach. A beautiful choice only hindered by the 15+ winds heading straight at us! I spent a majority of that part of the walk with my head down - with only few glances up at the crashing of the incoming tide. I busied myself with scanning for shells. I remembered having seen lots of sponges and sand dollars along the shore last time. However, this time there were no sponges to be found and all the sand dollars seemed to have been turned into nickels by the pounding surf......
along the East Slough trail out of the campground
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the POD and Tim .... among the pines.
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Being in one campground for a few days and a rhythm occurs. Every morning we would head out on one of the trails out of the campground - often sharing the path with a passing dog and their owner - but mostly left alone in the solitude to enjoy the journey. Afternoons spent reading and doing some collage work before we headed out for another walk or bike ride. One day we hopped on our bikes and road the trail to the East End of the island. It's a 10 mile (roundtrip) ride along fairly packed sand and gravel out to the sandy tip of the island. Nestled between sets of dunes the trail offered views of the water on both sides. We rode back to the campground with the sun making its final descent in front of us.
Another afternoon we took a trip out of the park and back into the "main" town on the island. I had wanted to climb to the top of the island's lighthouse as well as check out an oyster bar that I had read about! The lighthouse, first built in 1833, was rebuilt twice in its original location at the west end of the island. Subsequently, it was moved/rebuilt in its new location in 2008. We climbed the circular 2+ storied tower and had the top to ourselves.
Looking west from the top of the lighthouse - you can see the POD in the lower right.
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We then headed to Paddy's Raw Bar, an open air establishment on the bay side of the island. Laid back atmosphere and a very friendly vibe. I had oysters and Tim had mahi-mahi fish tacos. The oysters were plump, dark and tasty! Not as big as the gulf oysters I had in New Orleans but they were really good. Tim ate all of his tacos - which meant he really liked them! We each had a local beer - of course....
I had an Apalach IPA from Oyster City Brewing Company located right across the bay in Apalachicola. Tim had a Mango Wit from Proof Brewing out of Tallahassee. The wit was not overly carbonated and the mango flavor was dry and not sweet at all - which we both enjoyed. The IPA was crisp and dry, not overly hopped. Refreshing and satisfying.
There were 3 tvs above the bar - all tuned to sports channels. I may be wishing for this bar come Saturday night as I wander Natchez, MS for someplace to watch the playoff game.....
gulf oysters and fish tacos
Paddy's Raw Bar, St George Island, FL
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Each of our 4 days here has been spent filled with multiple walks and bike rides, ample time for reading, writing, and some collage thrown in for creative measure. And each day has ended with watching the sun set. The weather got considerably warmer each day and reached 70 degrees by our last one. It has been a perfect 4 1/2 day stay.
Enough time to recharge, time to reflect - a perfect time to be unplugged!
sunset and snacks from a beach pavilion
St George State Park
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And in keeping with the BBQ theme of this adventure..... we stopped at a great roadside BBQ place on our way here from Pine Island. Hamaknockers BBQ in Crawfordville, FL. We could smell the smoke from a few miles away! An adorable spot along the Coastal Hwy of the Panhandle. The inside was a Florida cracker-style diner - corrugated tin wainscoting, wooden tables, and dark cherry leatherette booths. We ordered 2 draft beers while we waited for our take-out order. Tim had the Oatmeal Coffee Stout and I had the Big Nose IPA both from Swamphead Brewery out of Gainesville, FL. Both beers hit the spot after being on the road for 7 hours.
Hamaknockers BBQ
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our BBQ haul
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$35.00 (which included the 2 drafts) and 40 minutes later we settled into the campground and dove into our feast of 1/2 smoked chicken, 1/4 rack of ribs, 1/2 lb pulled pork (which is not seen on the table), a side of mac and cheese, and 2 of their house made BBQ sauces (Sweet & Tangy and Gold).
All were terrific! The smoked BBQ chicken was just smokey enough, moist, and delicious. The ribs were dry rubbed and meaty. The sweet and tangy sauce was our favorite - dark notes of tamarind mixed with the sweetness of molasses.
We got 4 dinners out of this!
Livin' large...
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