Walton County Earth Day Celebration and 5K run, fun for the entire family

April 17 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
5K run race starts at 8:00 a.m. with registration starting at 6:45 a.m.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and the Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, Inc. invites everyone to their 2nd Annual Earth Day Celebration in coordination with the 75th Florida State Park Anniversary. The University of Florida IFAS Extension Office along with several other participants in Walton County are coordinating the event for Walton County. Educational interactive displays, story tellers, cooking demonstrations, animal encounters, guided hiking tours along with local artists displaying and selling their work. Park at the Day-Use parking lot off of Hwy 30A or park and ride the shuttle from Van Ness Butler Elementary School. All donations from the event are given directly to the Friends of Topsail Hill to help enhance the interpretive and visitor service efforts at the park.  ::MAP::
Fees: Entrance fees to the park are waived for the day.
Contact: (850) 267-0299
Click here to download 5K run registration: Earth Day run form

Posted under Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking

24 lifeguards endured chilly temperatures during training Mar. 5.

28 lifeguards getting ready for 2010 season start Mar. 13

24 of the 28 South Walton Fire District lifeguards started pre-season training and orientation on Mar. 5. With the Gulf water temperature of 59 degrees, each lifeguard has passed a rigorous physical ability test of running and swimming and began their additional physical training, emergency medical training, communications, customer interaction and service strategies.

With Beach Safety Director, Gary Wise watching from the shoreline, the lifeguards did a  beach run, a swim, one hour of board rescues and one hour of buoy rescues.
The lifeguards will be stationed at eight public beach accesses in South Walton Saturday March 13th, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.  The lifeguard locations are: Inlet Beach, Bramble Grove/Santa Clara Street, Van Ness Butler Jr., Blue Mountain, Gulf View Heights, Ed Walline, Dune Allen and Miramar Beach public beach accesses.

For more information regarding SWFD and Beach Safety, visit their website at www.swfd.org

For additional information about the South Walton beach accesses, click here

Posted under Beaches

Walton County beach parks with lifeguards, easy access, parking, and restroom facilities

Walton County’s beaches in Miramar Beach and along Scenic Highway 30A offer many public beach accesses. Locals have their favorites, whether it be good surf, quiet strolls or the safety of a lifeguard available. South Walton Fire District lifeguards patrol eight locations. These eight locations offer adequate parking, restroom facilities, and three offer handicap access with wheelchairs available: Ed Walline at the corner of Scenic Hwy. 30A and CR 393, Bramble Grove/Santa Clara Street in Seagrove and Miramar, near Pompano Joe’s on Scenic Gulf Drive. Lifeguards are on duty from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., seven days a week from the second Saturday in March until the last Sunday in September.

Here is a list of beach access locations with lifeguards from west to east:

Miramar Beach Access – ::MAP:: Located on Scenic Gulf Drive off of U.S. 98 in western Walton County • Lifeguards • Restrooms • Parking • ADA access with wheelchair available

Dune Allen Access – ::MAP:: Located west of County Road 393 on Scenic Hwy. 30A • Lifeguards • Restrooms • Parking • Handicap access

Ed Walline Access – ::MAP:: Located at the intersection of 393 and Scenic Hwy. 30A • Lifeguards • Restrooms • Parking • ADA access with wheelchair available

Gulfview Heights Access - ::MAP:: Located 1/2 mile east of intersection County Roads 393 and Scenic Hwy. 30A, turn south on Gulfview Heights Street • Lifeguards • Restrooms • Parking

Blue Mountain Beach Access – ::MAP:: Located at the south end of CR 83 • Lifeguards • Restrooms • Limited Parking

Van Ness Butler, Jr. Access – ::MAP:: Located between Seaside and WaterColor on Scenic Hwy. 30A • Lifeguards • Restrooms • Ample parking lot on the north side of Scenic Hwy. 30A

Grove Road/Santa Clara Street – ::MAP:: Seagrove on Scenic Hwy. 30A • Lifeguards • Restrooms • Parking • ADA access with wheelchair available

Inlet Beach Access – ::MAP:: Located 3/4 mile east of the intersection of U.S. Highway 98 and Scenic Hwy. 30A, turn south on Orange Street • Lifeguards • Portable restrooms • Parking

Posted under Beaches

New Topsail Hill Preserve State Park cabin. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Stay at a Topsail Hill State Preserve cabin or bungalow and get into Camp Helen and Eden Gardens State Parks free

TALLAHASSEE –The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida State Parks began a new promotion Mar. 2 to encourage weekday camping. The Two for Tuesday promotions allow visitors to purchase discounted camping packages at three state parks for Tuesday and Wednesday night stays that include admission to select nearby state parks. Packages range from $40 to $270, with savings of $30 to $36 off the value of the full package. Reservations may be made for stays from March 2 through May 26, 2010.

“Two for Tuesday is a great way to promote camping and encourage visitors to check out neighboring parks,” said Florida Park Service Director Mike Bullock. “By offering ready-made packages, visitors can take the guess work out of planning their trip, all for a discounted price.”

Locations of the Two for Tuesday parks range from springs near Central Florida to beaches in the Panhandle and museums in southwest Florida. Campers can bring a tent, camper or RV, or choose to stay in a cabin or bungalow. All overnight accommodations are subject to availability.
Read More…

Posted under Parks

Sand dunes along the outfall on Camp Creek Lake. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Recreational activities abound on these rare coastal dune lakes

Walton County Florida is well known for its beautiful beaches and great fishing. Less known to those that have never visited the area, are the unique and scenic coastal dune lakes that dot the coastline along the area’s beach dune systems.

Nestled along Scenic Highway 30A, Walton county’s coastal dune lakes are rare geological features that only occur in the Florida Panhandle, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand and the northern Pacific coast of the United States.

Streams, groundwater seepage and rain are the sources that feed the coastal dune lakes. Storm surge creates intermittent connections to the Gulf of Mexico, called outfalls. This periodic connection empties lake water into the Gulf, and, depending on tides and weather, salt water and organisms from the Gulf flow back into the lakes. Read More…

Posted under Fishing, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, paddle/surf/boat

More than 400 people showed their support for Hands Across The Sand in Seaside, Fla. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

State of Florida shows its support for
Hands Across The Sand

More than 400 people showed their support for the Hands Across The Sand in Seaside, Fla. on Feb. 13.  The protest was to raise awareness about pending Florida legislation to drill for oil along Florida’s coastal waterways. The protest gained incredible momentum as there were thousands across the state who shared support. More than 80 in Blue Mountain Beach, 3oo in Key West, 262 at Siesta Key as well as many other locations across the state.

Posted under Beaches

Eric Draper, deputy director of Audubon Florida. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

More than 150 people attended the public forum on proposed legislation to allow drilling off Florida coast Feb. 4 at South Walton High School Feb. 4.

There were three presenters on the panel, Eric Draper, deputy director of Audubon Florida was at the forum speaking against the proposed drilling on behalf of protectfloridasbeaches.org. David McLain, senior policy director for Apalachicola Riverkeeper, also spoke against proposed drilling. As a former oil spill clean up expert, McLain spoke about the impact of an oil spills on Florida’s coastlines and estuaries. Eric Hamilton, Associate Director, Florida Petroleum Council, spoke in support of the proposed drilling.

Hands Across The Sand, a peaceful protest against the proposed drilling legislation is slated for Feb. 13. For more information, click here

presentation was quite weak, as he had no good answers on the risks. Eric Draper was great as he spoke about what Fla. really is and the importance of protecting our beaches. I liked his quote…”Can Floridian’s afford to bet the farm?” David McLain was wonderful as well talking about …The E. O. Wilson Biophilia Center sponsored the event.

Posted under Beaches

Dunes at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Take a hike and learn about the dune ecosystems

Come and join the park folks for a hike. Visitors will be guided down the paved tram path to get to the beach where they will  learn about the plants and animals that live in a dune ecosystem and then walk back on the tram path.  Park at the Day-Use area off Hwy 30A. $6.00 entry admission into the park.

Call (850) 267-8330 for more details. Located in Santa Rosa Beach, the park is located 1/4 mi. south of U.S. Hwy 98 on western end of Scenic Hwy. 30A.  ::MAP::

Posted under Nature, Trails/Hiking

Locals prepare for peaceful protest against pending legislation on Feb. 13, 2010

As the pending legislation for near shore oil drilling looms over the coastlines of Florida’s beautiful beaches, local businessman, Dave Rauschkolb has taken action to protest and bring awareness to the public.

Rauschkolb has created ‘Hands Across The Sand’  as an action dedicated to protecting our coastline and waterways from the devastating environmental effects of oil exploration and support industries, and are organizing a protest along the Gulf Coast.

Mission Statement
1. To raise awareness about pending Florida legislation to drill for oil in our coastal waters.
2. To organize a Gulf coast wide and perhaps a statewide coastal movement to protest this legislation. This protest will bring thousands of Florida citizens to our beaches and will draw metaphorical and actual lines in the sand; human lines in the sand against near shore oil drilling in our waters. This event will be held on Saturday February 13, 2010.
3.  To convince our Legislators and Governor to drop any and all Legislation that would allow this folly.

Walton County area beach locations:

Main Protest Site: Seagrove Beach to Grayton Beach
(parking in Seaside and at the Van Ness Butler Jr. Beach Access between Watercolor and Seaside)

Additional Protest Sites with ample parking: Blue Mountain Beach Access, Dune Allen Beach Access, Ed Walline Beach Access, Gulfview Heights Beach Access, Inlet Beach Access, Miramar Beach Access

For more information, go to http://www.handsacrossthesand.com/

Posted under Birding, Fishing, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, paddle/surf/boat

Forum to be held at South Walton High School auditorium

The E. O. Wilson Biophilia Center will be sponsoring a public forum on the proposal to allow oil and gas drilling in Florida state waters.  The forum will be held on Thursday, February 4, 2010 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the South Walton High School Auditorium, located at 645 Greenway Trail off Highway 331 South, Santa Rosa Beach.

Presenters at the forum will be David Mica, Executive Director of the Florida Petroleum Council; Eric Draper, Executive Director of Audubon of Florida; David Rancourt, a partner with the Southern Energy Group and Lead Advocate for Florida Energy Associates, and David McClain, former oil spill planner and trainer with the Marine Spill Response Corporation and current consultant to Apalachicola Riverkeeper. 

After the presentations, there will be an opportunity for questions from the audience.

Posted under Beaches, Home/Garden