Beach Information

The beaches along the gulf coast of the Florida Panhandle are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The wide sand beaches are very white and "squeak" beneath your feet due to a high content of fine quartz particles. The water is pure and clear because there are no large sediment filled rivers that affect it and the water which is then filtered through the estuary of Apalachicola Bay. The shallow depths near the beaches and the reflection off of the bright white beaches contribute to the bright blue and turquoise bands of color seen from the shore. On a sunny day, the water actually appears to sparkle.

Beach Warning System

Many visitors to the Emerald Coast are unaware of the trecherous effects of the undercurrent in the Gulf of Mexico. The beaches of South Walton have devised a beach warning system of flags which warn beachgoers of the safety conditions in the water. Please observe the warning flags that are there for you protection to assure a safe and happy vacation.

Beach warning flags: Green – low hazard Purple – dangerous marine life Yellow – medium hazard Red – high hazard Double red – water closed to the public

The Dunes

Walton County florida is home to the highest elevations in the state of Florida. Even our beaches have dunes which rise 25 feet or more above sea level. In fact, these spectacular white dunes give rise to 17 very rare "coastal" dune lakes" along scenic highway 30A which are only found in South Walton, Africa and Australia.

These gifts of nature protect our coastline and our homes. They are our biggest defense against water surges during storms. Many visitors don't understand the importance of the sand dunes and walk or play on the dunes which erodes them. The beaches of South Walton remain pristine due to the viligance of locals and our efforts to educate visitors. We are happy to share the natural beauty of our area but we ask that everyone be respectful to those of us who call it home and stay off the dunes!

Sea Turtles

One of the first things that you will note along scenic highway 30A (our beach road) is that it's very dark at night. This is due to special lighting ordinances designed to protect some of our wildlife - namely 5 different types of sea turtles that frequent our beaches. Did you know?

The average lifespan of a sea turtle is 80 years
Sea Turtle return to the exact location that they were born to nest.
Sea Turtle eggs nourish our sand dunes, preventing their erosion.
ALL species of sea turtles are endangered.
Only about 1 in 1000 turtle babies ever reach adulthood.

You can help save the sea turtles by:

Filling in holes in the sand from your sand castles.
Closing curtains and blinds in beach front rooms when lights are on.
Remove chairs, umbrellas, tents and other personal items at when you leave the beach for the day
Properly discard garbage and trash so that sea turtles don't mistake them for food and injure themselves
.

We would like to thank you in advance and look forward to discussing further the creation of a custom property management experience for your Florida beach vacation home.