"You're So SoWal If..." Presenting Our 2016 Winners

The judging is complete and the official results are in for our 2016 "You're So SoWal if..." contest! 

We'd like to thank everyone who sent in entries from far and wide throughout the year on our website, forum, Facebook, Email, Twitter, and Instagram. South Walton beach lovers are very passionate about our area and what makes it so unique and special!

This is the 6th year of our contest and every year we appreciate the creative, funny, and heartwarming entries. Thanks to everyone for sharing what SoWal means to you, especially our loyal SoWal Forum members.

We hope you enjoy reading the winners and top entries as much as we have!

Our 2016 Overall Winner  
You're So SoWal If ... you check the beachcams more than your email.
- Rhonda Adams, Maryville, TN

First Runner Up  
You're So SoWal If ... a Modica Market Mimosa is considered a healthy breakfast.
- Andy Yarbrough

Second Runner Up  
You're So SoWal If ... you grew up waterskiing behind horses on the beach.
- Marilue Maris, Santa Rosa Beach, FL

All the finalists for 2016, You're so SoWal if...
You meet your neighbors for the first time on a paddle board in the Gulf    Michelle Petty
You get excited about rain because you know the dune lakes break into the Gulf    Michelle Petty
You spend every vacation day and holiday at the beach and spend every other day wishing you were.      Misty Herndon
If you were one of the first 40 to sign up as a Beach Ambassador.    Caroling Wholeo Geary

If happy hour is on a beach walkover.

If on any day of the year you know when to go to the beach, the lake, or the forest.    Caroling Wholeo Geary
All the news you need comes from the forum, weather underground and conversations overheard at the Red Bar    capt DeadFish
Your kids clothes are stained tannin brown because they'd rather swim in a dune lake than the Gulf!    R. Adams
You're planning where you're gonna stay next and you haven't even left yet.    R. Adams
You get daily text alerts for the beach flag warning system.    R. Adams
If you spend 3 hours trying to come up with the best "So SoWal" slogan!    R. Adams

If your proposal and acceptance was on the beach at sunset.

If you hold seashells up to your ear more often than your cell phone.   R. Adams
If your favorite place to eat is called "Stinky's".    R. Adams
you remember when being from South Walton wasn't something you bragged about    capt Larry Pentel
I AM Walton, therefore I am SO SoWal.    Joan Walton
You wear flip flops year 'round.    Christina
You decorate your Christmas tree with seashells.    Christina

If your pup is named SUP.

You Married in Eden and had You're Reception on the Beach catered by The Donut Hole.    Tammy Woodall
If you try to give as much back to this amazing community as it generously gifts us with every single day.     Donna
The 723 Whiskey Bravo "Bravo Bus" driver knows you by name.    Kelli Blaylock
You know the most magical time on the beach is right before sunset.  Most everyone's gone to dinner and you and your special someone are lone  spectators to the most glorious fire-painted sky.    Kelli Blaylock
You yolo at Eastern Lake in the morning, tailgate at Grayton Beach in the afternoon and watch the sun set at Bud and Alley's for dinner.    Joy
You want to have a major celebration when Seagrove Market cafe opens back up.    Andrew Yarbrough

Your group stretch is on the lake.

You've had a campaign sign stolen from your yard.    Dawn
You rarely miss a sunset on the beach and have trouble sleeping if you do.    Dawn
Your sand has shoes in them.    Abby Prentiss
Dread Clampitt is your Sunday soundtrack.    Abby Prentiss
You always keep a beach bag in your car with bathing suit and towel.    Abby Prentiss
The county bought your parking lot.    Truman
Captain Larry calls you to go fish when he has a suddenly free afternoon.    Truman
You've been to all 16 MountainFilm at WaterColor.    Truman

If you fish offshore at WaterColor from your boat that cost $100 million or less.

You have a phantom candidate on your local ballot.    Mike Jones
You scan the webcams looking for violators to report to code enforcement!    Will Bruner
You can't listen to some newly local persons new me new life bs.    Matt Jones
You've ever gotten dinner off the boat at Grayton Beach.    Matt Jones
Your beers have sand in them    TimeIsFree
If your operating hours depend on the surf.    Jerry Lewis
You've never heard the term "customary use".    Jerry Lewis
Sand. White sand on and in everything... and you just don't care.    Akarin
Sand is the lubricant of your life.    Jim Tucker
You remember customary use.    ShallowsNole

Your beach day includes a rod, a hat, and a cooler.

You stare out your window with a Gulf-front view solely to monitor who is walking on "your" beach.    happy2Bme
You run into a vehicle, or are run into by a vehicle, because you, or them, or both, are texting as you drive.    happy2Bme
You are stuck going 40mph on Hwy 98 because someone(s) ahead of you is in the fast lane, the slow lane, or both, pacing well behind any traffic so as not to run into a vehicle while texting.    happy2Bme
You risk your safety, the safety of others, or both, so you can send one more $%^&#@+ text! (your musings are, as you know, are more important.....if only others were more understanding.    happy2Bme
You have used the scrap lumber from many of the beachfront homes to build your bonfire in front of them when no permit was needed.    jodiFL
You have ever "got away from it all on the "other 30A".    jodiFL
Your customary use involves live bait.    Jenksy
If you intentionally drive into the opposite lane to avoid the bump on Oyster Lake Bridge in Dune Allen.    joho
You mention on SoWal that you drive on the opposite side of the road to avoid the bumps on Oyster Lake Bridge and the county fixes them a couple of weeks later! Yea!    joho
You have conspiracy theories about vacation industry lobbyists trying to create both an early spring break and a late spring break.    Jimmy T
You spent the night on the beach before it became Grand Central Station and/or illegal to do so.    ShallowsNole
You're watching them build on the lots where you watched them tear down the old structure that you watched them build the first time.    Yarmap
You remember the days when Dogs Ruled Grayton Beach.    Teresa

If the beach is pure joy.

If you have hundreds of pictures of beautiful sunsets over the Gulf, the Bay, and coastal dune lakes.    FactorFiction
If you've stayed on the beach overnight hoping for a turtle nest to hatch.    FactorFiction
You are from Atlanta.    kayti elliott
You walk so much on 30a, that when you are back home in a Midwest mall, you forget when passing someone and say, "passing on your left"!    seafun
You haven't been across the bay bridge in 6 months!    Debra Hammond
You don't wear a watch.    Debra Hammond
You refer to beaches by mile markers instead of names.    Melissa
You would rather go to Rosemary Beach than Maui!    Cathy Evans
You watch the sunset and cheer and clap hands, thanking the sun for the day.    Elaine
Your annual picture of Santa is taken in your flip flops!    Robin Anne Pressley-Keough
All the go to festivals (30A songwriters,  SRWF, arts quest etc...) are marked on calender for 2017 as soon as dates published!    Toni David
You love life and enjoy having fun.    Mark Vetter

You literally sail into the sunset.

Because SoWal is on my license plate in Nova Scotia Canada    Lynda Simmons
You know what insect sings this song, "Black balls to the left of me, black balls to the right...here I am stuck in the middle with glue"    Laura Lehr
You leave your paddle board with perfect strangers so that they can go and enjoy the dolphin in Inlet Beach.    Sharon Farr
You attend BCC meetings, Planning and zoning meetings, and technical review meetings. You never thought you'd be attending county meetings at the beach.    Claire Kuhn
You pick up bags and bags of trash off the beach every morning, in the summer especially.    Claire Kuhn
You never see code enforcement enforcing rules on the beach.    Claire Kuhn
You wish you had a dollar for every plastic water bottle you find or the plastic caps.    Claire Kuhn
You know the body of water is the Gulf not the ocean!    Kaye Mix
You were an extra on the Truman Show.    Carol Murphy Towne
You went to Seaside before Truman.    Ellen Myers Potter

You love outdoor showers on the beach.    Mel Del