Western Lake open?

Re: Western Lake

It's been closed since a week or so after Arlene. Although we have had some surf come over the berm at high tide.

Stallworth was open to a trickle last week. Lots of storm junk in that lake. I tripped on a board and it floated to the top and it had four huge nails sticking out of it. Wooo. Watch yo step!

Thanks for the update. I know the brown beach water in not pleasent for us tourist when it is open, but does it serve some benefits for the health of the lake or wildlife?

It does and it is much fun for the kiddies. They love it. They don't seem to care what color it is.



But I also spent most of last week chasing toys that floated out into the gulf.

It has been open once or twice on previous trips. It was fun to paddle the canoe through the "shoot" and into the open Gulf. Four days and counting till we're back in paradise!

1 day for me! (weather permiting) See you there!! Although I am a little more cautious now that a couple people have said we have a bull shark in Western Lake ... watch the tootsies : )

1 day for me! (weather permiting) See you there!! Although I am a little more cautious now that a couple people have said we have a bull shark in Western Lake ... watch the tootsies : )

For clarification, I am not saying a bull shark is swimming in Western Lake. I am saying it is possible for one, or more, to be in there. Last year, a local surfer, to whom the newspaper referred as a reliable source, reported seeing a Bull Shark in Western Lake.

Hey man, if a local of a reliable source says they saw one, that's good enough proof for me ; )

We had a water snake chase us in a canoe (we were in the canoe of course). Does that count?

We always see water snakes in Lake Stallworth, but I think they are just water snakes, not water moccasins. The look too skinny to be moccasins to me. Anybody know? We had one living under our deck the whole week we were there last week.

We always see water snakes in Lake Stallworth, but I think they are just water snakes, not water moccasins. The look too skinny to be moccasins to me. Anybody know? We had one living under our deck the whole week we were there last week.

I could not tell without seeing the snake. I know from first-hand experience that water moccasins are around Lake Stallworth, and other places too. I had some great close up photos taken around Stallworth of a water moccasin about 2.5-3 ft long , but I think I erased them. They will bite, be careful, esp if you don't know what you are playing with.

Found it!

Fortunately, they would rather eat frogs and lizards rather than people. I did not shoot this one with the .44 Magnum. I shot him with my digital camera. We do not have to kill every potential danger to us.

I saw a huge cottonmouth on the trail by the Boathouse in WC last summer, and I thought - "way to go St. Joe - you didn't remove all the real Florida". :clap_1:

Well this guy wasn't a cottonmouth. He was about 5 feet long and was no bigger around than your thumb.

Well this guy wasn't a cottonmouth. He was about 5 feet long and was no bigger around than your thumb.

could have been a black racer -- they are long and skinny, and fast too.