Turtles Released on Cape San Blas, 

Excited and Ready to Return to the Gulf of Mexico

Roni with CSB neighbor Kay and rescued turtle

We've been regular visitors to Cape San Blas for over 15 years. We bought A Tropical Breeze in August of 2002 and during all of that time I have never seen a turtle laying eggs on the beach or the eggs hatching. This past weekend, Rob and I were fortunate to be on the Cape during the release of over 300 turtles that were rescued from St Joe Bay earlier this month due to the cold temperatures. The turtle release had a great turnout and was an event I will never forget.

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Rob and Roni Pridemore at turtle release

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A Perfect Description of Cape San Blas - By Adlen Robinson in the Forsyth County News

Family’s favorite beach getaway retaining its charm

Twenty-seven years ago, Paul and I first visited Cape San Blas, Fla. A friend told us the beaches were pristine and secluded and there was little commercialism.

Skeptical, we made the seven-hour trip, feeling we were out in the middle of nowhere soon after we passed Columbus. The verdict? We fell in love with the cape and the surrounding charming towns of Apalachicola and Port St. Joe. We vowed when we had children, we would bring them to Cape San Blas every year.

Our first trip with babies was when our oldest was 2 and our second child was about to turn 1. We also brought my parents on the beach trip, something we continued to do when we ventured back to the beach year after year. When the children were little, we loved to play on the beach for hours, swimming in the Gulf, building massive sand castles, burying Paul in the sand, feeding the sea gulls, taking long walks and fishing. Oh the fishing. How fun it was catching small sharks, pompano, whiting, catfish and even stingray and crabs.

We took our boat to the beach a few times. Although that added to the preparation stress, we had so much fun exploring the bay. Dolphins swam right along with us and watching young children see that sight is truly priceless.

Apalachicola is the oyster capital of America. And there are plenty of raw bars and restaurants in the sleepy town. On a recent trip, we tried a place new to us called Up the Creek. Besides the oysters, we had one of the best tuna tartares. The presentation was as amazing as the dish itself. We even met the young chef who created the dish, T.J. Elliot, who said he was a self-taught cook. Wow. That was impressive.

The cape is remote. It is probably not for those who like vacations that include putt-putt golf, water parks, high rises and fancy dining. There are no fast food restaurants on the cape, and not that many in the neighboring towns either. Grocery stores also are not plentiful.

When we used to come back years ago, there were even fewer grocery stores. I used to bring almost all of our food, giving Paul headaches as he struggled to pack the endless supplies.

King Mackeral - Fish On!

We didn't start out fishing for King Mackeral but sometimes you have to go with what's biting that day. Today we caught 8 large king mackeral, 1 lone red snapper, a few shark a Jack Cravelle and Cody even speared a flounder.  It was a really fun day of family fishing.

Red Snapper!

First Day of Snapper Season and we caught our limit. So happy to have a whole week at A Tropical Breeze and celebrate Memorial Day with Rob's brother who is a Vietnam Vet.

12 Red Snapper, limit 2 per person

Brothers

It's Something Big!

Shark!

This fish looks fake but it's the real thing.

So serious

Beautiful Sunset out on the Gulf

Moonlight on the Beach

We arrived last night, I should say this morning about 2am after a 6 hour drive from Atlanta.  We were tired but excited to see the full moon when we arrived on Cape San Blas.  It had been overcast or raining most of our trip but when we got to A Tropical Breeze the moon was out in it's full glory shining. We walked out onto the beach and there were tons of shells.  I picked up a few and added shell collecting at 2am to my completed bucket list.  (OK, that was never on my bucket list, but it was still really cool.)

The beach is in great shape after Isaac, which thankfully did not cause much sand loss. The turtle nest markings are missing, however I found out this morning that the turtle patrol removed them prior to the storm and the turtle eggs are still safely tucked under the sand.

We are looking forward to a weekend of fun activities which will include fishing on the beach, scalloping in St. Joe Bay, a bonfire on the beach, making s'mores, beach bocce ball, looking for dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico, collecting sea shells, flying kites, a trip to St. Joseph State Park, dinner in Apalachicola or Indian Pass Raw Bar and bike riding on the new bike path.  We look forward to welcoming our good friends, who will join us tomorrow on their first trip to Cape San Blas.

Cape San Blas Park Named to Top 10 in USA

Best of America just named St. Joseph Peninsula State Park in their List of Top 10 State Parks in USA. This is the same park where my son caught the 42" redfish last Thursday. They have beautiful beaches, sand dunes, kayak and bike rentals and a small marina with a boat ramp. It's also a great place for snorkeling and scalloping.

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park - Bay View at Sunrise.

State Parks - Top Ten in the USA

Alaska 

Chugach State Park - Beyond the foothills at Anchorage's edge lies the third largest state park in USA.  A 500,000 acres of some of the most accessible hiking, skiing, camping, wildlife viewing, snowmachining, rafting, and climbing in Alaska. Those of us lucky enough to live here feel the influence of Chugach State Park almost daily. The mountainous backdrop to Anchorage reminds us that, although we live in an urban setting, we really reside in the middle of a vast wilderness. The Chugach foothills are a beacon for changing weather and resident wildlife have been known to wander into town.

Florida 

St Joseph Peninsula State Park - has  striking dune formations, miles of white sand beaches, and a heavily forested interior. Dr. Beach once rated this beach as best beach in America. This 2,516-acre park is bounded by the waters of St. Joe Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park - Sand Dunes and Beach

California
Big Basin Redwoods State Park -  Established in 1902, Big Basin is California's oldest State Park. Home to the largest continuous stand of Ancient Coast Redwoods south of San Francisco, the park consists of over 18,000 acres of Old Growth and recovering Redwood Forest, with mixed conifer, oaks, chaparral, and riparian habitats. Elevations in the park vary from sea level to over 2,000 feet. The climate ranges from foggy and damp near the ocean to sunny, warm ridge tops.

     

Oregon
Sunset Bay State Park - Situated in one of the most scenic areas on the Oregon coast, Sunset Bay State Park features beautiful sandy beaches protected by towering sea cliffs. Only a short walk from the beach, the campground has sites for tent camping and RV's, as well as cozy and comfortable yurts. Day-use and picnic facilities are located along the bay to allow easy access for beachcombing, fishing, swimming, and boating.

Florida
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - John Pennekamp  is the nation's first underwater park. Formed in the 1960's, Pennekamp Park represents over hundred square miles of mangrove shoreline, grass flats, and of course our famous coral reef. Adjacent to Pennekamp is the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary.
 

Utah
Wasatch Mountain State Park  - Wasatch Mountain State Park is in beautiful Heber Valley and is Utah's most developed state park. Tucked away in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains, the park is both a summer and winter destination. One of Utah's finest and affordable 36-hole golf courses is found here.  Soldier Hollow at Wasatch Mountain State Park was the 2002 Olympic Winter venue biathlon and cross-country events. Soldier Hollow is open year-round to the public for cross-country skiing, tubing, biathlon, snowshoeing,  and many more events.

New Hampshire 
Franconia Notch State Park - Franconia Notch State Park is located in the heart of the popular White Mountain National Forest. Franconia Notch is a spectacular mountain pass traversed by a unique parkway which extends from the Flume Gorge at the south to Echo Lake at the north.  Franconia Notch was once the home of the famous Old Man of the Mountain, the same "Great Stone Face" immortalized by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Daniel Webster. While you are here, visit the Flume Gorge Visitor Center and walk through Flume Gorge, ride the aerial tramway at Cannon Mountain, and explore the New England Ski Museum. Also, you can swim at Echo Lake, net a trout while fly fishing at Profile Lake, ride your bike on the Recreational Trail, watch for rock climbers, hawks, and falcons on Cannon Cliffs, or hike on the Appalachian Trail.

Tennessee 

Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park - Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park is one of the most scenic and spectacular recreation areas in America. Its waterfalls, cascades, sparkling streams,  timberland, gorges and an unmatched variety of recreation facilities. Fall Creek Falls is one of the highest waterfalls east of the Rockies, plunging 256 feet into a shaded pool at the base of its gorge.

Texas 

Palo Duro Canyon State Park - Located about an hour's drive from Amarillo lies the grandeur of Palo Duro Canyon, a  sixty mile-long and eight hundred foot-deep canyon carved out of the Texas High Plains. Visitors to 16,402-acre Palo Duro Canyon State Park are treated to towering cliffs layered with bands of red, yellow, purple and white. Patches of juniper, mesquite, sunflower and prickly pear cacti adorn the canyon slopes, while red clay and veins of white gypsum blanket the ground.
 

Michigan 
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park - Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is over 60,000 acres  and is  one of the few remaining large wilderness areas in the Midwest. Towering virgin timber, secluded lakes, and miles of wild rivers and streams make a visit to the "Porkies" a trip to remember.  This park Park was established in 1945. Since then, many changes have taken place in the way we live; however, the Porcupine Mountains are almost unchanged. The remote interior with its towering pine and hemlock seems to defy time, and the solitude of the park is mysterious and exciting. 

http://www.americasbestonline.com/index.php/pages/beststateparks.html