Paddle Florida’s Big Bend Coastline At The 2017 Hidden Coast Paddling Adventure, October 11-14

If you’re an avid paddler, consider joining 99 others at the 2017 Hidden Coast Paddling Adventure.  This year’s 4 day trip will depart the Steinhatchee River and head south to Yankeetown, on the scenic Withlacoochee River.  On the trip, you’ll see wildlife and “Natural North Florida” at places like Horseshoe Beach, Suwannee, and Cedar Key.  …

Rent a Boat At Steinhatchee For 2017 Recreational Scallop Season

Florida’s 2017 recreational bay scallop harvest begins on June 16 and lasts until September 10 in Taylor County Gulf waters, including Steinhatchee.  While there are other Big Bend/Natural North Florida ports that offer access to scalloping grounds, it’s Steinhatchee that’s truly worked hard to make the experience a great one for everyone. One advantage that …

Hike, Bike or Drive on Dixie County’s Mainline Roads

“I’m often asked by visitors to recommend a drive, hike, or bike ride that best exemplifies the ‘Natural” in our Natural North Florida region.  In my opinion, there are two distinct, but actually interconnected, routes–Dixie County’s Bowlegs Mainline and Dixie Mainline” Tommy Thompson Dixie County‘s mainline roads were originally built to haul harvested timber from …

It’s Not Too Late To Prepare For the Big Bend’s 2017 Scallop Harvest

It’s June and there’s just another month until the fun begins! New dates apply for the 2017 Florida Recreational Bay Scallop Harvest, particularly in all of Dixie County and part of Taylor County.  Those two counties are the nexus of the harvest on our Natural North Florida Gulf coast. “The 2017 bay scallop season for …

Second To Only The MIghty Suwannee River–Natural North Florida’s “Minor” Rivers

It’s tough when you have to say that some of our Natural North Florida Rivers are “minor”, but the 240-mile-long Suwannee River is hard to keep out of first place.  It’s long, it’s free-flowing with no dams or obstructions, and it’s beautiful.  But there are others in our region that are smaller, but no less …

New “User-Friendly” Dates Announced For Big Bend 2017 Recreational Bay Scallop Season

In recent years, Florida’s Recreational Bay Scallop harvest rules were fairly simple.  You could “catch” your limit of these tasty morsels from the Pasco/Hernando County line to the Mexico Beach Canal from July 1 until September 24th.  Some places were better than others with regards to the size and number of scallops available.  But now, …

It’s Springtime In Natural North Florida–Plan Some Festival Fun!

By the time mid-February rolls around, folks in our Natural North Florida region are really tired of all those “cold” 50-degree nights and 70-degree days.  Yes, we’re spoiled! In February we’ll have a few quick, wet and windy, cold fronts move through the area and we’ll have to bundle up with a sweater and maybe …

Roy’s Restaurant–A Hurricane Hermine Survival Story

Roy’s Restaurant is located on CR361 (1st Street) in Steinhatchee, Florida Florida’s Big Bend was damaged by Hurricane Hermine, which wasn’t so much a wind event as a tidal surge event.  Most of the damage to our coastal towns happened over the Labor Day weekend in early September, and Roy’s Restaurant in Steinhatchee is one …

“Loopers” Welcome at Steinhatchee’s Sea Hag Marina

I’ve had to explain the term “Looper” to lots of folks lately.  And when I do, they’re often amazed at the feat these travelers accomplish.  Here’s concise definition (Albeit from Wikipedia, sometimes an unreliable source!) that often cite: “The Great Loop is the continuous waterway that encompasses the eastern portion of North America including the …