Magnolia Bay Update

Magnolia Bay Marina & Resort has altered its development plans because of ongoing challenges in obtaining necessary permits from state and federal authorities to build the marina and two-mile channel through the Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve. Rather than continuing the time-consuming push for the marina at this point, Magnolia Bay is switching its focus to the development of its golf course, which was intended to come later into the project. Reports indicate that current development plans will continue to include a hotel, restaurant and single-family housing along with the golf course. Permit applications for the marina have not been withdrawn.

Miami Beach & Keaton Beach - Apples & Oranges

A quote from my last blog entry: "I could write a book on the differences in Miami Beach and Keaton Beach, both beautiful places in their own rights, and both at different ends of the spectrum in all aspects of coastal living in Florida. " However, I will instead offer a short list of the attributes of both of these wonderful places, and you can decide which most appeals to your fantasy of coastal living in Florida.

Miami Beach is for the person that loves: the big city; cell phones; high-rise condos and stuccoed homes with Spanish tile roofs; a multi-ethnic population; shopping; more shopping; nights out on the town with all its clubs, glitz and glamour; the finest in dining; spotting famous people; attending multi-cultural events and both college and professional ballgames; the Atlantic Ocean; watersports; fishing; walking along miles of sandy beaches and teak boardwalks; swimming in deep bluegreen waters with rolling waves; and admiring beautiful bodies in thong swimsuits -- and who doesn't mind: congested traffic; honking horns; six lane highways; toll-booths; lots of traffic lights; walking your dog on a leash three times a day to go potty; avoiding doggie poop beside the sidewalks when you enter or exit your car; envying beautiful bodies in thong swimsuits; topless sunbathers; getting lost in an unfamiliar area of the city; and difficulty finding someone that speaks your language.

Keaton Beach is for the person that loves: a small town atmosphere; easily recognizing the geographic distinctions from one small beach community to the next; quiet, rural living; stilt homes with metal roofs; eating at the local hotdog stand; watching gorgeous sunrises and sunsets; attending high school football games; gossiping with your neighbors; a place where everyone speaks the same language; the Gulf of Mexico's saltwater flats and marsh grasses; spotting eagles and many species of waterfowl; watersports; fishing; scalloping; crabbing; throwing a castnet to catch mullet; watching children safely swim in the shallow though not so blue waters; taking your boat to the sandbar to swim in crystal clear bluegreen waters -- and who doesn't mind: driving 20 miles to dine in a real restaurant or shop at a Super Wal-Mart; driving 70 miles to shop at a mall; the lack of cell phone service at the beach; walking the entire length of the public beach in less than a minute; walking up the stairs to your stilt home; and taking your boat to the sandbar to swim in the crystal clear bluegreen waters.

A Little Life in the Big City!

May brought some excitement, adventure, and an opportunity to reflect on the big city life vs. small community life in vastly different coastal areas of Florida.

The birth of my daughter's first child took me to Miami Beach for a couple of weeks, where I witnessed firsthand the birth of little Jonah at Baptist Hospital. My daughter and her husband, a student doctor, allowed both of us moms (grandmoms) to be in the delivery room to participate in the birth of our first grandchild. What an extraordinary experience that was for all of us.

I always enjoy visiting Miami Beach, but this special visit placed me in the car on several occasions in heavy traffic, sometimes on excursions to the grocery store or to find particular items that were needed for everyday household use. I might even consider moving to Miami, but the congestion and traffic gives me pause. I could write a book on the differences in Miami Beach and Keaton Beach, both beautiful places in their own rights, and both at opposite ends of the spectrum in all aspects of coastal living in Florida. I will discuss those differences in a later blog entry.

Bald Eagles at Dekle Beach

As my husband and I were relaxing on our deck, one of the magestic Bald Eagles frequently seen at Dekle Beach just soared along the canal with a flock of small birds chasing close behind. They first flew across the sawgrass marsh, and as the Eagle lit in a cedar tree, the little birds began bombarding him likely to dissuade him from finding their nests. The huge Eagle, slightly annoyed, continued his flight and landed on the long dock extending into the Gulf, frightening away all the seagulls that like to rest there. It was quite amusing watching the smaller birds harrassing the Eagle while the seagulls gave it all the space it wanted. OK, I have to go now. My husband just finished cooking the fresh catch of mullet he caught a couple of hours ago. Dinner is calling. It doesn't get any better than this!

Permitting Update on Magnolia Bay

The $700 million Magnolia Bay Marina & Resort project continues to face some challenges, as the property owner, Dr. J. Crayton Pruitt, and developer, Chuck Olsen, press forward with the development plans. In addition to a marina and 100' wide channel, the plans include the building of condos, a hotel, a helicopter landing pad, a public aquarium, a marine science lab, and commercial space for shopping and restaurants. The state and federal permitting agencies are requiring further modifications to the current plans before the permits will be granted. The developer is working on changes that he feels will allow the project to to be approved.

An April Day at Keaton Beach

Today, as I drove around Keaton Beach, I marveled at the overflow from the parking lot at the Public Boat Ramp and the Keaton Beach Marina. A number of vehicles with boat trailers were parked in long lines alongside the road waiting for their owners to return from a sunny, though breezy, day of fishing. As I drove down to the tiny spit of land that we lovingly call our beach, I noticed that it was also somewhat packed with young people enjoying the sun and water even on this April day well before the hot rays of Summer warm the Gulf. This was an unusually busy day for this time of year. The overflow of boat trailers is more frequent during Scallop Season, July 1 through Labor Day in September, when visitors from all around come to harvest the succulent mollusks. If you have never dined on bay scallops, you are missing a real treat. And half the fun is diving for them on the sandy bottoms and among the seagrasses of the coastal flats. That is one of the special activities I love in this wonderful county I call home!

Blue Grass Festival

The 5th Annual Florida State Blue Grass Festival was held in Perry this weekend, April 6-7. The Festival featured The Grascals, who were named IBMA's "Entertainers of the Year" in 2006. Other entertainers on hand to perform included Bits of Grass, Sweetwater Special, Melissa King & Phatgrass, US Navy Band Country Current, Wilson Family, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Bluegrass Parlor Band, Still House Band, Deep Creek Bluegrass, Ryan Holiday, Swinging Bridge, Tallahassee Fiddlers, and Ernie Evans & Southern Lite. In addition to the musical performances, visitors from across the Southeast attending the Festival also enjoyed arts & crafts, food concessions and a chili cook-off.