Wateront Living sels, which will be linked to the rest of the home on St. George Island — the experi- It’s not uncommon for neighbors to chat marina by a pedestrian bridge. ence of cruising the region and the availabil- on the VHF.” DISCOVERING THE Melvin and Laurie Blank, longtime ity of marinas dedicated to recreational boats For those like Spooner looking for prop- BoatU.S. members, have kept their 48-foot changed their plans. erty close to their boat, the community of Egg Harbor Blank Check at the Moorings “We have the boat in Carrabelle because Sandalwood at Carrabelle is offering 44 Marina since 1998. Residents of Tallahassee, we had a hard time finding a recreational lots, each with its own deepwater slip on FORGOTTEN COAST the Blanks make the hour and 15-minute marina in Apalachicola,” says McDonald. Timber Island, just across the river from drive to their boat frequently on weekends. “There are not a whole lot of options from downtown Carrabelle. The slips, with water “I think if I couldn’t keep my boat in Panama City to probably Tampa for recre- depths ranging from five to 10 feet at Carrabelle, boating wouldn’t be as fascinat- ational boaters.” MLW, were recently redesigned, casualties ing to me as it is,” says Melvin Blank. “It’s The list of options for boaters in of Carrabelle’s military past. An obscure hard to find a place that offers as much as Carrabelle is growing to include many new Army Corps of Engineer rule states that a Carrabelle does as a boating community. developments where new homes come with right-of-way wide enough to turn a war- The people are wonderful; the people at the private docks. ship around must be maintained in the marina were just invaluable teaching us the Pickett’s Landing, a gated community of river. Sandalwood’s earlier dock plans tres- right and wrong way to do things.” luxury town homes along the river, has com- passed on this imaginary circle, forcing the The Blanks have watched Carrabelle pleted the first of three phases of construc- redesign. The community will feature a club change in recent years, but think it is for the tion and is offering three or four bedroom house and pool with homes built in the better. units that feature covered parking, private style of a Florida cottage. “I can see Carrabelle blooming in the elevators, and balconies on the second and Farther up the river lies Kapes Bayou Photo courtesy of Visit Florida/Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce. Shortly after the United States entered coming small town feel, exceptional year- parks and national forests, including Tate’s World War II, the Army Ground Forces round fishing and the beauty of the protect- Hell State Forest, St. George Island State Command went looking for a place to train ed bays and rivers. But recently, more and Park, Apalachicola National Forest and amphibious assault forces in preparation more of these visitors have decided to take St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge. Over for D-Day. Their requirements included a up residence. 80% of the county is protected forestlands, deep water port near shallow bays and BoatU.S. member David Myrick, a char- ensuring that even as Carrabelle grows, it’s miles of natural, gently sloping beaches, ter boat captain who runs Nixie, a 42-foot seclusion and natural beauty will remain. preferably without too many civilians Thompson out of Dockside Marina, and his The protected inland forests mean that around. Fifty years later, those same family have had a home in Carrabelle since growth will occur on the coast and on the features that attracted the Army’s plan- 1950, but became full-time residents only river, transforming an already boater-friendly ners continue to attract a different sort of 10 years ago. town into a first-class boating destination. Photos courtesy of Visit Florida/Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce. Photo courtesy of Sandalwood at Carrabelle. coastal invasion: boaters have discovered “The town is wonderful. It’s growing, but Unlike many parts of Florida, access to Carrabelle offers sugar sand beaches, easy access to the Gulf, small town charm and exceptional fishing. Carrabelle, FL, and unlike the Army, many it still has a small town atmosphere,” says the water is increasing in Carrabelle. New of them have come ashore and stayed. Myrick. “I think the whole county doesn’t slips and dry storage facilities have been next three to five years,” says Blank. “I see third floors. The community pool and adjoin- Landing, 60 single-family-home sites, Long known as Florida’s Forgotten have but one traffic light. We have the con- built, and many more are slated, as new more people finding the boating community ing pool house and community room have including water and marsh-front lots. The Coast, the region is located 50 miles veniences of a small city, but with the seclu- waterfront developments spring up along the at Carrabelle.” Those people perhaps might been completed and the construction of the community will offer docks for homeowners southwest of Tallahassee and about 100 sions of the country.” river. be like David McDonald, a new BoatU.S community dock with slips available for resi- on the waterfront and a private boat ramp miles east of Panama City. From the pro- Myrick’s charter boat customers come One of these, the Carrabelle Boat Club, member, who discovered the joys of boating dents is underway. for the communiy. tected and deep Carrabelle River, resident to fish both offshore for abundant grouper, a state-of-the-art enclosed dry-stack storage in Carrabelle on a cruise. Other options include developments that And just across the river from and visiting boaters have exceptional snapper, amberjack, black seabass, Spanish facility with space for 284 boats, offers a After purchasing the 44-foot Sea Ray offer lots rather than finished homes. Lisa Carrabelle, Anglers Harbor, a community access to the Gulf of Mexico, and the Gulf and king mackerel and inshore for redfish first class clubhouse that rivals that of any Lorilei last July from a MarineMax dealer in Spooner, another longtime BoatU.S. of 26 homes, several of which are already Intracoastal Waterway, with barrier islands and sea trout. He also offers freshwater fish- yacht club, as well as a caterer’s bar, rest- Pensacola, FL, McDonald intended to have it member, built her home on a lot near built, offers both waterfront and water view that provide protected anchorages as well ing trips, traveling miles up the Apalachicola rooms and showers. The building is rated shipped to Lake Lanier, GA, closer to his fam- Pickett’s Landing after five years of boating lots, a pool, boat ramp and docks. as miles of public beaches. River, located just west of Carrabelle, to fish to withstand winds up to 130 mph and can ily’s full-time residence in Roswell, GA. But a out of Carrabelle, while living in Tallahassee. While this may seem like a lot of devel- Carrabelle is situated on the south for bass, bluegill and crappie. accommodate boats to 40 feet. MarineMax-organized cruise from Pensacola Since 2005, she has commuted to her job opment, the town council has kept a tight shore of St. James Island facing the Gulf. “The Apalachicola River is completely In addition, the city has applied to Dog Island changed all that. as a certified public account in Tallahassee rein on land use, maintaining a strict three- Looking out from the mouth of the river, unchanged,” says Myrick. “It’s like stepping for a federal grant through the Boating “We followed MarineMax to Dog Island and lived in Carrabelle just down the street story height limit which means no beach- Dog Island and St. George Island mark a back in time a million years. Up there, you Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program to cre- and enjoyed it so much, we decided to keep from her 30-foot Pursuit, Bottom Line. Her front sky scrapers. shallow, protected bay that boaters must fly fish for two-pound bluegill with the alliga- ate a marina in the heart of downtown the boat in the area,” says McDonald. “We house’s proximity to the Moorings Marina “There are going to be some growing cross before reaching the Gulf proper. Full tors and snapping turtles right in front of Carrabelle for transient boaters cruising the enjoy cruising out around the islands and allows her to use an electric golf cart to run pains,” predicts Spooner, but she is not service marinas and boat storage facilities you.” Gulf Intracoastal. Currently, many transient up the Intracoastal. We even cruised to the back and forth from her slip. worried. “Most people I know who have line the river, a testament to the town’s Carrabelle’s proximity to extensive and boaters find themselves returning year after Clearwater Jazz Festival as part of another “I think Carrabelle is a great place and invested in Carrabelle’s growth also fish, popularity as an access point to the Gulf. accessible wilderness areas and public year to the Moorings at Carrabelle, which MarineMax getaway.” has a great future down the road,” says boat and dive out of Carrabelle. They all Boaters have been coming to beaches attracts swimmers, campers, hik- has just built 34 new slips off the deep While Carrabelle wasn’t exactly unfamiliar Spooner. “It’s a family-oriented boating com- want to see this done right.” Carrabelle for years, attracted to the wel- ers, birders and kayakers to nearby state water channel and a bulkhead for larger ves- to the McDonalds — they have a vacation munity; everybody looks out for one another.