December 2015
Our adventure guides hiked and camped. They rode horses on the beach and kayaked almost every day on St. Joseph Bay (lucky dogs). Thankfully, they also told us their stories and shared their insider secrets. Want to re-live these awesome adventures? Or, put them on your bucket list for your next trip?
Check out our 2015 Top 10 Adventures as decided by our crazy tribe of Facebook fans. They took the words out of our mouths! Each adventure links directly to a Facebook post so you can see comments and recommendations. They rock! (But hitting a login page doesn’t rock. So, you may want to login or open the Facebook application first!) Enjoy!
10. Don’t Forget the Ivory Soap – Matt Godwin, Adventure Guide and owner of Off the Map Expeditions, told us all about using good old ivory soap for catfish bait. Did any of you try it? Fresh water fishing on the Chipola or Apalachicola Rivers comes in at number 10 on our list of popular adventures. Hook up with one of our great charter captains and they will show you the ropes!
9. Speaking of Matt Godwin, have you ever been Kayaking on the Dead Lakes? We guarantee it’s unlike anything you’ve seen. Matt, and his company Off the Map Expeditions, leads outings on those waters almost every day. Our Facebook fans loved his Dead Lakes photo tips post and reminded us to take the time to enjoy the ever-changing world around us.
8. Coming in at number eight is Zach Ferrell’s, adventure guide and owner of no worries vacation rentals, recommendation to take your Family Photos in the Fall instead of summer. Everyone liked his suggestion to come down for a Thanksgiving adventure and schedule a family photo op! The temperature is perfect and the setting “au natural”!
7. Adopt a Turtle! OK. Maybe not one turtle but what about a whole nest? Go on a turtle walk with Jessica Swindall, Adventure Guide and head of the SJP Turtle Patrol. Our readers loved knowing you could “adopt a nest” complete with name plate and photos!
6. Can you believe kids would choose Snorkeling in St. Joseph Bay over Disney World? Don’t take our word for it. In this post, Gary Hites’ tells us about snorkeling and swimming in the Bay. Our GCFL’ers agree – spending a day out in the Bay with our guides beats out the amusement parks any day!
5. Sit on the Porch and Hear Some Live Music. David Warriner, Adventure Guide and owner of the Thirsty Goat, may be biased since he owns the joint! But, take a look at some of the comments on the post – people agree. There are some great outdoor music venues here and in Apalachicola.
4. We love Debbie VanVleet at Happy Ours Kayak and Canoe Outpost and apparently so do you! Filling the number four slot on our list is an Eco Tour with her out on St. Joseph Bay. The water is shallow and clear and teeming with great wildlife to see. Perfect for beginners and experts. Wait until you see what Debbie has to say about the Turtle grass!
3. Watch the Sunset. We asked Alyson Gerlach, Adventure Guide and owner of Pristine Properties, to tell us about her perfect Valentine’s Day. She is a St. Joe Beach girl at heart so of course her date night location was a no-brainer. But, Facebook fans liked her simple suggestion and the spectacular image.
2. Denise Tarpley’s adventure pulled at everyone’s heart strings. Denise, Adventure Guide and Manager at Cape San Blas Vacation Rentals, moved here 30 years ago to raise her children in GCFL. Her adventure that took this number two spot is sweet and simple – Play on the Cape With Your Children!
AND, if you haven’t already scrolled down to read the #1 most popular GCFL adventure?
1. Volunteer for the Baby Turtles! Yup. Jessica Swindall stole the top spot on the 2015 adventure list. But did you see the photo in the post? It wasn’t a fair fight! Hundreds of GCFL’ers agree that taking a dawn walk with the SJP Turtle Patrol or helping to mark the nests is a tradition they would like to do every year!
Did you enjoy our list? It’s just the tip of the iceberg. Was there one adventure or adventure guide that made you smile? Each person on our list tells even more great stories. Search for them by name or browse through our catalog.
In GCFL, It’s never the same adventure twice!
Updated: Dec 14, 2017 20:56
Published: Dec 01, 2015 20:40