December 26, 2016 – Monday
Today, we drove east on Highway 98 from Panama City Beach to Highway 319, Big Bend Scenic Byway, to Medart and then made the circle back down to Highway 98. This section of the Florida Panhandle is known as Florida’s Forgotten Coast. So different from the drive west that we did before Christmas, much less developed and oh so beautiful.
The highway goes along gorgeous beaches and through tall pine forests. Much of this area has been reserved for state and national recreational areas. We stopped at Ochlockonee River State Park for a short hike, where we observed both white squirrels and a piebald deer.
Mashes Sands Recreation Area
We took a short walk at Mexico Beach, FL
Historical Fact – World War II
In need of a site for an amphibious training facility, the military purchased 10,000 acres of land and leased an additional 155,000 acres, forming a base with nearly twenty miles of frontage on the Gulf coast between St. George Island and Alligator Point, including Dog Island and the beaches near Carrabelle, FL. Thus, Camp Gordon Johnston, Carrabelle, FL, became the army’s amphibious training base.
It was here that soldiers trained for the Normandy Invasion on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
See you on the water!
- Sunrise 6:37 am – Sunset 4:50 pm
- Temp 76 F Hi – 64 F Low – Morning Fog, Sunny
- Day 62