It’s pretty cold today. It would be nice to escape. St. George Island is located southwest of Florida’s capital city, Tallahassee, along the Gulf in Florida’s panhandle known as the Forgotten Coast. (Mapmakers forgot to put this region on the map years ago.) On a February trip, we drove along route 98 past the coastal communities of Alligator point, Carrabelle and Dog Island, and arrived in in Eastpoint and the junction to St. George Island.

The Island is reached by a five mile long bridge arching gracefully over the Apalachicola Bay where 20% of the nation’s oysters are harvested daily by the area’s oyster tongers. It’s beautiful out there with the shimmering waters reflecting the sun and shadows of overhead coastal cloud formations.

The temperature there can fluctuate from 40-degree early mornings up to 74 in the sunny afternoon. A wind breaker is de rigueur with possibly a sweater to keep the early morning chill away while walking the dog on the Gulf side. Sandals make up the chosen foot wear on most days as we walk along the unpaved roads to the water. The beach is only three short blocks from the place we call home for the six weeks we will be in Florida.

Sadie, a terrier mix, loves the trek to the beach as it usually means encountering other dogs whose owners also love to walk in the sand. Tails wag, tongues hang and noses sniff as each dog prances around the other in their friendly encounters. This is a dog friendly area and pets are welcome on the beach and in a number of the local establishments on the Island. And it is a nice way to meet other people from northern climates and chat about the weather and perfect conditions on the beach that morning.