Untrampled 'Forgotten Coast' offers a glimpse of old Florida

Sand dunes rise above the beach at St. Joseph Peninsula State Park on Cape San Blas, Florida

In this story: A brackish paradise Seafood and junk food Historic Apalachicola Seaside seclusion Bountiful boating RELATED SITES

APALACHICOLA, Fla. (AP) -- More Mobile than Miami and more New Orleans than Naples, Florida's laid-back "Forgotten Coast" on the Gulf of Mexico entices with a mix of colorful history, seafood fresh off the boat, fine fishing, and untrampled beaches. Despite its sugar-white sands and down-home dining, the eastern stretch of the Florida Panhandle from Alligator Point to Port St. Joe is a remnant of old Florida relatively undiscovered by the tourist hordes that flock to Panama City and Destin to the west.

In the early '90s, civic leaders in Apalachicola and other coastal communities in the area dubbed the region "Florida's Forgotten Coast." The delights of the area were perhaps the best-kept secret in Florida.

Now, however, the word is getting out. Men's Journal in its August issue lists Apalachicola among "our 10 favorite towns for holing up and living right."

Moving slowly past a huge mound of oyster shells, a fisherman heads out for an evening on the water in Eastpoint, Florida

You can relax here. No one will bug you. Fish. Be a local. Listen for Jimmy Buffett and some regional musicians on Oyster Radio (WOYS, 100.5 FM).

Just off these quiet beaches, workaday shrimpers and oystermen go about their business as they have for generations.

U.S. 98, the Forgotten Coast's main drag, snakes between the Gulf of Mexico and lush, protected pine forests and swampland. The Apalachicola, Carrabelle and St. Marks rivers meet the salty Gulf to form a brackish paradise for oysters, shrimp and fish between the mainland and the barrier islands of St. George, St. Vincent and Dog Island.

St. George is connected to the mainland by a bridge, and the speed limit is strictly enforced to protect rare birds that swirl overhead and nest underneath.

The island has a number of beachfront motel rooms, cottages and homes available for rent by the week or month. Prices drop significantly in the winter since, unlike farther south, this part of Florida gets cold. Beaches are wide and flat, and restaurants like the Blue Parrot are only a short drive or walk away.

There are only a few houses on Dog Island, just east of St. George. It's reachable only by a ferry, which plies the sound a few times a day.

St. Vincent Island, to the west of St. George, is entirely a wildlife preserve, served by several guide services. Or, you can rent a boat to get there.

Beginning your tour at Alligator Point, southwest of Tallahassee, check out how the area got its name. Though you need to be offshore to see it right, a stand of tall pines at the end of the point looks like a large alligator with its mouth open. Recent storms have eroded the snout a bit, but it's impressive just the same.

Alligator Point offers only a private campground and local residences, many of which are for rent. There is a marina at the end of the road, but it offers only beer, chips and junk food. The marina bar and restaurant is geared mainly toward beer and liquor sales, though its abbreviated menu offers a decent burger or grouper sandwich.

Angelo's, in nearby Ocholockonee Bay, is one of the region's premier seafood restaurants. The BP station, across the street from Angelo's, has a fair deli for beach food and is the area's only source for groceries.

Working west on 98, the town of Carrabelle is mainly a fishing hamlet and marina center with quick access to nearby Dog Island. Carrabelle offers little to do unless you have a boat. But if you do have a boat, it's a quick trip down the river and into St. George Sound for nice open water.

Carrabelle Beach, just west of town, is a popular spot for the area's residents, though the parking lot can get crowded on weekends and holidays. Best to spend your beach time on St. George Island or at Cape San Blas, farther west. But Julia Mae's, between town and the beach, is a great place for a seafood lunch with the locals. Cool T-shirts too. Get a Julia Mae's bumper sticker for your car.

The deck of the Boss Oyster restaurant in Apalachicola provides a picturesque view of the Apalachicola River

Another stop on the way west is Eastpoint, marked by the dozens of oyster boats that dot the waterfront. The local residents tend to favor Sharon's Place for dinner, though That Place On 98 has killer garlic mashed potatoes and local specialties. If you'd prefer to prepare your own, Eastpoint offers a variety of places to buy seafood that was probably still swimming when you got up that morning. Eastpoint is also the entry for the bridge to St. George Island.

Apalachicola is a historic working fishing village on the west side of the Apalachicola River. In recent years, many of the town's old homes have been increasingly restored by new residents and "snowbirds." This makes for a delightful self-guided tour from the restored Gibson Inn hotel, the Coombs House bed-and-breakfast or other spots.

But while the tourist trade increases, Apalachicola is still very much a fishing and oystering town. The shrimpers and oyster tongers who head out daily deposit their catch with the local seafood houses and restaurants, guaranteeing some of the freshest seafood available anywhere.

With the redevelopment has come excellent dining for the newer residents accustomed to having a wider choice of restaurants in larger cities. Try the pecan-crusted, ginger-crusted or crab-stuffed grouper at Tamara's Floridita Cafe. Or the chicken piccata at Caroline's, with a fine view of the riverfront. But for the truest taste of the Forgotten Coast, sit on the deck at the Boss Oyster with a beer and a dozen oysters, prepared in a wide variety of ways.

A word here about those tremendous Apalachicola Bay oysters. Especially in warmer months, order them steamed, baked or otherwise cooked in some fashion. This will prevent problems from Vibrio vulnificus, a naturally occurring organism that proliferates in warm water. It can be dangerous for the elderly or those with a weakened immune system. Cooking or steaming eliminates the problem.

Any trip to the coast focuses on the beach, and nearby Cape San Blas is the spot. While providing plenty of homes and townhouses for rent, the Cape also offers plenty of seaside seclusion. Even in mid-summer, beachgoers can often look for a mile in either direction and see less than a half-dozen others. Aaaaah. Ideal for finishing that trashy beach novel.

The ramshackle Indian Pass Raw Bar on County Road C-30 between Apalachicola and Cape San Blas claims to have the best oysters around

On the 20-minute trip to the Cape from Apalachicola, on County Road C-30, you'll pass a ramshackle building that's the Indian Pass Raw Bar. Stop. Go in. Grab a drink from the cooler. Sit down. The atmosphere is rough, the service often abrupt ("Whut.") and the oysters are simply served on one of those school lunch-type plastic trays. But you'll not find better. Period.

Once on the Cape, you're closing in on the St. Joseph Peninsula State Park. Dr. Stephen Leatherman of Florida International University, who annually publishes a list of the world's best beaches, has ranked the St. Joseph beach as the best in the continental United States for the year 2000.

The park has cottages for rent and other amenities. Boats and other gear are available for rent or sale just outside the park gates. Basic groceries and supplies are available on the Cape as well, though a stop at the Piggly Wiggly in Apalachicola is advised for those needing more extensive provisioning. The wine selection is excellent.

Leaving the Cape and back on C-30, you'll pass a series of businesses offering tours of St. Joseph's Bay, which separates the Cape from Port St. Joe. This pristine bay features excellent fishing and scalloping, as well as water that can be Caribbean-clear in some months.

Port St. Joe, the county seat of Gulf County, is a small town in transition. For generations, the town's only real industry was the local paper mill. But the mill is permanently closed and the smell is gone, making for a gorgeous seaside town that looks out over the bay. The local economy is just beginning the change from industrial to tourism, and the new marina near the old mill features excellent services for boaters.

For sailors, the Forgotten Coast offers a number of excellent marinas and repair facilities with haul-outs. But pay attention to your charts while approaching, since the water can be shoaly and there are some sunken pilings and other hazards. Stay in the channels and don't try to cut corners, unless you have a large budget for tow service or bottom repair.

Key marinas in the area include Deep Water Marina (with a travel lift) or Scipio Creek Marina in Apalachicola, The Moorings or C-Quarters in Carrabelle and Alligator Point Marina (travel lift) at Alligator Point.

All in all, Florida's Forgotten Coast offers the relaxation, privacy and slow pace of a nearly extinct Old Florida, while including the excellent dining and services of the more urban areas. But it might not last long, given the increasing numbers of new beachfront property owners streaming into the region from Atlanta, Birmingham and other inland cities.

Go enjoy. You can say you were there Back When.

Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Gulf County, Florida Chamber of Commerce
Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce
Oyster Radio Website

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