Northwest Florida Getaways 2008 - (Page 10) water ST. GEORGE continued from page 8 St. George Island has been a favorite rest and recreation spot for humans for more than 5,000 years. Archaeologists estimate that pre-Columbian natives regularly visited to feast on the oysters that are so plentiful in Apalachicola Bay. Pottery shards, stone tools and weapons have been found throughout the park. While native shell middens in the park cannot be seen either because they have grown over with brush or have been lost to storms, the visitor center has a display case of a few artifacts found by park rangers. Here, a view of dunes on St. George Island. The park has nine miles of beaches, four miles of which are accessible by car. Florida’s early settlers came for the slash pines, which they tapped for turpentine. Many of the “turpentined” pine trees in the park Dog Refuge on can be seen; visitors look for “cat faces” Dog Island? or hacking grooves made by axes that are ©Colin Hackley/Silver Image A popular Internet myth is seen on many island that there is a “Dog Island” in tree trunks. Florida where thousands of dogs center of half of the park, offering drivers access to the live “free from the stress and East Slough and Sugar Hill beach areas and the state park’s During World War II, American hardship associated with daily full-service campground. G.I.s at nearby Camp Gordon life among humans.” While the Johnston (then called Camp If you are looking for solitude, park your car at Sugar Hill myth has been debunked, it is Carabelle, see sidebar at right) beach and head northeast along the Gulf of Mexico to the a real island east of St. George, trained in these sand dunes island’s east end. Bring plenty of food and water; the walk and owned privately and by The to prepare for the invasion of is five miles each way. After an hour or so, stop and take Nature Conservancy. It’s only acEurope. Rangers point out that a look in either direction. cessible by boat or airplane. Call shell casings can sometimes Chances are there won’t the Carrabelle Area Chamber of be found washed up on the Camp Gordon be another human for as Commerce at 850-697-2585 or beach. Lucky park rangers have far as the eye can see, www.carrabellechamber.org. even found dummy bombs Johnston Museum though there is the ocfilled with pea gravel on the casional fisherman. In Carabelle, the Camp Gordon beach, apparently dropped during training. (Not to worry, Johnston Museum commemorates the ones found have all been rusty). You’ll need a good, Camp Carabelle, which opened in thorough bird book. DurAfter the construction of a causeway to the island in 1965, 1942 to train World War II soldiers ing my visit, neo-tropical its popularity grew, and beach cottages took over the who later were deployed in Europe. migrant birds were headwestern part of the island. Since 1980, the eastern end of The camp, renamed Camp Gordon ing south for their winter the barrier island has been part of the Florida Park Service. Johnston, also housed German haunts in Central and Route 300 (which runs off Route 98 to the island over a P.O.W.s. The museum not only South America and had new bridge, the state’s fourth longest) cuts through the includes history of the amphibious begun to arrive in good soldiers, but has artifacts that show numbers. After watching The island is a great location for hiking and spotting how the war changed the region. the battle between the osprey and eagle. Photo courtesy of Florida State Parks. The museum is at 302 Marine St., bald eagle and the two Carabelle. Call 850-697-8575 or ospreys, I hiked along a www.campgordonjohnston.com. one-mile nature trail that skirts the edge of East Slough and watched another cool-weather visitor circle above the coastal scrub. It was a marsh hawk, in search of what I thought were mice. Gap Point is home to a primitive campsite. Campers have two options: backpack in from the Sugar Hill Camping Area or paddle a canoe or kayak across a short stretch of open water from the boat ramp that you’ll find just past the visitor’s center. The primitive camp has no potable water, so you must carry what you plan to drink. There is a fire campfire ring; firewood is sold in the Sugar Hill Campground. continued on page 12 10 VISITFLORIDA.com/northwest http://www.carrabellechamber.org http://www.campgordonjohnston.com http://VISITFLORIDA.com/northwest
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