Normal

It's early winter at the beach, one of the best times of the year to live here. No lines at the grocery, no traffic on 30A, still some really nice days at the beach and... the Flounders are thick!

With this being the "slow time" my trips have dropped off from twice a day every day to just a couple a week. I spend most of my time dealing with all the real world stuff like rebuilding boats and tackle, trying to cram in a years worth of put off doctor visits, house chores that get put off, renewing dozens of fishing permits etc.

Even back in the early nineties, Palm Beach County was “getting too crazy” for Brian and Jan Ethridge. They decided to pull up stakes and move to a calmer place right here in Seagrove Beach where they opened Angelina’s Pizzeria and Pasta in 1994.

Baby sea turtle hatchlings heading out to sea are just too darn cute! Their little flippers propel them toward the open gulf, their tell-tale tracks miniature replicas of those tracks left only a few months prior by their massive mother.

The latest local real estate report for October 2016 includes statistics for single family homes, townhomes, and condos in Walton County, Florida. Single family closed sales were down 13% for October compared to the same month last year. The first month over month drop in quite awhile. The percentage of closed sales paid in cash was down 17%. Inventory was down 4%. Median sales price was down 5%.

Months Supply of Inventory for Walton County is down 9% over same month last year at 6.8 months for October 2016.

Well the seasons are finally changing, the surf is up and I am on the hill doing boat chores. We have had a long run of good weather and fairly warm temps. I got to run trips in the Gulf for 8 out of 10 days at the end of November this year.

Most years I get booked every day around Thanksgiving but only get to run half of my trips due to weather. Red Snappers are closed now till sometime next year (probably in May) and we can finally start targeting some other critters!

For Rick and Tina Stanfield, the “sweet smell of success” comes from their pastry ovens. They have both rolled up their sleeves in a combined effort to make Sweet Henrietta’s Treats a SoWal favorite.

Most people are astonished to learn that Florida has caves, but the limestone ecosystem of the central Florida panhandle is quite different than anywhere else in the state.

Football, fire pits, food and friends define weekends at The Hub. Executive Chef Steve Bucalo rolled out one heck of a brunch menu this fall, so we met up with the crew to test out a few bites.