The World Is My Oyster: Apalachicola, FL It was just as I imagined. A nearly four-hour drive. No passenger to keep me company. At least I downloaded new songs to my iTunes app before I left…Robert Plant’s new release; Digging Deep: Subterranea. I think its his best so far. I’ve driven SR 19/98 between Yankeetown and Saint Marks several times now, enough so that you know you're bored because you know exactly where there is a fence, 8 miles long (odometer measurement) marking someone’s private property. I won’t see ‘new scenery’ until the last....hour and 15 minutes. I’m following my kayak partner, Steve. We are meeting Liz the next day; a quasi- one-year anniversary since we last paddled get together. I’m driving a very straight two-laned road. No billboards out here. If Steve and I were carpooling, the drive would go by much faster… I had to do something to break up the monotony, so I called Steve’s cell phone. “Hey Steve!” I exclaim. “What’s Up?” He’s probably thinking I’m going to ask for a gas stop. “What does Donald Trump call two kayaks?” There was that sound of silence…the uncertainty kind. “What?” Steve dares to ask. “Fake Canoes!” So every 45-60 minutes, I called Steve. Each joke, including the moan that followed each punchline, got worse. It certainly broke up the monotony, for me anyways. And then, there it was! A new section of road I had never been on...the last hour & 15 minutes! Where SR 98 transforms itself from a narrow road through a thick Florida swamp forest into an expansive view of the water glistening in the Gulf of Mexico. The jokes stopped. I was enamored with the coastal scenery. I suspect Steve begrudgingly was waiting my next call. As we drove closer to Apalachicola, Steve cautiously answers his cell phone: “Is that the bridge to Apalachicola?” I ask. A pause follows, as if he is trying to determine if it’s a joke or not. “No. That’s the bridge to Saint George Island.” “Well Slap My Momma!” I said outload over the song Ship of Fools. Outside my driver’s window lies one of my next four CT segments; A total of sixty miles over the next four days. I’m really jazzed about the trip now! A long bridge carries us over water the last few miles, then makes a descending right banking turn into the town of Apalachicola. It was just as I imagined. KAYAK. OYSTERS. SLEEP. REPEAT. KAYAK. Its Monday morning, the forecast and tides are perfect! We met Liz in Eastpoint. The three of us kayaking together was to celebrate the one-year anniversary since we last paddled together. You can read about Culinary Kayak Trip Gone Bad here. Today’s kayak trip will be different than the last one. Twelve versus seventeen miles, but for me, with the same two great people. I hate COVID! I’m pissed I can’t give hugs when I meet my friends (Although they may be happy!). That’s the way I felt when I saw Liz that morning. Its a perfect anti-social storm; technology, social media, and now COVID! After launching at Box R Ramp, the flow of the Apalachicola River quickly carried us (6 mph to be exact!) to the town of Apalachicola and to the mouth of its bay. From there, we paddle the same bridge that carried us into town the day before, but this time, from below! The bridge came in handy for several reasons; (1) It gave all of us a break from the sun. (2) Gave us a place to eat lunch and, (3) The bridge pilons gave us a fun obstacle course along the three-mile distance. OYSTERS. By the time Steve and I got to Apalachicola, we had already eaten a dozen oysters, but that was just the beginning. We had oysters for dinner too! Apalachicola is the oyster capitol of the south. At one time, they were world-renowned, but the ‘unlimited supply’ mindset combined with water wars with Georgia, have induced a five-year moratorium on harvesting natural oysters from the Apalachicola Bay. What really made Apalachicola area special was meeting the locals. These folks have true grit. The type of folks that won’t let a moratorium stop them. Those who once relied on harvesting ‘natural’ oysters have resorted to farm-raised oysters. This is far from the farm-raised tilapia concept, so get that out of your head! Farming oysters and clams has become the way the future…and over the course of a week, we put our dent in that output! So after our awesome anniversary kayak trip, we landed and were greeted by locals, curious about our long touring kayaks asking us where we had been…then shared they their travels and family’s history in the area. Post paddle food is always good, but lunch at Lynn’s (less than a few hundred feet from our takeout point) wrapped up this anniversary kayak trip like no other! Service was spot on and lunch consisted of fresh shrimp, some of the best fish dip we’ve ever had, and yup, you guessed it…more oysters! SLEEP. REPEAT. KAYAK. The following day, the weather favored paddling the ‘outside’ or bay side segment from Eastpoint to Carrabelle (16.1). Launching at 08:00am, I was able to capture a nice ‘view from the office’ as I headed out into the Apalach Bay. PHOTO Then thick patches of fog coming from the mainland replaced the clear skies, and the song Into The Mystic filled my head. Initially, Pelicans were my only choice of entertainment. Flying only inches from the water, they silently glide past my yak like they are on a WWII low-level bombing run. Other pelicans start-up from above, then dive-bomb, creating a large Ker-SPLASH and the sound that accompanies it. After the pelicans, I chased jelly-fish the size of softballs. Yes, chased. Calm water made it easy to see them as they came to the surface, then it was like they ‘saw’ my kayak, and started diving back down into the water. When I returned, I contacted the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab to learn more about them. You can learn more about the Cannonball Jellyfish here. OYSTERS. A visit to Apalachicola is not complete without visiting the Hole In The Wall Bar. This place is truly an original with atmosphere like no other. Owners greet customers who ask “Are you the Owner?” with quick-witted replies like “Are You the IRS?” Want a beer from Oyster City Brewing Company? The answer is a resounding “No” even though its produced next door. The two-dozen oysters we ate were actually imported from Maryland. Dense. Fat and meaty, but lacked the brine you get from fresh oysters. No complaints though. I'm still eating oysters in one of the coolest establishments EVER! SLEEP. REPEAT. KAYAK. The next two days consisted of kayaking on Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). White City to Box R (16.5) and Overstreet to White City (14.5). Steve really captured the essence of the morning when he dropped me off at the White City launch. After dropping me off, Steve drove and launched 16.5 miles downstream on the ICW. Our plan was to meet somewhere on Lake Wimico. Since I am no longer paddling in the bay, Kingfishers and eagles have replaced the pelicans. Palm trees were replaced by bald cypress trees...their warm copper glow painting the waters edge (the color these deciduous trees change to during the fall season). The narrow ICW canal was soon replaced by an expansive six-mile view and trek across Lake Wimico. Knowing Steve was coming from the other direction kept me focused as I crossed the what seemed like a never-ending lake…definitely not one I would paddle across in windy conditions. I was close to three-quarters across when I spotted the sun flickering off a kayakers wet paddle blades. It was Steve! When I first started kayaking, I remember someone saying that they paddled by themselves. My scuba diving training with PADI ingrained in me you always be with a buddy, so that was my mantra…Until I became confident with my ability to self-rescue (mind you, not overly confident!). Now I cherish the times when I can paddle alone. The quiet is deafening, yet a welcomed and rare treat in this age of being constantly connected. I find it an effective way to recalibrate myself…and align with what is really important in life. So while I do cherish solos, I really do savor those times when I can paddle with my closest friends. I’ve described them like your ultimate running buddy. There is rhythm. There is comfort in the lack of need to fill the silence. There is sense of humor; the ability to take it, as well as dish it out. With 7 miles to go, Steve was lucky I was out of knock-knock jokes! OYSTERS. Of course we did! SLEEP. REPEAT. KAYAK. The last day, consisted of a 14.6 mile solo from Overstreet (near Mexico Beach) to White City. This too was on the ICW, but this section was much different from yesterday’s cypress landscape. Everywhere I looked there was miles of slash pines snapped in half, all remnants of Cat 5 / Hurricane Michael (Oct 2018). There was no wildlife, only high sandy banks formed when they dug out the ICW. There was complete silence, only to be broken by trickling water from the sandy walls on each side of me. I could tell I was tired, my paddle stroke did not have the same drive it did the first day…or maybe I just needed more oysters? OYSTERS. We wrapped up our week long adventure visiting the famous WOYS Oyster Radio station. This is a privately-owned station that is the truly the voice of the community…not to mention the best shucking music selection ever! Owner & DJ Michael Allen greeted us like we were family and it was awesome to connect a face with his wonderful DJ voice! You can stream WOYS on TuneIn Radio app. The music played between 8pm – 5am is especially exceptional! The Best Shucking Radio Station Ever! WOYS – Oyster Radio. The nearly four-hour ride home was different than on the way up. We stopped for more…you got it, oysters. I stopped counting after seven dozen. The BEST oysters of the week came from Outlaw Oyster Company located at Alligator Point near Panacea. On our way home, Steve and I had the opportunity to visit & meet their owner Denita Sassor! You can read about the oyster farming process here! The World Is My Oyster: Apalachicola, FL The week of kayaking in the Apalachicola area, 60 miles in four days, was the best time of my life. Was it the salt in the air? Or the brine in the oysters? Kayaking and laughs with good friends? Or meeting one of them in the midst of a massive lake? The locals? The solos? KAYAK OYSTERS SLEEP REPEAT It was just as I imagined...but even better!
7 Comments
Gus Bianchi
10/23/2020 09:11:29 am
Looks like oysters, good friends and nice weather made a memorable trip. Great write up.
Reply
Dorsey
10/23/2020 09:13:59 am
Thank you Gus!!
Reply
Frank Oley
10/23/2020 10:29:08 am
Did you have any oysters on this trip? I hear they're pretty scarce down there.
Reply
Joan MacDonald
10/23/2020 08:27:38 pm
I was lucky enough to live across the bay from Apalachicola, in Eastpoint. Quite a culture shock from the St. Louis neighborhood I moved from, I learned to love oysters, fishing, surfing, and a very small town vibe. My brother graduated from high school in Apalach - the graduates all sat on stage, as there were only 36 of them. Go back as often as I can. No place like it.
Reply
Brenda Anderson
10/24/2020 04:04:44 pm
Nice blog, Dorsey. Sounded like some interesting paddles. I didn't realize the intercoastal ran through that area. I've only been on the coast. The CT is taking you to some cool spots.
Reply
ian abramowich
10/25/2020 08:28:37 am
Freedom!!! Looking forward to having you back on our paddle trail!!!
Reply
June Shepherd
10/25/2020 09:36:59 am
What do they do with all the oyster shells?
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorDorsey DeMaster embraced kayaking after retiring from 38 years in aviation. She lives near Crystal River, Florida. Archives
August 2021
Categories |