Son of Poseidon (ECT Day 58)

• Hiked Today: 34.3 miles
  • Stevie Beach Alt. (19.1 – 53.4)
• Total Hiked: 1,240 miles
• Total Paddled: 99.5 miles

Weather: Mix of sun and clouds, 51-71°F, light ocean breeze.

Topsail Hill State Park to Navarre Airbnb

After packing up in the dark, I made my way back to the beach via the mile-ish paved tram road. At the end of the boardwalk I conducted a select few stretches and then stepped onto the sand again, westward bound. The air was full of mist and I struggled to determine which headlamp setting I preferred. After a few minutes I just went without even though it was pretty dark.

I hugged close to the waters edge; the waves charging towards shore, flattening, and then retreating. My preferred lane was the space where the sand is packed down and still slightly saturated. The dried out loose stuff is some of the most difficult walking out there.

This near-shore area is a great place to be as a wannabe nature photographer. Everything is washed new here; the human impacts gone, if only in this small zone and if only on the surface level. If you start looking deeper our impacts run through it all.

5:52 am was the time when I passed the first human beach walkers.

I felt as though the birds were having fun this morning. Certainly it was fun for me watching, especially the little plovers. That’s what I’m calling them anyways. You ornithologists and general bird enthusiasts out there will have to correct me if wrong. I wondered if they were searching for sand fleas because I could see them pulling little white things from the surf zone. I’ve fished from shore in the Gulf and at times we’ve used a net-like contraption to catch sand fleas for bait. They’re little crab-like things. Actually when I looked it up, they’re technically called mole crabs. 

6:23 am was when the sun first hit my back. It was glorious! This was probably a later time than would’ve otherwise been since there were giant buildings and clouds hiding it from view.

6:50 am I cut up and off the beach to the bike path. The reason… Bad Ass coffee!

Well, their marketing suckered me right in. It was good, but was it bad ass? Hmm, that’s up for debate. I submit that although my drink did have tastes of quality and deliciousness, it did not give me that sense of bad assery. In fact, my controversial opinion would be that they are below average in that category, near as I can tell. Evidence for this is based on the interior of the place which felt very commercialized and if honest, very overpriced. I’d expect a place with such a name to be unique and have a distinctly local feel. They should probably offer up something noone else has thought of and are on the groundbreaking edge of artisan “brewmasterfulness.”

Anyways… onward.

Once going again, I spotted the highlight of the day and maybe the entire trip thus far. No not another rusted pipe. Coming at me down the street was a woman riding on a rather stylish scooter (moped) jamming to tunes. Along with her in a legitimate side car was her dog with giant reflective sunglasses on! It was tough to tell, but I’m pretty sure it was having the time of its life. Sadly, I was too slow to get video footage, but it just made me feel good seeing that… really lifted my spirits knowing things like that happen in the world.

I didn’t stay long up top, choosing instead to go back to the beach walking.

8:10 am I got too close and a monster rogue wave got my left foot soaked. Bummer, but I persevered.

I’ve already mentioned a few times on here my connection with water. Today was yet another reminder to me. When I’m by the water my soul seems to be flying. That’s where my title for this comes from. For those that aren’t familiar with Greek mythology, or haven’t read the Percy Jackson (PJ) books, Poseidon is the Olympian god of the sea. In the PJ books, our protagonist Percy is Poseidon’s son, a halfblood, and whenever Percy gets close to or in water, he gets god-like powers. I feel similar, except I’m not fighting giants or cyclops or Ares the war god, I just feel pretty good.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay along the beach the whole way. The first obstacle was East Pass, a waterway connecting Choctawhatchee Bay to the Gulf. Rather than wish for another miracle like at St. Marks and have a ride across waiting for me, I opted to head inland and take the bridge. Crossing the bridge got me on to Okaloosa Island where I was able to bop back to the waters edge. 

 

In addition to Topsail Hill State Park where I camped and started out this morning, there were two other “natural” spaces today, Henderson State Park and an area of Eglin Air Force Base property. Each was a few miles of beach. The Eglin land was right after the bridge crossing. I’d gotten a free permit online and it was great. Very few people compared to elsewhere.

The Eglin beach turned into condos and touristy beaches culminating at the Okaloosa Island Pier. This was the transition point of the day where afterwards I’d leave the shore to go slightly inland on the other side of the Santa Rosa Sound. I figured, better get a last swim in even though it kind of clouded up some. The water was much colder than yesterday, more like your average Lake Michigan summer water temps. It was refreshing and wonderful though!

Once over the bridge, I found The Shack restaurant and decided to splurge and fuel up for what I anticipated as being a slog of a sidewalk section going forward. Fried shrimp is one of my all time favs and this batch didn’t disappoint. The only thing I wished was that there were about four times as many with my hiker hunger!

My prediction of it being a long arduous roadside walk was correct. This was the downside of the alternate, but it wasn’t that bad really. Just a chance for me to put the ear buds in and listen to some tunes and podcasts.

I’d splurged again and booked an Airbnb room. The space was just past a Walmart supercenter, so I stopped in there first. Originally, I was just going to get some food for the night and my morning, but thought I’d try and get my resupply done for the next stretch too. I’m thinking it’ll be about 4.5 days until I stop at the next store. So pretty lengthy haul for the FT. The crazy thing too is that the next resupply will be in a different state. What!? Yep, wild huh.

I struggled with the electronic code keypad, but eventually got into my space and started into all the tasks. Mainly laundry, showering, and spreading my stuff all over the room to air out. It was wonderful and needed!

Album of the Day:

“Exodus” (1977) by Bob Marley & The Wailers

“Long Time Coming” (2021) by Sierra Ferrell 

Podcasts of the Day:

“The Bag Game Episode 1: The Making of Billy Preston” – 30 For 30 Podcasts 

“Alternate Realities Episode 3: Facing the Facts” – Embedded