Nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay, Shell Island reflects the push and pull of the delicate coastal ecosystem. White sand blankets the shoreline and gives way to tall pines, scrub bushes, and moss-draped oaks of St. Andrews State Park. A lone cabin sits high on stilts, clinging to life until the next hurricane. Life there is Florida as nature intended.
About two weeks ago, I was sitting in the office and preparing for the first blog I wrote on the coastal dune lakes, and I stumbled across the term “coastal lagoon” on the National Geographic website.
A lagoon is a shallow body of water protected from a larger body of water (usually the ocean) by sandbars, barrier islands, or coral reefs. Lagoons are often called estuaries, sounds, bays, or even lakes. (Emphasis added)
The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) of Northwest Florida State College and Gulf Power are extending a constructed oyster reef in Bluewater Bay near the Marina Cove Townhomes. The reef was originally designed and installed by CBA as a breakwater to impede shoreline erosion. Years later, not only has the reef prevented further property loss, it has shed new light on the term living shoreline.
For months now our team at Live Oak Production Group has been posting photos, teaser videos, and blog posts about our upcoming project on the coastal dune lakes of Walton County, Florida. We have recently received full funding from the St. Joe Community Foundation, and are now in full production mode.
The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA), in partnership with Visit South Walton and Northwest Florida State College, invites you to a great program of outdoor education and adventure this summer in the next round of its new ecotourism initiative.
Any SoWal insider will tell you that Eden Gardens State Park is a must see when you're visiting the Beaches of South Walton. It's one of the prettiest places in the country and if you catch it when it's blooming it glows so it's almost surreal. But any time of the year the grounds are a great place to get away from it all and relax - take a load off and rock on the porch.
The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) of Northwest Florida State College in partnership with Walton County Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and Walton County Tourist Development Council, will hold an inaugural kayak/paddleboard launch to promote the public recreational use of the newly renovated Kellogg Bayfront Park in Santa Rosa Beach. Following a leisurely paddle around the Choctawhatchee Bay, the afternoon of outdoor activities will continue with the first installment of fishing Eco-Adventures at Kellogg Park, The Bayside Fishing Clinic.
Last week Dad and I came down to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park to do more work for the upcoming Coastal Dune Lakes project. We accomplished a lot over the four days that we were down.
Last week Dad and I came down to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park to do more work for the upcoming Coastal Dune Lakes documentary we are producing.
We accomplished a lot over the four days we were there:
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is a wonderful place to explore any day of the year, but the special events at the park are special indeed. Here's the inside info so you can make plans this Spring to attend some of the weekly music events and park ranger programs coming up in May at our Florida State Park located on the west end of Scenic 30A in South Walton.
