Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

THE SKY IS CLEAR AND THE WATER IS SMOOTH AS GLASS, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT ON THEIR BOATS FISHING AND SWIMMING AND JUST ENJOYING THE SUN. I decide it’s best to first find the necessary accommodations for my own taste of the good life, a sort of base of operations for experiencing the things to come. Sterling Shores, the area’s premier resort, is a far cry from the motels of my childhood retreats. The condominiums offer all the comforts of home, especially if your home has balconies with ocean views and large bathrooms with Jacuzzi tubs and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. It takes me a minute to get used to the luxury, so I stand in the doorway for a moment and smile at the expanse of it all, the plush furniture, the full kitchen. In the complex’s lobby, there’s a machine you can rent free DVDs from and a computer for free Internet access, should you not be able to leave the real world completely. There’s also a 42-seat surround-sound movie theater and a fitness center on site. Out back there’s a 4300-square-foot lagoonstyle pool and a barbecue area, and it’s tempting just to hole up here for the remainder of my trip, relaxing in the lap of luxury. In this town, chartering a fishing trip is a necessity for the full experience. This once-sleepy fishing village earned its nickname because of the topography of the ocean floor along the Emerald Coast. The 100-fathom curve, the point at which the continental shelf drops to the abyss, is within 10 miles of Destin’s shore. “That’s especially helpful for people looking to catch billfish,” Captain Douglas Dietz of HarborWalk Charters says. “It’s great being so close. Any other place it would take you all day just to get out there.” Doug says they’ve even caught elusive blue marlins close to shore. In the Spring, Doug says, you can expect to catch plenty of amberjack and red snapper. And there’s certainly no shortage of fishing charters in Destin. HarborWalk alone has more than 25 boats, all with friendly captains who work solely on a volunteer basis to help you reel in the big one. “We just do this to help out people who want to get out there,” Doug says. The colorful skyline of Destin is augmented by its breathtaking sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico. 38 s o u t h e r n b re e z e . c o m http://southernbreeze.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Seen & Heard Coastal Calendar Storefronts - Keepin' it Reel Sweet Dreams - Grand Hotel Art of Living - Marking Time Fixtures - A Fitting End Our Backyard - Reasonable Drought Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life The Southern Breeze Hot List Unexpected Destin-ation Visual Zydeco We're an American Band The Good Life From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops Reader Services Cheers - Lazy Libations Dish - Mississippi Yearning Chef's Table - Welcome to The Doll House Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations Last Bite

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