Here's what's so great about Carrabelle and this entire Panhandle area. There is so much to do outdoors all year around. What I've noticed in Carrabelle is how much time we all spend around the water, boating, swimming, fishing, drinking and talking about our fishing, planning our next water-related event, etc. This is a wonderfully laid back lifestyle that people only dream about.
When we moved to Miami from Maryland when I was 7 years old I first remember fishing off various piers with the entire family in the evenings before Miami was developed. We didn't have much money, and this was an enjoyable activity that was a luxury for us to do together. When I was in high school when economic times were better, we lived on a canal in Cape Coral and went fishing in our small boat we kept off our pier. Cape Coral had only 500 residents back then. We'd go over to Sanibel or Captiva Islands when there were no bridges. We'd go snook fishing in the Gulf off the inlets using live shrimp for bait. When I went off to college at UF and came home to visit we'd go to the completely pristine beaches in Naples, Florida and surf fish. These are some of my favorite family memories. These are the reasons to live in Florida......the simple recreational life.
These fishing experiences in these special locations were all part of an "Old Florida" lifestyle that is long past in South Florida. These places are all now hugely over developed. Traffic. Expensive. Inaccessible. There are few piers in South Florida for fishing, few simple little islands to pull your boat up to and cast a line to snook fish, and beaches with condo after condo. All have their beauty. But none are the simple life anymore, to be sure.
For that "Old Florida" lifestyle, with no state income tax, much more affordable living, near my family and many new and old friends, with that small-town feeling, Carrabelle and Franklin County is it for me! I can't get over the constant amazement of meeting people here from all walks of interesting lives, all parts of the world, so many stories, who appreciate the simplicity and easy access just around the corner. With Tallahassee and the sophistication of the State Capital and the University just up the road an hour, this is a part of my psyche that I've missed for a long time. Everyone invites me fishing or boating, or for a chat or a coffee...or a beer and some fried grouper. Nice!
There are wonderful things to be said about going to the latest movies on Friday evening, and to the best restaurants and hot spots and cultural or entertainment events at a moment's notice. I have that life when in San Rafael north of San Francisco in Northern California. And its an awesome lifestyle. There is accessible boating and fishing, lots of water everywhere. But the cost of living there is very expensive, with state income tax, the highest gasoline prices in the country, and housing costs out of sight. I'm not complaining....just comparing.
It's all a trade-off.
All of this to say that the photo above of some of the 'slackers' from the Kerigan Marketing Team illustrates what our crack creative team does for fun! These wonderful folks have designed and manage our website, logo, marketing materials and message.
This past Friday afternoon they headed out for an afternoon of fishing. They bagged their limit in Redfish under a St. Joseph’s Bay sunset, not far from their office. You can see they enjoyed “the work.” Sarah Gaskins, Sherry Brown, Catherine Noel, and Jack Kerigan know how to spend a typical Coastal summer afternoon. Elaine and George from the office missed the occasion.
I think this was the same day I got a cell phone business call from Pinki in the morning while she and her family were on the boat fishing over at Dog Island. Now that's living!
Judy
