Summer Report

This has been a wonderful summer for the Taylor County Beaches. No hurricanes (knock on wood) and a plentiful scallop season have brought many visitors to the beaches revitalizing interest in our area. There are lots of properties on the market at all the beaches, including Keaton Beach, Dekle Beach, Ezell Beach, Cedar Island and Dark Island. For people that don't want the expense of waterfront properties, one-to-five acre lots abound within five miles of the coast. This is a great time for buyers that have been considering purchasing property. There are so many choices to select from, interest rates are still low, and because it is a buyer's market, properties are much more negotiable these days. To view available properties, visit our website at http://www.gulfbreezerealestate.net/.

Scallops Aplenty!

There is a bumper crop of scallops this year along the coast of Keaton Beach and Dekle Beach. Lots of boats line the shoreline in search of the sweet bay scallops. If you haven't yet made the trip, just come on down, launch your boat at the Keaton Beach Public Boat Ramp or marina, and anchor up where you see groups of boats just off the coast. At low tide, you can find the scallops in waist deep water. Just bend over and pick them up if you don't have snorkeling gear or don't want to snorkel. The water is clear and the scallops are easy to find. Be sure and have an active salt water license though, as you will likely get checked by the marine patrol. Follow safe boating habits and stay close to your boat when in the water. Fly your diver's flag so other boaters will know someone is in the water. When moving your boat in an area where others are scalloping, drive slowly and keep your eyes on the water around you to make sure you see any divers that have strayed too far from their boats. Bring your family or friends along and experience one of the greatest saltwater pleasures that our Nature Coast has to offer. Happy diving!

Scallop Season is Here!

Scallop Season begins July 1 and runs through September 10. Keaton Beach and Dekle Beach are popular areas for harvesting scallops, which during normal seasons can be found in abundance in the shallow grass flats along the coast. Snorkeling and diving for scallops is a fun activity for the entire family. Your scalloping equipment should include a mask, snorkel, fins or wading shoes, and a mesh bag to hold your scallops. The limit is 2 gallons per person and 10 gallons per boat of whole scallops in the shell; or 1 pint per person and 1/2 gallon per boat of scallop meat. Take appropriately-sized containers on the boat so you can measure your harvest. If you don't want to dive deep, it's best to do your scalloping during lower tides. There will be lots of boats in the water, so always fly your dive flag (required) to let other boaters know there are people in the water. And be on the lookout for divers when you are operating your boat. Always use safe boating habits. Also, use precautions when cleaning your scallops on the boat. Be sure to go out to deeper water away from the scalloping crowd. Please don't throw the shells back into the water in an area where people are in the water, as the refuse can attract fish, thus sharks. To clean scallops, you will need a scallop knife especially designed for cleaning scallops; or you can use a teaspoon. Hold the deeper side of the scallop in your palm with the shallow side up. Insert the knife or teaspoon into the slit at one side near the hinged part of the shell. Pry the shell slightly apart and scrape the scallop muscle loose from inside the top shell. Open it all the way and remove the guts, then scrape the scallop from the bottom shell. There are a multitude of scallop recipes from linguini alfredo, to white lasagne, to baked in a half shell w/butter & parmesan, to broiled, or simply fried. These sweet morsels are, without a doubt, my very favorite seafood to prepare. So have fun this summer and experience the fun and adventure of snorkeling and diving for delicious bay scallops. Enjoy Scallop Season at Keaton Beach!!!

Keaton Beach Gaining Popularity

Keaton Beach was spotlighted in two magazines this month, Florida Sportsman and Premier Monthly, a real estate publication. Florida Sportsman (pgs. 58-64) focuses on fishing, of course, and commented that "Keaton Beach is noted for the size and abundance of its spotted seatrout." I can attest to that, as seldom do we go out fishing and not come back with more than enough trout for dinner. Ever tried "trout amandine"? Also known as "trout with almond sauce." Mmmmm! Love redfish? Blackened, grilled, broiled, fried, anyway you like it... Only problem is a one-per-person limit; so then you move on to hook something else. Other catches might include cobia, seabass, Spanish mackerel and bluefish. And July 1 brings Scallop Season which runs through September 10. My next blog entry will feature the pleasures and fundamentals of "scalloping." Whether you enjoy fishing, scalloping, snorkeling, diving, or simply pleasure boating, set your sails for the calm Gulf waters of Keaton Beach. It'll be good for your soul!

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.