Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
To start at the beginning of this series, visit Dodging the Deep Freeze 2020.

The Noise is so Annoying

We are finishing up our stay in Panama City Beach. The construction noise has been steadily increasing as the crew makes their way down the stairwell towards our floor. Day trips have become mandatory and another visit to Conservation Park was very calming to us. I posted some photos from there in a previous post. Visit Pines, Swamps and Springs if you want to take a look.

Camp Helen State Park

Camp Helen State Park was only about ten minutes from our condo, so we passed by it several times over the course of our two-week stay. If a park is given the State Park designation, more than likely there will be a fee to get in and that fee is determined by the services provided there. The fee isn’t much in most cases, but we looked into an annual pass just to be sure. Since we were only going to be in Florida for two months it was a wash, so we opted to pay as we went. This beautiful afternoon cost us $4 and was well worth it!

“Camp Helen is a place where visitors can explore an environment rich in natural and cultural resources. The park is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico and by Lake Powell, the largest coastal dune lake in Florida. This 180-acre park is for day use only. Activities include swimming, beachcombing, nature study, hiking and both freshwater and saltwater fishing.” – READ MORE

According to the sign pictured below: “From the first hotel built here in the 1920s to Camp Helen’s hey-day between 1945 and 1987 as a recreation camp for employees of Avondale Mills, our park has been a source of ocean-front fun for decades.”

A Family Home

In the 1920s the Inlet Beach Hotel lured visitors to this place because of its beautiful scenery, fishing and beach. The goal at that time was to develop the property into a retirement complex. When the hotel burned and the property changed hands, Margaret Hicks took over. In 1932 she had several structures built that became part of a public vacation spot to help supplement her income during the Depression. The lodge in the first photo below was built as a family home, and many other structures are still standing and have been restored.

In 1945 Avondale Mills of Alabama purchased the property for use as a vacation camp for their employees, and in 1997 the state of Florida opened it to the public as a state park. There is some very interesting history about the years that Avondale Mills owned the property here if you’d like to read more. I always love to reminisce about days gone by – when companies took care of their employees like family.

Peace and Quiet

A little ahead of the season, we had this place completely to ourselves. We enjoyed the solitude (and quiet) and we were amazed that somewhere this peaceful could be so close to the hustle and bustle of Panama City Beach.

Please Save the Birdy Babies

Out onto the beach where the Gulf meets Lake Powell, the erosion becomes more obvious, although the birds didn’t seem to mind.

Where Fresh meets Salt

Not many fresh water lakes have an inlet from the Gulf of Mexico. The meeting of the fresh and salt water at Lake Powell causes quite a combination at the inlet.

Into the Green

A wonderful nature trail rounded out the trip. The smell of the woods provides a calm like no other. The fabulous live oak trees with their waxy leaves provided shade and the beautiful “green” that we crave during the winter months at home.

Final Day of Noise

On our final day, we suffered through some of the worst of the construction noise of our stay since the crew made their way down to our floor over our two-week stay. A generator was parked right outside our door for hours on end and the drilling or scraping or whatever was going on in the stairwell right beside us, was driving us insane. We had put it off long enough and we were forced to stay inside today to do laundry and pack for our next destination. As much as we hate to leave this area, we’re glad to leave all the noise behind us.

Next up: The Scenic Route

Happy trails,
Barb