Come See the World UNDER the Bay - Snorkel St. Joseph Bay

From VisitGulf.com I love our guided snorkel trips says Debbie VanFleet, Adventure Guide and owner of Happy Ours Kayak and Bike Outpost. Generally I’ll start in an area of the Bay that is shallow with pure white sand. We will see sting rays – I’ll teach guests the “sting ray shuffle” to get them out – and we will see whelks, egg sacks from tube worms and horseshoe crabs. And blue crabs will hide under the sand. There’s a whole world under that sand! Then we will head on to the short grass. Get everyone used to the turtle grass. It’s like an aquarium. The tulip shells are so beautiful. Before you know it, we gradually work our way into the thicker, longer grass. One of my favorite creatures is the tunicate. Some species are nicknamed sea squirts. Do you know it? It’s a filter feeder similar to a sponge but with a central nervous system. But, a tunicate will close their tiny holes when you touch it. It reacts to you. Or, an adjacent hole may close. It’s very neat to see.

Nature is constantly changing – every season and every year is different. I tell people that you think you’ve seen it all after a few hours but it is only the beginning. Every time you go, it’s different and it’s that change that makes it great.

Debbie VanFleet: Come visit Debbie, Adventure Guide and Florida Master Naturalist, and her husband Dan at Happy Ours Kayak and Bike Outpost. You are sure to see a side of St. Joseph Bay you have never seen before.

Cape San Blas - Leave No Trace Ordinance Passed - No More Personal Belongings on Beach Overnight

Important Notice: Leave No Trace Ordinance passed - No more tents, chairs or personal belongings on beach overnight. Below are excerpts from the Port St. Joe Star Leave No Trace article by Tim Croft.

A standing-room-in-the-hallway-outside-the-meeting-room-only audience, which at times participated as if sitting at the podium with commissioners, roundly applauded as Leave No Trace passed with little discussion.

“Enforcement is the key to any ordinance we put in and we are going to do our best,” said Commissioner Warren Yeager in speaking about Leave No Trace.

A highlight of the Leave No Trace ordinance is that personal property left on the beach by non-residents one hour after sunset or one hour prior to sunrise would be considered abandoned.

The language of the ordinance permits county crews picking up such abandoned property and disposing of it.

This is great news for the nesting sea turtles and anyone who loves the beauty of the beach.  Most of the beach does not look like this but there are areas that are completely out of control.  This will be a bit inconvenient for some, but a huge improvement for the overall feel of this beautiful beach. A Tropical Breeze guests will benefit from this ordinance.

Cape San Blas Lighthouse Comes Alive

It was great seeing the lighthouse lit up in Port St. Joe on our Christmas visit to A Tropical Breeze - Cape San Blas.

Passersby may have noticed something different about the Cape San Blas Lighthouse in recent nights.

The lighthouse, located in Port St. Joe’s George Core Park, was fashioned with a solar-powered light by residents Jon Hooper and Dr. Tim Nelson.

The solar panels absorb sunlight during the day and the light comes on around 6:30 p.m. ET each night, lasting for approximately five hours.

To read the complete article in The Star go to: http://www.starfl.com/news/local-news/cape-san-blas-lighthouse-comes-alive-1.419477

December’s Insider Tip: Don’t bring firewood from home

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At a Tropical Breeze on Cape San Blas, building a bonfire while the sun is setting is one of our very favorite activities and definitely leaves a big impression on guests, since so few beaches allow campfires on the beach. This tip took me by surprise so I wanted to be sure to share with all future guests.

From VisitGulf.com: Gathering around a campfire at St. Joseph Peninsula State Park is always an awesome adventure!

If you ask Park Manager, Mark Knapke what one thing he wishes everyone knew, he will tell you about wood.

“Don’t bring firewood from beyond 50 miles of the State Park. People don’t know why this is important but it’s because of bugs or disease. You may unknowingly bring disease into the park that trees and/or vegetation haven’t been exposed to. We sell firewood. And, please keep your campfire within designated fire rings. Always, leave it the way you found it – leave no trace.”

A Tropical Breeze - Always Making Improvements for our Guests

The salt air, sun and wind can be tough on your skin when you spend a week at the beach. Can you imagine what it does to a home's exterior after years of sun, salt water and strong winds.   When you own a home at the beach, you are constantly replacing or repairing something.  Rust is our enemy and through the years we have learned the hard way to replace any thing possible with stainless steel or plastic.  Last week we replaced the metal roof with one that is guaranteed for 30 years.  The last one started to rust after only 7 years.

 This week we are having all of the exterior white trim painted.  I can't wait to see how pretty everything looks with the new white paint and white roof.  A Tropical Breeze has been such a blessing to us and we want to do our best to keep it looking like new for our guests.

Cape San Blas and St. Joseph Peninsula State Park listed in 5 NW Florida Beaches You Won't Have to Share

Pictures: 5 Northwest Florida Beaches You Won’t Have to Share

By: Lauren Tjaden

Yearning for empty sweeps of sand, where you can hear the sounds of the surf? Where you never-ever have to fight for a place to spread out your beach towel?

Read on. These five hidden gems have your flip-flops written all over them.

Beaches are listed from west to east. All are located in Northwest Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. 

Pensacola’s Fort Pickens, located in Gulf Islands National Seashore, is an area must-see. On the way there, you’ll pass miles of pristine beaches.  Make sure to ditch your sandals and check out the sand.

Located in Gulf Islands National Seashore between Pensacola Beach and Navarre, Opal Beach was born in 1995 when Hurricane Opal flattened the dunes to create a smooth, glittering paradise of sugar-sand beach.

.WindMark Beach has entirely escaped notice, yet its waters are calm and clear, and its sand begs for attention from your toes. This lovely wonder is located between Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe on Florida’s Forgotten Coast.

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, which encompasses the north end of Cape San Blas, is home to this beach, one of the most highly acclaimed in the nation. But almost anywhere on the peninsula, you’ll have oodles of soft, white sand and emerald-hued waters practically to yourself.

Yearning for empty sweeps of sand? Discover beauties like this one in Cape San Blas.

Credit: Lauren Tjaden

Tropical Breeze - Happy 12 Year Anniversary!

We have been so blessed to own this beautiful piece of paradise on Cape San Blas called A Tropical Breeze.  Today is our 12 year anniversary of moving into A Tropical Breeze. It's been a great 12 years with lots of wonderful family times for us and our guests. In that 12 years we have experienced weddings, engagements, graduations, silver and golden anniversaries, important birthdays and one Ohio State National Championship. There's been a few bad times too with hurricanes, oil spill worries and the frustration of the salt water air trying to rust every piece of metal in site.

We want to thank our wonderful guests who have treated A Tropical Breeze as their own, especially the guests that come back year after year.  You Bless us in so many ways!  Thank you!