Going to Apalachicola This Weekend

[Patrol]

My wife and I are going to Apalachicola and St. George Island this weekend to explore and metal detect. Any suggestions or information would be appreciated.

Are the State Park Beaches off-limits?

Thanks in advance

 

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[WishfulThinker]

Stay out of Military Zones -- Radar Tracking Antennas for Over-Water-Test Ranges .... things can go into operation at a moments notice. Forget the metal detector not working, you will glow in the dark.

St. Joe Park was nice when I was there Years ago. Lots of open beach area at that time. Wide open spaces and not too many people around to object. Couple other parks in that area, stay out of National Wildlife Refuge Area. (Island)

Check out Museum in area... Dr. Gore invented Air Conditioning there. Multi stage compressor.

 

[Patrol]

Thanks for the info. After living on military bases for the last 28 years I don't need a nightlight anymore. It saves on energy bills too.

See you on the beaches. I have to get there before the oil does. (I hope that doesn't happen the beaches there are so beautiful)

Tom

 

[JoeSWFla]

My grandfather used to live there.They had a really neat park by the
pier with some old cannons and anchors there. It was a major port
for shipping at one time according to the locals.Also had some
great treasure tales back when I was a kid.I would think there
should be some old coins somewhere to be found.I remember
an old tree in his front yard that had a ring for tying up horses,
that had grown into the tree until you could hardly see it.A lot
of history there. Hope you find some of it.HH Joe

 

[c4teeter]

Apalachicola is a great small old town with quite a bit of history. Lots of old houses. If you're headed west and come into Apalach on US 90, take the first left after you get off the bridge, there should be a bed and breakfast place on the right and towards your left should be a park. This is where they hold Seafood festivals and have the carnivals set up, which attracts thousands. Maybe you will get lucky and nothing will be going on. If you hunt anywhere else there, Id get permission; since they take pride of it being a historical town and their world famous OYSTERS. Check out Ft Gadsen (you have to go back across the bridge; and head towards Samatra). They have a few relics on display along with the history of the fort. Its surround by I believe national forest or paper company land. Private land is on one side of it. St George Island is pretty much open to detecting. If you head west a little bit on the other side of Apalach, you will be headed to Cape San Blas/St Joe. The State Park at the end of the Cape (C-30A) is not open to metal detecting (and that means the beach within the state park boundaries); something to do with a Spanish mission that was once there. No fear, get back on US 90, you will run into Oakgrove, before you hit St Joe. OakGrove was actually where Old St Joe was. If you hit the Constitution Museum on the right, ya went a tad to far. Towards the left, in the shallow water is where Old St Joe was. You can wade out in the Oakgrove area and occasionally find old bricks. The museum is where the Old railroad led north to Iola Landing (the busiest steamboat landing in the southeastern US during the 1840's). Old St Joe had been destroyed by yellow fever and a tidal wave in the early 1800's. Rumor had it that a lot of money was buried during yellow fever outbreak. Well, a start for ya from what I can remember. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[Patrol]

Thanks everyone for the advice. The "forgotten coast" of Florida is really a great place to visit. We enjoyed it very much. We searched the pure white sands of St. George Island, Mexico Beach, St. George Island State Park (below high tide line only), and near Tyndall AFB. We didn't find much, some clad and a couple of toys but the weather was great and the food wonderful. We visited St. Marks which is the site of a very interesting Spanish Fort that was in use by various militaries up through the Civil War. It is a State Historical site, so no detecting, but interesting nontheless.

Tom