Nature festival a weekend of outdoor fun

Join the South Walton Community Council for a fun weekend of nature based activities Oct. 15-17. The Back to Nature Festival offers visitors and locals an opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Walton County.

Kayak the dune lakes, take a river safari, go on an ecology walk, or bring the family to Seaside for a day of family fun.

Most events are about two hours long and cost $10 unless otherwise noted. Events will be closed after maximum participant limits are reached so register early! Registration will begin in mid-September. To register, Click here

Friday, Oct. 15

6 p.m. – Welcome Night at Bud and Alley’s - Come to the welcome night for the 9th Annual Back to Nature Festival at Bud and Alley’s Restaurant in Seaside!  Enjoy a strolling dinner with complimentary house selected wine or beer and cash bar.  You will have the opportunity to meet event leaders and fellow nature enthusiasts, register for events, and preview selected items for our silent auction to be held on Saturday.  All proceeds from the silent auction and a percentage of proceeds from the strolling dinner go to benefit the mission of the SWCC, to preserve and protect our natural environment.  $25 per person. ::MAP:: Read More…

Posted under Biking, Birding, Eco tourism adventure, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, paddle/surf/boat

Boating along adjacent waterways provide a for laid back day up the creek

Cypress and juniper trees along with saw palmetto line the banks of the Mitchell River.

Accessible from either the Choctawhatchee Bay or one of several boat ramps off of CR 3280 such as Black Creek Lodge, Black Creek and the Mitchell River are two waterways that offer the perfect opportunity to explore nature, fish or bird watch.

An osprey perched on top of a dead cypress tree.

Cypress and juniper trees hang lazily over the water, and the tall cypress provides the perfect perch for wetland raptors such as osprey and swallow-tailed kites.  They are often seen scanning the water from above looking for their next meal.

A large variety of flowers bloom along the banks during the spring and summer, and include such species as spider lilies, pickerelweed, water lilies and trumpet creepers.

Makeshift campsites scattered along the raised banks of the Mitchell River provide the perfect spot to picnic or camp. Over they years, locals have built shelters and barbecue areas, making these locations great places to pull your boat up and picnic or camp overnight. Read More…

Posted under Birding, Fishing, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun

A trail to the beach at Camp Helen. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Celebrate Recreation and Parks month with swimming, hiking or sitting  under a shade tree!

Recognizing the benefits of time spent outdoors in Florida’s environment, Governor Charlie Crist recently signed a proclamation highlighting July as Recreation and Parks Month in Florida.

Saturday, July 17 the Florida Park Service (FPS) will offer FREE entry to all state parks, excluding the Skyway Fishing Pier. Canoe rentals, camping and other activities will be available at the regular price.

With Florida’s famous sunshine and hot temperatures, Florida’s state parks offer a welcome relief and an opportunity for fun with family and friends. Swim at the beach, snorkel in a crystal clear freshwater spring, float along on a lazy river, take a boat tour, splash in a pool at Hillsborough River or take a thrilling flume ride or tranquil tube ride at Weeki Wachee Springs’ Buccaneer Bay.

Sit under a shade tree or hike a nature trail. Pack a picnic lunch and cooler. Bring a fishing pole and bait. All are fun, cool and perfect activities for a hot summer’s day. Invite family and friends to make it an extra special day to remember.

Here is a list of local state parks:
Topsail Hill Preserve – Click here for info
Grayton Beach – Click here for info
Eden Gardens – Click here for info
Deer Lake – Click here for info
Camp Helen – Click here for info
Rocky Bayou – Click here for info
Ponce deLeon Springs – Click here for info

Posted under Beaches, Birding, Eco tourism adventure, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking

Paddling down Holmes Creek.

Head up Highway 79 to Vernon for a full day of paddling fun

Holmes Creek is one of the most diverse paddles in the Northwest Florida Panhandle area.

As part of Florida’s statewide system of Greenways and Trails, Holmes Creek flows through a variety of diverse habitats.  The upper and lower portions pass high sandy banks while the majority of the tail is through low-lying swamplands.

Rich with flora and fauna, the creek is abundant with turtles and birds, including blue, green and white heron, ibis, warblers and woodpeckers. Read More…

Posted under Eco tourism adventure, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, paddle/surf/boat

Sea turtle eggs removed from a nest on the Fort Morgan Peninsula of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge on June 27, 2010. The nest was the tenth found in the area this year and contained 114 eggs. Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by Bonnie Strawser.

Sea turtle hatchlings will get a chance for survival on Florida’s east coast

Sea turtle hatchlings face great challenges when they crawl to the water, swim offshore, and begin their lives in the ocean. They face many dangerous obstacles, both on the beach and in the water – some natural, some because of man – that make survival difficult.

This summer, the hatchlings of these threatened and endangered species emerging from nests on Northwest Florida beaches would face an additional, likely insurmountable obstacle in the form of large amounts of oil from the continuing Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Oil products could cause problems for hatchlings on the beach, but the highest degree of danger lies in the ocean currents that determine where these young sea turtles go. They are the same currents that determine where the floating oil goes, which would constantly bring the young turtles to the floating oil.
Read More…

Posted under Environment

Scenic paddle down the Shoal River. ©Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Scenic river in Crestview offers a journey through a wetland hardwood forest

The appropriately named Shoal River offers an abundance of sandy sandbars, (shoals) along with cool water along a meandering 10-mile paddle in Crestview. This 10-mile stretch is the only open publicly accessible run on the river. It is easily accessible with a boat ramp at each end, with put in at U.S. Hwy. 90 and take out a SR-85 in Crestview.

As part of the Florida Greenways and Trails system, the paddle offers scenic views of a variety of wetland hardwoods such as Titi, black gum, live oak, magnolia and coastal plain willow. Fauna includes a variety of birds such as kingfishers, blue herons and egrets, along with an occasional alligator and turtle.

Read More…

Posted under Birding, Eco tourism adventure, Kayak/Canoe, Nature

Explore nature along the Holmes Creek Canoe Trail and the Choctawhatchee River

Holmes Creek and the Choctawhatchee River are two of the most diverse paddles in the Northwest Florida Panhandle area. These journeys are abundant with wildlife including turtles, fish and a variety of birds including blue heron, ibis, egrets, warblers and woodpeckers.

Holmes Creek Canoe Livery offers tandem aluminum canoes for rent. The livery will drop you off and pick you up at a variety of locations depending on how long a journey you wish to take.
Holmes Creek:
2-4 hour trip: $30
4-8 hour trip: $45
Overnight camping trip: $60 (2 days, 1 night, 20-30 miles)
Choctawhatchee River:
One day trip (per canoe): $45
Camping trip, 2 days, 1 night: $60

The trips are planned and priced anywhere from Pittman Creek Landing on Highway 2 to Cowford Bridge on Highway 20 in Ebro.
All trips are priced for two adults
• $10 additional per person
• Children 12 and under free
• Youth group and church groups call for discounted rates.

Guided Swamp Tours: Great opportunity for hunting, fishing and photography.

Groups received 10% discount.
No glass bottles.

Holmes Creek Canoe Livery is located at SR 79 North of the Vernon Bridge.
To find it, drive into the Vernon Park and boat landing

The livery provides shuttle service for $10 for those with their own boat.
Tel: 850-210-7001, 850-956-2074

::MAP::

To learn more about Holmes Creek: Click Here

Posted under Eco tourism adventure, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun

Learn about preserving these majestic creatures at Topsail

Location: Topsail Hill Preserve State Park on Scenic Road 30A

Thursday, May 27 – 1:30 p.m.

The majestic sea turtles are gearing up for another reproductive season.  Learn the facts about common Sea Turtles at Topsail.  Be a part of an enlightening program and see what you can do to help preserve these awe inspiring creatures of the sea. Park at the Day-Use area on Hwy 30A and take a short walk with park staff to the clubhouse. $6.00 entry admission per vehicle into the park. Outside tours canceled during severe weather. Call 850-267-8330 for more information.
Topsail Hill State Preserve is located at the western end of Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach. ::MAP::

Posted under Nature, Outdoor Family Fun

A cedar waxwing perched on mulberry tree. Photo courtesy Jenny Gomillion

Jenny Gomillion of DeFuniak Springs captured this nice photo of a cedar waxwing in a mulberry tree. Looks like there are plenty of berries ready to eat. To learn more about Jenny’s photography, go to www.inspirationsphotography.net

About cedar waxwings:
Look for Cedar Waxwings in woodlands of all kinds, and at farms, orchards, and suburban gardens where there are fruiting trees or shrubs.

A silky, shiny collection of brown, gray, and lemon-yellow, accented with a subdued crest, rakish black mask, and brilliant-red wax droplets on the wing feathers. In fall these birds gather by the hundreds to eat berries, filling the air with their high, thin, whistles. In summer you’re as likely to find them flitting about over rivers in pursuit of flying insects, where they show off dazzling aeronautics for a forest bird.
Information courtesy Cornell Lab of Ornithology, allaboutbirds.org

Posted under Birding, Home/Garden

Coastal dune lake outfall at Eastern Lake. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Walton County officials and local agencies will need your help

Updated May 17
As Walton County residents wait in trepidation over the impact our shorelines will have from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, there are several ways to prepare for the uncertain future. Staying in touch with local developments and volunteering are ways to cope by being proactive.

The county has been in contact and is working with State and federal agencies in preparing Walton County for the potential disastrous effects the oil could have and have a plan of action in place.

It’s safe to say that Walton County residents have a passion for the beautiful natural landscape of our area, and there are many who want to do all they can to help protect our beaches and wildlife.

As we all know, the situation in the Gulf of Mexico is grave. Cooperating with local agencies and volunteering will be vital for restoration efforts in the coming weeks, months and perhaps years.
Read More…

Posted under Home/Garden