Deborah Orr of Santa Rosa Pottery demonstrates the art of throwing clay. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Local potter offers wares, instruction at Santa Rosa Beach studio

Looking for a special piece of pottery or learn how to do it yourself? Look no further than Santa Rosa Pottery in Santa Rosa Beach.

Long time South Walton resident Deborah Orr, proprietor of Santa Rosa Pottery has been an artist most of her life and throwing clay since the early 1980s (the process of forming a pot out of clay on the potter’s wheel is called throwing). Orr creates artful and functional pottery using natural elements. The finished product is food safe, dishwasher proof, oven and microwave safe.

Originally from Kentucky, Orr grew up in a country town north of Lexington where her family thrived in the hardware business since the Civil War. After deciding to leave her hometown, Orr thought she would never find a place as beautiful as the Kentucky countryside; that is until she discovered Walton County and fell in love with the natural landscape of Northwest Florida.

Orr found a quiet 10-acre property nestled in a wooded area off of Don Bishop Road and developed her homestead. After a career as a schoolteacher and raising four children, Orr now focuses full time on creating her clay wares and continues to educate at her studio. Read More…

Posted under Home/Garden

Karl Renelt and crew Bridget Precise, both of Santa Rosa Beach fended off Jim Gates of Ocean Sprigs, MS and crew T.J. Shaw of Gulf Port , MS. to take this year’s honors in the Rags To Riches Regatta race. ©Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Local Santa Rosa Beach sailors win race

Elizabeth Savage, race organizer and daughter of the Rags To Riches Regatta originator, pulled together another event enjoyed by both participants and spectators off Gratyon Beach on July 3.

Several challenges were overcome both the week prior to and the day of the race, as Hurricane Alex proved a double edged sword. The remnants of the storm swells made for challenging surf launches, however winds associated with the storm drove the looming oil away from the area.

High seas also kept support boats from assisting in setting the course buoys.  Andy MacAlexander, local sailor from Point Washington loaded one of the five foot tall markers on his Hobie 16 and after a skillful launch managed to place the west mark, and  off duty Walton County sheriff’s deputies placed the east mark off Bud and Alley’s in Seaside.  The course was shortened this year to allow for support in the blustery conditions. Read More…

Posted under paddle/surf/boat

Dylan Sturdivant catches some waves June 5 as dad watches on. Photo courtesy Michael Sturdivant.

Catching some waves at Blue Mountain Beach

Local surfers were out in force this weekend enjoying the waves. Pictured here is Dylan Sturdivant catching one in the Gulf of Mexico at Blue Mountain Beach access on June 5. Dylan is the son of Trish and Michael Sturdivant of Santa Rosa Beach.

Many locals are out enjoying quality time along the beaches in South Walton. With the future uncertain, everyone is getting out and enjoying our beautiful beaches.

Posted under Beaches, paddle/surf/boat

Help clean up debris left by humans.

Head to local beach access from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and help clean up trash

Please come out Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5, 2010 to clean the beaches before any evidence of oil arrives. If oil hits the shore, debris that comes into contact with oil will be considered hazardous waste and will need to be disposed of as such. By cleaning the beaches now, we can eliminate some of this debris.

Very Important: This is not an oil clean-up effort! This is to clean the beach of human trash like soda bottles, caps, plastic cups, etc. before oil arrives. Do not pick up any debris that has been oiled! Please see the safety guidelines below. SWCC is providing bags and gloves for anyone who needs them. They are available at the Seaside Farmer’s Market tomorrow from 8:00-1:00. See Chandra at the seed and sprout booth. 

We need to cover all 26 miles of Walton County. Please organize a clean-up effort at your nearest beach access. 

Guidelines

 Listed below are generally suggested guidelines for  pre-oil impact beach cleanups:
•    Use approved access points. (TDC Beach accesses)
•    Stay below the tidal line. (Stay away from dunes)
•    Pick up only man-made debris. Do not disturb natural vegetation or natural debris such as June grass, as  it often provides valuable nesting benefits to shorebirds and other wildlife.
•    Do not place debris in the dunes or above the high water line.
•    Do not use equipment such as rakes, shovels or tractors.
•    Either carry your collected bags of trash off the beach and dispose of them or place them at a TDC garbage collection point on the beach. Recyclables can be disposed of at designated recycling trailers located throughout South Walton.
Read More…

Posted under Beaches

Leda Suydan, Park Service Specialist at Topsail Hill Preserve explains the cat face used to dip sap from pine trees. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Be a part of a turpentine crew as you head out to the piney woods

Location: Topsail Hill Preserve State Park June 19, 10:00 a.m.

Be part of the turpentining crew as they go out into the piney woods and earn their daily babbits (or tokens good only at the company store).  Skeeter and Boss Blake will make sure to show all greenhorns how to dip sap, chip boxes and spend babbits.

Meet at the  Day-Use entrance off of Hwy 30A and take ride on the tram and a short walk with park staff to the turpentine camp.

Topsail Hill State Preserve is located just south of U.S. Hwy. 98 on the western end of Scenic 30A.

A $6.00 entrance fee is required. For more information call 850-267-8330.   ::MAP::

Posted under Outdoor Family Fun, Parks

BP claims office is located at Santa Rosa Village. Photo courtesy Walton County Sheriff's Dept.

Office in Santa Rosa Beach will be open 7 days a week

From the Walton County Sheriffs Office:

At noon today, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Operations Center went to a level 3 activation.

The situation with the oil spill continues to be about the same as it was with the oil being approximately 65-to-70 miles off the coast of Pensacola.  Weather conditions continue to steer it away from the Walton County coastline.

The situation will be monitored, but the EOC will not be staffed by any personnel.  Walton County Public Works along with consulting engineers will monitor the coastal dune lakes for any change in their management.  The EOC will continue to monitor and communicate with the State, the U.S. Coast Guard and BP for updates in the situation.  If the situation worsens for Walton County, we will reactivate the Command Center and updated information will be sent out.

The contractor for BP Oil (PEC Premiere) will handle the scheduling for any training in relation to Deepwater Horizon.  Those interested in registering for a class should contact the toll free lines 866-647-2338 or 866-448-5816, or email horizonresponse@pecpremier.com.

A BP claims center for Walton County has now been established in Santa Rosa Beach.  It is located at 5008 US Highway 98 West (Santa Rosa Village shopping center).  This office is open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Posted under Home/Garden

Sunset in South Walton. Photo courtesy www.brandanbabineaux.com

Oil, water and the uncertain future of our beloved Gulf Coast

I’m often asked what brought me to Florida and my answer is always the same; Florida brought me to Florida. It’s as if the expected answer is that a job or maybe a job transfer is surely what brought me here but it wasn’t. Ever since I was a small child, I loved nature, the mountains and the sea.

There was a time I remember many years ago when I was a visitor here and as I left to return to my home state of Louisiana, I stopped off on Gulf Islands National Seashore between Navarre beach and Pensacola, that long stretch of pristine white sand and emerald water, with not a person in sight, I looked at how beautiful it all was and I mourned the fact that I had to leave. I knew that day, that I would return permanently as a resident.
Read More…

Posted under Home/Garden

Enjoy a great day of music and camaraderie as For The Health of It celebrates 15 years

Come celebrate 15 years in business with the staff and friends of For The Health Of It. They will feature live music by Newfangled Theory, Kelsey Johnson, and Butch & Guest. Raffles, prizes and good times. Food will be available from the store & La Loba’s Bakery.
11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: 2217 Scenic Highway 30A
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459
850-267-0558
Highpoint Center, Blue Mountain Beach
::MAP::

Posted under Outdoor Family Fun

Angler Brittany Williams shows off her gag grouper catch aboard the Trigger Happy.

Your guide to the best fishing in the Walton County area

For those that like to cast a line out in the water, it goes without saying that fishing is always good in Walton!

Most anytime of year, a good angler is bound to catch something – whether surf fishing for pompano, catching snapper in the Gulf, or reeling in a redfish in the Bay. The Gulf of Mexico, the Choctawhatchee Bay, the Choctawhatchee River, and its many tributaries offer a variety of both salt and fresh water fishing.

Visitors can stay and fish in South Walton, without the bustle of driving to Destin or Panama City Beach before dawn to catch a charter boat.

All of the local fishing guides/captains have years of experience under their belt and offer a unique experience for the visiting angler. Something the local captains say keeps folks coming back.

With the ability to get to deep-water fishing in a matter of minutes, the quick run time can lead to a catch in a mere 30 minutes. Read More…

Posted under Fishing, Outdoor Family Fun

The weather is going to be beautiful!

What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than spending some time with her outdoors! Here are a few suggestions to spend the day in and around Walton County.

Help Mother Ocean and clean the beach at Whales Tail in Miramar Beach

9 a.m. – This Mother’s Day, pay your respects to Our Mother Ocean with a flower and a clean beach. Join Surfrider this Sunday as they pay tribute to our beloved Gulf of Mexico. We will each offer a flower in remembrance of all she has already given us and we will clean her shores in hopes of a day when she will be healed. (If you are unable to attend in the morning, simply bring her a flower any time Sunday, she’ll understand).

Take Mom to ArtsQuest at Seaside

11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
he Cultural Arts Association of Walton County announces that the 2010 ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival will move to Seaside on Scenic Highway 30A. More than 100 artists, along with four stages of music, theater performances, KidZone and a Walton County student art exhibit.
Free and open to the public
Park & Ride from Publix in WaterColor Crossings
5 minute air-conditioned shuttles from Sunshine Shuttle will run from 10:30am – 5:30pm.

Celebrate Mother’s Day at Florida State Parks and get 75 percent off

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

Special Mother’s Day offer to honor beloved moms
In honor of Mother’s Day, the Florida Department of Environmental (DEP) Protection’s Florida Park Service will offer 75 percent off day-use admission for any vehicle or group that visits a state park with their mother on Sunday, May 9.
This discount is valid during regular park hours on Sunday, May 9, 2010 only.
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, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks