Florida's Forgotten Coast

I picked up a flier titled Florida's forgotten coast. It was developed with financial assistance from VISIT FLORIDA. It highlighted four lighthouses East of Panama City Beach. Carol and I set out to see these. The first lighthouse that I will write about is St. Marks Lighthouse located in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge encompassing 70,000 acres.





The original lighthouse was first constructed in 1829 and completed in 1831. It survived the Second Seminole Indian War in 1835. Erosion threatened the light and the original builder Winslow Lewis was commissioned to build a new tower on a safer location. In the 1860's the Civil War posed a new threat. The Confederates attempted to blow it up during their retreat in 1865 so that it could not be used as a lookout for the Union Forces. They did not destroy the tower but the damage was sufficient that a complete rebuild was necessary after the war. The tower was heightened to its present focal plane of 82 feet above sea level . The lighthouse was automated in 1960 and remains an active aid to navigation to this day. St. Marks Lighthouse is the Easternmost light on the Florida Panhandle.

This picture of the lighthouse was taken from the Gulf side along the waters edge. It was necessary to walk along an overgrown path between the gulf and a marsh. Sometimes alligators will sun themselves nearby. It is necessary to be aware of the surroundings.

When we stopped at the visitor center, we were delighted to find out that the St Marks was one of the routes that the Monarch Butterflies follow on their migration to Mexico.

As we walked along the path away from the lighthouse between the Gulf and the inland water, we literally saw thousands of the Monarch Butterflies. The picture below does not do justice to the beauty of the butterflies.

There were hundreds of small crabs scurrying along the sand near the waters edge. As I walked along the sand they would run in the opposite direction. I felt like a shepherd directing my flock.

Our visit to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge was worth the drive. It was a typical beautiful day on the Florida Panhandle. I have a Golden Eagle Passport while entitles me to free access to our National Parks. We went to see a lighthouse and got to see more wildlife that we did not expect.

Over the next several days I will write about the Lighthouses as we work our way westward on the Panhandle.