Darden Travels

Our last days in the Panhandle had a few repeats from earlier in the week. They may be favorite spots that never fail to deliver or something new we discovered on this trip. Regardless, they deserved one more stop before leaving the panhandle.

My new favorite eating spot was Indian Pass Raw Bar. We were there before it opened at the end of the week and yes we started with the fish dip.

Followed by 2 dozen raw oysters. No fancy serving platter, just oysters on plastic food trays.

I had to ‘decorate’ my oyster with a few toppings – horseradish and cocktail sauce.

And just to prove I was eating them………..

This was also the place that had the honor system for your drinks and you checked off what you drank, then gave the ticket to the cashier when paying your bill before leaving.

I was much better this time at pouring my own beer.

This was also the place with the a.m.a.z.i.n.g key lime pie. We got 2 pieces to share between us (and I could have still licked the plate) when done.

Next up Scipio Creek Half Bar. This time we saw outside in their open-air bar – loved it. It will be my spot of choice for future visits. Doesn’t Adrienne look excited for another photo.

Naturally the meal began with two dozen raw oysters………..

Followed by seafood dinners.

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Our last morning was an early stop at Hole In The Wall. Knowing it would be busy on a weekend, we were waiting outside before others arrived. It definitely got crowded before the doors were open and we were glad we arrived 15 minutes early. Yes, Eric, you were right.

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Fish dish and oysters always start the meal.

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More seafood selections followed.

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One last visit to Oyster City Brewing Company.

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We didn’t let Eric totally off the hook for meals at our rental. One night we had peel & eat shrimp and shrimp cocktail, with oysters – of course.

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Another evening we had grilled grouper and shrimp. But sometime, you get a craving for meat – steak.

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One fabulous meal was shrimp bisque, great for a cool evening.

My all-time favorite Eric recipe is gumbo.

Our last home-cooked meal on the island was the remaining grouper filets, fresh tomatoes and broccolini – who knew you could find that in Apalachicola.

So this post was waaaaaay late, but I wanted to finish it since it was sitting in my ‘drafts’. Believe it or not, one last post from St. George Island. What better way to end, than at the beach. Coming soon – I promise.

Ginny

A day on St. George Island……………………..

The beach calls most people and over the years, the beaches of St. George Island have been on several lists as a top beach to visit. Full disclosure……..this post will be lots of photos.

Thanks to Adrienne for capturing these sunrise photos. She timed her daily morning run to see these views.

The SGI lighthouse has quite a history with the (hopefully) last spot being it’s current location, easily seen driving onto the island. Google its history.

We saw the beach this week in her many moods.

Our feathered friends were more prevalent than humans.

This guy wasn’t so lucky.

Shells (and pieces) collect along the tide line (or have a little help).

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You didn’t have to look very hard to see storm damage.

Or sometimes you just find ‘things’.

Stepping away from the beach.

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A random chair on my daily jaunt.

One of many boats that had seen better days.

I found this sign that states “Beach to Bay Access”. I don’t think so. You would need a machete to cut your path and hopefully scare the snakes as you’re chopping the bushes back.

Ultimately, everyone ends up at the beach, even Eric.

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I didn’t see the sunrise during my daily runs (I use that turn loosely) but was able to capture a few interesting beach photos.

We found a cool spot to watch the sun set and end a day on SGI.

Ginny

A day in Apalachicola……………….

Approaching the city is impactful due to the bridge crossing the water, then there’s a curve in the bridge, dropping you down onto main street. Stores come and go through the years but there’s a few favorites (mine) that have hung on.

Riverlily:

This is a shop for your ‘senses’. Husbands probably say it smells. Their store scent is part of their schtick and it definitely hits you in the face once you open the door. The store has been around 20+ years and their owners are known for their unique jewelry and greeting cards. I found this photo on-line. It doesn’t begin to speak to the multitude of interesting items in their store, but it’s a start. They can pack a LOT of things in a small space.

The story goes…………..a couple moved here and she couldn’t find any greeting cards, so she opened up her own store with cards favoring her style. They carry eclectic clothing, soaps & scents. I’ve found such unique items as Christmas ornaments and a line of bags/purses handmade in CO. There’s one of those in my closet. Last year’s purchase. 🙂

Grady Market:

This has upscale and casual clothing within a dozen+ shops located on the first floor of the building. The second floor has rooms available for visitors, called The Consulate. Maybe some day we’ll stay there.

Jewelry, decorative kitchenware and specialized food items have been past purchases. Oh yeah, they carry an interesting assortment of Life is Good merchandise and many purchases have come from that section.

Piggy Wiggly:

While not exactly downtown, it is easily walkable – for most of us. 🙂 For 30+ years it has been locally owned and operated with a Piggy Wiggly Express on SGI (a godsend – just saying). Their website says “Small town service meets big city selection.” Definitely a solid statement. You can find some amazing things in this grocery. Have you ever seen this many options for mayo or hotsauce in a small town?

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Look at all of those tomatoes.

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While they’ve had a good selection of cheeses, now you can have a chacuterie plate. Who would have guessed?

And as you would expect, a good selection of Oyster City beer.

There are a number of State Parks within the city. We always bring new visitors to the……….

Gorrie Museum:

Yep, a (really) bad photo.

Alas, it is closed due to Covid-19. This was posted on their entry door. Inside you can see a replica of his invention: a machine designed to convert water into ice. Yep, that’s right, the precursor to Air Conditioning! Sorry Adrienne, next trip we will get you inside.

You could walk the grounds, which are not extensive but his grave is located on the grounds (3rd and final resting spot), along with historic markers telling his story.

Which brings us to another State Park…….

The Orman House:

It is a stately antebellum home built in 1838 overlooking Apalachicola River. It was occupied for 165 years by a member of the Orman family until 1994. New owners made this into a Bed & Breakfast before the state purchased the property in 2001 and it became a state park. This is one of the few museums that have re-opened and had not seen many visitors. The ranger reminded me of the old commercials for the lonely ‘Maytag’ repairman. He was very chatty – but nice.

I was a little chagrined when I saw a holiday wreath on the front door – until I saw one of the components, oyster shells. 🙂 Hhhhmmmm, interesting idea.

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No visit to Apachicola is complete without a stop at this establishment.

Oyster City Brewing Company:

It opened in 2014 and has won numerous awards. Loved their thoughts shared on their website.

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Water. The town’s rich history is built upon the Apalachicola River and the nearby bay. Everyone stops at the Riverfront Park for a few photos and I was no exception.

A shrimp fleet is nearby, but a few shrimp trawlers are always parked along the riverfront.

With some wildlife wanting to take advantage of a few stray shrimp that might possibly escape.

It’s a sleepy little town in the winter which expands to a bustling summer spot when the temps are warm and the beach beckons. One day, we’ll arrive, put down roots and see all the seasons as a local.

Ginny

Oysters, Oysters and more Oysters. Eric is keeping an oyster tally, but as of this writing we’ve eaten 15 dozen of the bi-valves. OMG!

Most (but not all) of that was within a 25 hour window. It started one afternoon………

Indian Pass Raw Bar:

I had driven past this place a number of years, never stopping. Eric and friends had stopped when it was much more of a dive and biker bar. Hurricane Michael 2019 saw 8′ water surge and the staff told us all that was left was four walls. Their rebuild was fantastic.

Menu is fairly simple.

LOVE this place. You’re given two tickets, one for food. Check the boxes for each order of an item, drop it off at the bar and that’s your order. Drinks – honor system, even the beer with your second ticket. Guess it was obvious I was a novice, even after reading the posted directions. One of the staff came over to help me.

Fish dip, gumbo and oysters were ordered. Oysters came all the way from Apalachicola, FL – just down the road!

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But then came the dessert I ordered. OMG! This was the B.E.S.T key lime pie. Three forks polished this off in record time – I wanted to lick the plate – just saying.

Hole in the Wall:

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While Miss Barbara (co-owner) was not in attendance, her husband and daughter still provided a (subdued) level of entertainment.

Two dozen oysters were ordered. These were from Louisiana, not Apalachicola as their outside sign states.

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I had to ‘dress’ mine up a little bit: a tiny bit of fresh grated horseradish and a few dots of cocktail sauce, with an occaisional squeeze of lemon.

Bright and early one morning we drove to Carrabelle for our oysters. Home of the world’s smallest police station. I had heard about this for a number of years and passed it multiple times. Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce has a nice flyer detailing its history. Google it – you’ll enjoy the tale. 🙂

Fathoms Steam Room & Raw Bar:

It’s a little run down………………there’s Adrienne and Eric’s hand waving in the photo on the right.

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We had more fish dip and saltines.

While the oysters were from two different states, Apalachicola FL and Texas. It was a tie concerning flavor. These were probably the least liked over the week and some of my worst shots. Nope – can’t tell you which one was from either state.

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They had a number of cool signs on the walls – maybe to patch holes and keep the place together? Just kidding, kind of. I couldn’t resist this one.

Or this sign……………their marketing budget was small.

Getting there required driving on Highway 98 and we hit some construction. This road is forever being patched up due to running along the coast and hurricane winds/surge/rain (take your pick) that hit this area.

Next restaurant during these 25 hours was back in Eastpoint.

Red Pirate Grill & Oyster Bar:

No surprise where the pirate is concerned. Add in a glass of Oyster City Brewing Company’s finest – Mill Pond Dirty, a blonde ale.

Another two dozen oysters were ordered, these from Alabama.

No fish dip, but we ordered fried pickles.

Eric got their smoked mullet special of the day with fried okra.

And just because we didn’t have enough fried food – onion straws.

Flounder (my favorite!) with french fries for me. Yes, yes – more fried food.

Last stop for the day – I promise.

The Station Raw Bar:

At one point it was a gas station and has been reincarnated as a restaurant.

One dozen oysters from Apalachicola were ordered.

I was done with oysters for the day. I needed dessert (and coffee). Key lime was my selection this day. It was okay – NOT as good as Indian Pass Raw Bar, but all enjoyed several bites. We left nothing behind.

So ended 25 hours of oyster-eating in the Panhandle.

Oyster tally – 9 dozen or 108 bi-valves.

Ginny

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Ginny

Wow! After numerous attempts this year to head to one of our favorite Florida locales, we finally made it.

Here’s a brief synopsis of our attempts this year:

Trip #1 – Rental company canceled our reservation due to state restrictions for Covid-19 in the Spring. Ugh.

Trip #2 – NY Friends couldn’t make it due to 2-week quarantine upon coming into Florida, followed by a 2-week quarantine going back home. Yikes!

Trip #3 – this is it! It began with a packed truck and boat, followed by a car.

Adrienne is driving her car so Eric was driving solo. This was our view for 280+ miles.

Eating options were slim pickings if you don’t want to stop at a chain restaurant – and we don’t. Then you factor in possible restaurant closures or limited hours due to the state-wide shutdown and options get smaller. Prior to leaving home, we found a favorite – Cypress Inn – with a website that still says they are open AND they had a Yelp review two days prior. We had a plan, timed our departure for lunchtime and (yep you guessed it), closed. A sign on the door said ‘Closed for Cleaning’. Aaarrgghh.

Quick trip into a nearby gas station/food market and their recommendation was Carriage Inn Restaurant & Motel, but it meant back-tracking a few miles – not what we usually prefer. Choices were limited so back we went.

Breakfast was my choice (and served all day) and I had some f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s pancakes. They were literally steaming when the plate was brought to the table. An egg and rasher of bacon rounded out my meal.

Eric chose lunch getting a tuna salad sandwich and fries. I won – just saying.

Not sure this place will be a repeat, but it was filling and open when we passed through.

We finally arrived at St. George Island.

And the rental house Survivor.

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It’s older than some of the places we’ve stayed, decorated ’80s style. It still works for us being on the back side of the island along a canal with a dock.

Our bathroom had something I’ve only seen on TV, a walk-in tub. Not quite sure how that is going to work. I may be borrowing Adrienne’s bathroom on this trip!

And then there is this………..a baby grand piano. Really? Really.

Something I almost forgot to include…………..the elevator. It’s important to Eric. It gets harder and harder each year to carry things up. Maybe it’s because we bring too much………

Sunday night dinner was a stop Adrienne and I made before getting on the island, picking up fresh seafood, specifically shrimp and oysters. For the record, Eric still had to cook the seafood, it was not prepared.

We always buy head-on shrimp. It’s a good clue the shrimp are super fresh.

Monday morning dawned bright and clear and WINDY. It was expected which was also the reason we didn’t put the boat in the water upon arrival. Not going to be a good day for fishing.

The day turned into a ‘Show Adrienne Around SGI’ day with the first stop being St. George Island State Park.

I mentioned it was windy…………………..

Yellow flag for moderate, windy conditions with the purple for stinging marine life. Ouch! We stopped at the last beach parking and saw this sign. I guess they are serious.

We grabbed a quick photo to prove we were really at the beach. Yep, still really windy and quite chilly

And then……………walking along the surf, we saw this. I think they were trying to get out of the chilly water and grab some sun – not.

Not too many people walking along the beach in November.

Nor could many shells be seen. The wind was blowing grains of sand along the coastline, burying many.

We made another stop inside the park – the Boy Scout Camp – where in years past we put in our kayaks for fishing. Man – look at that low, low, low tide. A full moon + exceptionally low tide + 25+mph winds out of the north = below.

Couldn’t resist a shot of this sign. Yep, the oyster bars definitely have sharp edges which could prove hazardous to the bottom of your kayaks.

Time to head over the bridge towards Apalachicola……….for lunch. Scipio Creek Marina’s restaurant & bar was our choice.

This is a new addition to their entrance – a wall of buoys. You can just see blue sky peeking out near the top.

What else would you drink in Apalachicola, but brews from Oyster City Brewing Company.

A dozen raw oysters and fried pickles started us off. These oysters were different from the ones the day earlier. They are being farm-raised in Alligator Point – east of here. That story could be a post all in itself. Lets just saw they were mighty tasty – better than the ones I picked up, which were harvested out of state. Add a dab of fresh grated horseradish or cocktail sauce – yum.

Eric enjoyed their seafood gumbo and fried okra. I loved my grouper and onion rings. OMG – those were some of the best onion rings ever. Almost forgot to take a photo of my basket. There are several nuggets of fried grouper and a few leftover onion rings (and then I remembered my photo).

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There were a few unlucky boats in this part of the river that had seen better days.

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Glad to be back in this part of the state, enjoying fresh seafood and good company.

Ginny