If you like oysters, you’ll love Apalachicola. And if you like them raw, you’ll fit right in to this unvarnished waterman’s town, located in the heart of Florida’s Forgotten Coast. While Apalachicola is a little rough around the edges, it’s slowly joining the civilized world, and doing so while it preserves its maritime heritage and embraces new ways of life for its residents and visitors (see the complete photo gallery here).
I first discovered Apalachicola 10 years ago after cruising down the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway on my way from the Great Lakes to the Florida Keys. After experiencing the expected in Pensacola and Panama City, Apalachicola grabbed my attention with its combination of working-class roots and tasteful, gentrified newness. Indeed, it strikes a stark contrast to the all-too-typical world of Florida high-rises or the more forgotten towns of Steinhatchee, Yankeetown and Crystal River farther east on the Gulf Coast.
Situated at the confluence of the Apalachicola River, Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, the town has virtually endless cruising and fishing opportunities. Redfish, cobia, pompano, grouper, black drum and snapper are among the top catches. There are more than 20 charter boats and guides listed on the Chamber of Commerce’s website, and the choices range from light-tackle angling to deep-sea fishing, and from learning how to tong and cull your own oysters to plain old sightseeing.
Cruisers heading southeast to Florida’s popular west coast ports — Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Naples, etc. — will find Apalachicola an ideal stopover while waiting for good weather before heading into the Gulf of Mexico for the 150-mile run. Winter frontal systems and summer thunderstorms can make this passage a challenge, so you’ll usually find lots of company on the docks listening to weather reports.
The marinas here are plain and simple. If you’re looking for concierge service and dock hands with snappy uniforms, you’ve come to the wrong place. But if you want a decent slip, competent repair service and clean fuel, the handful of small marinas along the Apalachicola River or on Scipio Creek offer all the basics at reasonable prices (Scipio Creek Marina is out of the river’s strongest current, and it offers fuel, pump-out, transient slips, dry storage, repairs, a ship’s store and showers). I recently spent a pleasant few days at the Water Street Hotel and Marina while my new boat was being commissioned. The marina’s floating docks, river view, access to the hotel’s amenities and proximity to town made it a good choice. Most of the marinas here are subject to stiff river currents, so have your lines and fenders ready before docking. If you’re going to head up Scipio Creek, be especially cautious that you keep Junction Buoy “A” to starboard to avoid the long shoal that extends downriver.
