Lookout for 2011 - Back to Nature Festival 10

The 10th annual Back to Nature festival sponsored by the South Walton Community Council (SWCC) took place Friday through Sunday, October 14-16. Click a link for a six-minute video on the Swamp Tromp. My comments follow each event description.

Events I attended

• Welcome Night - 7pm Friday - You won't want to miss this!! Start your adventure with our Friday night kick-off party at Hibiscus Coffee and Guesthouse in scenic Grayton Beach. Enjoy the live music of Chris Alvarado and good food, in a beautiful outdoor setting, all for $12 per person. You'll meet those who make Back to Nature possible, your neighbors & friends in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. The party is from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. In addition to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, Hibiscus offers water, coffee and their trademark Hibiscus iced tea. If you'd something else, like an alcoholic beverage, you can bring your own.

  Over 100 people came so I saw many old friends. Met new ones who filled us in on a new event where children add critters to one of three paintings: the sea, the dune lake, or the forest. These correspond to the three kinds of natural environments where we live.

• Sunrise Meditation with Nancy James - Saturday and Sunday 6:30 am - Greet the dawning day with a 30-minute meditation on the beach. Everyone is welcome whether you meditate on a regular basis or are a beginner. We will meet at 6:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Go to dune crossover at the point where Seaside meets WaterColor. (It’s the Van Ness Butler beach access #30.) Driving on 30A, turn north on Western Lake Dr. in WaterColor and park in the spacious lot there. Take the walkway east of the little building and follow it across 30A and down to the beach. We will have 2 chairs available if you don’t want to sit on the sand--or bring your own chair or cushion. We will provide some meditation instruction for beginners. Dress for cool weather. Pre-registration is not required and there is no cost for this event. Just come and celebrate the beginning of a beautiful day.

  It's naturally enlightening to feel safe and comfortable on the beach, lulled by waves, and gradually rising and awakening to the light of day. I personally committed to a daily wake up meditation routine, inspired by this happening.

• Kayak: Saturday 10 am - 12 noon. Explore beautiful Peach Creek from your kayak or paddle board. Meet at the Pt. Washington boat ramp at 10 AM on Saturday. The ramp is at the end of CR 395 on the north side of U.S. 98. Keep going past Eden State Park to the end of the road. We'll launch from there and follow the Intercoastal Waterway into the wetlands of Peach Creek and then the creek itself. The trip is led by Marlice Brown of Kayak Experience. If you need a kayak, contact Kayak Experience at 850-837-1577 for a sit-in kayak and Big Daddy's at 850-622-1165 for a "sit-on-top" kayak. They'll deliver them to you at the launch site. The paddle is approximately 2 hours and is limited to 15 paddlers. $10/person.

  I was the last one out and back but I enjoyed it very much. I never would have done this on my own.

• Swamp Tromp - See movie: YouTube or Flash H.264. Sunday 10 am - 12 noon. This is a 2-hour hike that explores several large cypress swamps as well as some old growth trees and wetlands. This hike is for people in good health who can comfortably hike at least six miles with some sandy patches. Hikers should bring plenty of water and some snacks. There will be some stunning photo opportunities for the photographers in the group. The hike is limited to 10 people. Come a few minutes early and park at the Eastern Lake Nursery. They have graciously allowed us to use their parking area. The Nursery is located on 30-A between Seagrove and Eastern Lake. This hike is led by nature enthusiast and SWCC executive director Anita Page. Meet on Sunday at 9:45 am.

  First Anita explained that it has been so dry that there is no water or even mud to walk through. Then she took us into the forest, wetlands, lakeshore, and cypress groves, finding lots of life and telling us about it. Many members of the group were already nature savvy in diverse ways, so they shared information and finds. There were more than 10 people, the hike was less than two miles, and we didn't stop for snacks. Otherwise it delivered much more than promised.

Back to Lookout 2011 or Lookout 2002, Back to Nature 1.