Vacation to "the Forgotten Coast": Port St. Joe (FL) Environs
September 8-15, 2007
Our longest camping trip to date was made in order to more fully explore the Port St Joe area and visit Nana's cousin Dan and wife Dee, transplants from California.
Indian Pass Campground, across from St. Vincent Wildlife Refuge
Six-and-a-half hours from St Augustine, our first stop was the campground at Indian Pass, across from the St. Vincent Island Wildlife Refuge. Our first full day in the area was spent with Dan and Dee on a scallop expedition in beautiful St. Joseph's Bay. We made it there at the end of the scallop season, after the crowds had disbanded, and the scallops were harder to find. As Dan said, it really was like an Easter egg hunt. There is a technique to being a scallop hunter: assume "the position"--thorax bent at a 90 degree angle to the legs, face in the water, and "feel with your feet" as you do the scallop scuffle. If it feels crinkly, it's likely a sea urchin, if it's pointy, it's a "pinfish"--actually a type of mollusk; if it pinches, it's a crab, and if it feels solid and round--Eureka! You've found it--it's a scallop!! Hold your breath, dive, grab it and look into those baby blue eyes (many of them) as it spits at you, dump it into your grab-bag, and on to the next. It is a very relaxing, meditative type "sport", and if you're diligent, at the end of a few hours, you and your companions have enough for a decent sized meal. St Joe Bay scallops sauteed in olive oil and garlic, sitting pretty atop a mound of pasta cannot be beat! This we all enjoyed that evening.
Sunset on St Joseph's Bay, across from Dan & Dee's house
So ended day one, with our bellies full of sweet scallops and our hearts light, as we contemplated our activities of the following day. Initially we considered biking St Vincent Island and then opted to take Dan's generous offer to pick us up in his skiff and transport us, kayaks and all, to the western end of St Vincent's Island for a tour of "the lakes"--aka home of "monster fish"-- a place as desolate and primeval as Jurassic Park. He warned us, "Now guys, this isn't a Disneyland ride--it's the real deal!" Even the clerk at the campground store said "Yes, it is like Jurassic Park. You be careful and watch out for those monster alligators!"
At the island's western end, we put in our kayaks at the creek and off we paddled on "Dan's Wild Ride"--not to be forgotten any time soon! We dodged downed and overhanging trees, portaged around and through a dam, enjoying the sights of great blue herons, white egrets, osprey and bald eagles. We watched as various types of critters surfaced and sank into the dark waters around us. As we watched those little beady eyes surface and eye us, I suddenly felt a grinding beneath my kayak as it teetered and a large gator splashed away. I don't which of us was more startled, but it was a momentary adrenaline rush! We visited Lakes 3 and 4, going ashore at one point to search for those elusive large Sanbar deer (imported from Asia some years back when St Vincent's was made home to various exotic species as a hunting playground for the very wealthy) They are 700 to 800 pounds, much larger than the native deer. Dave did get a glimpse of one as it crashed through the brush. Despite DEET, we could not tolerate the mosquitoes, and turned back to our kayaks to make the return trek to the beach. Our fearless guide said to go on back and he would catch up with us.
Red Wolf found on St Vincent Island (from an exhibit in Apalachicola)
"Go on back" we did. At the beach we ensured that the skiff was secured and would not float off into the Gulf. To while away the time, Nana threw a line into the water. Nearly immediately she felt a tug, and after a flurry of excitement, with Dave, finally, over several minutes pulling in our prize, found it to be a black and white stingray. So there went one hook as he cut the line rather than risk the sting of its tail. A second cast brought about the same result. So there we were with two fishing poles and no hooks--and no Dan! It had by now been an hour, the sun was beginning to set--we figured about another hour and a half of daylight. No one but us on the island. No cell phones. And a tempermental engine to boot! Let's see--what could have happened: (1) he walked and never returned to his kayak, meeting a feral boar and emerging on the losing side; (2) he fell into the water and was eaten by alligators and mosquitoes; or (3) he suffered a heart attack or stroke and was lying lifeless or nearly so on or in a kayak or shore somewhere in the interior! What shall we do--NO, we could not leave our Dan--we must go seek him out and attempt a rescue! (And how would we leave anyway?!) We pulled our kayaks back into the creek, set off with only our intrepid souls and jug of water, and onward we would persevere. A few minutes into our mission, I sighted our blond-haired, Hawaiian-shirted guide-- Oh, what a relief! Oh, where the hell have you been?!! As it turned out, he had also been looking for us, not believing we two old geezers could make it through that dam so quickly, so he had paddled over to Lakes 1 & 2 to ensure we weren't left behind! Ah--all's well that ends well. His trusty Carolina skiff transported us back to the mainland, with my being so relieved I did not have to tell Dee we had abandoned her spouse to the wilderness!
Lunch at the Indian Pass Raw Bar where we "inhaled" steamed and baked Apalachicola oysters. An icon in the area, celebrities such as Johnny Cash and Naomi Judd have purportedly bellied up to the bar.
