This was our first day of getting the boat into the water and fishing. This was the day’s forecast. Doesn’t look bad – right.? A little bit chilly, but we brought lots of layering to peel off as the temps rise.
We drove over the bridge to Apalachicola to use their public boat ramp.
I got curious about the town of Apalachicola and found these factoids:
- Name comes from the Indian word meaning ‘land beyond’ or ‘friendly people over there’.
- The area was once home to more than 40,000 Indians.
- The town was first established in 1831 as a major cotton shipping port.
- In 1851 Dr. John Gorrie invented a form of refrigeration (precursor to air conditioning) to treat yellow fever patients. More on Dr. Gorrie coming.
The boat ramp was not crowded at all – go figure. We headed out to the bay, eventually turning east. What my weather screenshot does not show………………..the winds. We knew it was blowing across the bay, out of the North. The water (and by that I mean the chop) west of the SGI bridge was okay, not the best for riding but tolerable. Going under the SGI bridge, that got bumped up significantly. Dare I call it ‘Hell’? Yes. We had only gone 100 yards and I said ‘This is not enjoyable’ – (WHAT an understatement).
Ultimately, we stayed on the west side of the bay, fishing a few spots that had been productive in the past. The snacks we brought for the boat didn’t hold the hunger pangs at bay, so in we went. Yes, the wind had settled down somewhat and the ride was fine.
Heading back to Apalachicola, here’s a shot of the bridge leading into the city.
In my excitement of getting onto the water earlier, I didn’t pay attention to the channel. They sustained some damage from Hurricane Michael in 2019.
There are always some boats tied up along the sides. Some seem never to leave. Apparently, this spot was occupied by a more permanent resident……….until the storm.
Our late lunch turned into an early supper at Lynn’s Quality Oysters, Inc. Yes, it’s a dive. Initially an outlet for Seafood, they have a small bar (fully occupied when we arrived), small indoor seating area with 5 tables and a really cool outside eating (way too cold today) space with great views of the waterfront.
Let’s get to the food – it was delicious. We quickly put in our order for the fish dip and a dozen raw oysters.
Another dozen of raw oysters, bowls of seafood gumbo, 1/2 dozen of broiled oysters and a slaw dog rounded out our meal this day.
I did a little digging about Lynn’s:
- Lynn was born and raised in Eastpoint (location of said establishment).
- Her parents started the business in 1971 under a different name and Lynn started shucking oysters at the tender age of nine.
- After her own career in banking, she purchased the business from her parents in 1997 when they retired, renaming it.
- It is considered one of the longest standing packinghouses in the state of Florida and has built a strong reputation for 1st class seafood and satisfied customers.
A short jaunt down the road – really we could have walked – was Eastpoint Beer Company.
Their sign says it all………………
They also have a great view along the backside of their establishment.
Who could resist this shot?
As the sun was lowering on the horizon, one more shot.
Darden Travels 