Linda&Russ: Feb 4th St. George Island

Hello my fellow countrymen,

Linda and I are still on St. George's island just over the bridge from Apalachicola, Fl. ST G's is a true barrier island and is really neat. We are in the state park campground, 4 miles from the entrance gate and 8 miles from the bridge onto the island. With speed limits of 25 MPH in the park and 35Mph on the town streets, it takes a while to get around, but there is hardly any traffic so it's easy traveling. I will try and attach some pictures that show how different the roads and area are. On the Gulf of Mexico side

of the island there are small, low sand dunes and clean white sand beaches that are over 9 miles long. We have walked a lot of it and have seen very few people. The shells are a lot different here that at home. One way is that there are tons of them and they are all shapes and sizes. Linda has picked up a lot that look neat, but we decided that we will bring home just a few, as what do you do with them once you are home. There isn't much wave action as the water is quite shallow and it appears that there are a lot of sand bars out from the beach. By the way, the water isn't quite warm enough to swim, but we have stuck our feet in just to make sure. So to describe this area of the park. There is the beach, low dunes, the asphalt road(narrow) and then sand and really high dunes. Some over 40 feet tall and then there are short crooked wind blown yellow pine, and then tall skinny pines. Our site in the campground is tucked into a tall pine grove behind the dunes. Behind us a little ways is the “bay side” of the island. The trees go right into the water and not much beach. The water near shore had lots of something like seaweed but more like pine needles so we wouldn't feel like getting into that. The bay is about 4 miles wide and is shallow and fairly calm. Sort of like a big lake. There are quite a few local fishermen in funny looking flatbottomed boats. The bay is the supplier of about 10% of the USA's oysters and they must be hand raked, It looks like a miserable way to make a living!! they have double handles poles about 12 feet long with metal tines to pickup the oysters. Sort of like a oversized post hole digger. The men that do this must have huge arm and shoulder muscles. They also small net for shrimp.

We have travelled along Rt 98 thru Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and into Apalachicola, which is driving right along the water. There is the bay, sand, grass and then the road. You wouldn't want to fall asleep and go off into the beach. It's so different than any place we have been. I really like Apalachicola, it's a small town with all kinds of neat places. Old homes, that were owned by the “barons” of yesteryear and also

small underfunded workers homes. It is all laid out in a grid and easy to find your way around. The river comes right into town and there are many big shrimp boats and even some quite nice recreational yachts tied up there. Yesterday we went to see a few museums but only one was open on Sunday(I think they were closed because of the football game). We did toured the Orman house and it was really neat and well kept and run, by the state parks system. We talked to the ranger there and he is the park ranger for the area and lives within the park on St George(where we are staying) He offered us a job for next year f we are interested. 20 hours a week for each of us for a free campsite. Not a bad offer and as I like it here it might be interesting, but we didn't jump on it. It would have to be for at least a month or up to six months. One never knows, so I got his number. Right next door, and part of his responsibility is the Chapman Botanical Gardens, a newly started garden area with all kinds of plants and trees. I wonder if this was part of Curt and Betty Chapman's heritage that they never knew about. I hope so as it is beautiful.

We will be heading to Grayton beach state park tomorrow. Just about 100 miles west of here and just west of Panama City, for those who are looking at a map. It's also close to Pensacola and it's military base and museum. This should be a 6 night stay before crossing into Mobile, Al.

We are having a great time and enjoying the sun and warmer weather. Cool nights and mornings with nice sunny warm days. Don't mean to rub it in but this is why we are here.

Hope you are all well and making the best of this time of year.

Jess, Jason, Jeff and all of you that help make this trip possible a huge thank you! Smiles and Hugs, Russ and Linda

PS: Linda showered with a frog this morning, she was not impressed. she's now laying in the sun.