Seacrest Wolf Preserve provides safe haven for displaced gray wolves

Preserve dispels myths, educates the public on this fascinating carnivore

Mystic, a British Columbian alpha female wolf. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Cynthia Watkins, owner of the Seacrest Wolf Preserve has been fond of animals as long as she can remember. A show breeder of Siberian Huskies early on in her career, she became interested in the conservation of wolves in the 1980s. In 1995, Cynthia became involved with the Yellowstone National Park Wolf Reintroduction Program where she experienced her first physical contact with a wolf.

“The experience stoked the fire of conservation in my heart,” Cynthia said beaming with enthusiasm for the animals.

What started off as a small conservation effort in 1999, Cynthia and her husband Wayne now care for 25 pure gray wolves along with several other animals at their preserve.

Click here to continue to Walton Outdoors story and video

Mr. Youngblood Goes to Washington…

Shawn is 37. He is well traveled, but until last week he had never visited our Nation’s Capital. Having toured a museum or two with him, I was surprised. I knew he would be intrigued and inspired by what he was going to see.

He started thinking about the trip in late January. He had begun doing research on “Catch Shares” and the impact they could have on coastal fisheries, especially those in our area. It was alarming to Shawn and many others. As he can tell you, if you live or work on the Gulf Coast… or anywhere along the 88,000 miles of coastline that encompasses the United States… Catch Shares, IFQs, Bag Limits, and shortened fishing seasons affect you. If you eat fish, they will impact you. If you like to fish, they will affect you. Continue reading “Mr. Youngblood Goes to Washington…” →

Miracle Strip at Pier Park – almost here!

Classic engineering of a classic Ferris Wheel
I dropped by Pier Park yesterday to tell a vendor there that their picture had run in an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. I had my camera so I took a short walk over to the new Miracle Strip amusement park to see how it was coming along. You can see from the pictures below that the rides are almost 100% ready to go. The developers, Ted and Jenny Meeks told me that they were about a week away from opening the mini-amusement park.

Continue reading “Miracle Strip at Pier Park – almost here!” →

Panama City Beach CVB Targets Spring-Breakers with New Online Planning Guides

It’s right around the corner – and this Spring Break, the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitor’s Bureau has taken a slightly different approach. Aimed at sending a serious message in a fun way, the CVB has created new online guides for the thousands of college students heading to Panama City Beach and its warmer temperatures, beautiful beaches, and action-packed nightlife. Continue reading “Panama City Beach CVB Targets Spring-Breakers with New Online Planning Guides” →

Real Estate – Appraisers are not the Culprits

There have been a lot of anecdotal stories lately about how appraisals and appraisers contributed to the real estate meltdown and are currently preventing the market from recovering.  Your friends at www.condosaletrends.com (A certified general/certified residential appraiser in Colorado and Florida with 25 years of experience) would like to clear up some misconceptions. Continue reading “Real Estate – Appraisers are not the Culprits” →

Southwest Showing $75 Flights From ECP Starting May 23rd

As many anticipate the low cost fares and benefits of the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, the question remains as to whether the airport will still open on its projected date, which was already pushed back from its tentative date of May 18th to May 23rd.

In a recent Newsherald article, Airport Authority board Chairman Joe Tannehill admitted concerns with potential delays. But even as the big event nears the 12th hour, Mr. Tannehill endorsed that the airport, through everything, is still “on time and on budget.”

If the airport is still on schedule, what does that mean for people trying to book one of the much-talked about ECP flights? Southwest is already showing direct flights  into Orlando available for $75 and flights to Baltimore available for $109 starting on May 23rd. You could, theoretically, book a flight for May right now, supporting Tannehill’s belief on making the deadlines.

What will be interesting is what effect the flights will have on other airlines and nearby airports. If I can get a flight to Orlando for only $75 on Southwest, Delta might want to bring some better sauce if I am going to spend my money on them. And what about Tallahassee airport? What will all those business folks do when they realize that they can drive to Panama City Beach and save hundreds on a flight?

If you aren’t excited yet, now would be a good time.

“Back To The 50’s (and 60’s) Tonight” Presented by the Pyramid School of Fine Arts.

Remember the days when Eisenhower was president, Bill Haley was Rockin’ Around The Clock, and the Space Race had just begun?  So do the folks at the Pyramid School of Fine Arts, and their friends Rocky and Randall Akins of Beach 95.1’s “The Rocky and Randall Road Show”. Continue reading ““Back To The 50’s (and 60’s) Tonight” Presented by the Pyramid School of Fine Arts.” →

Area Recreational Fishermen Travel to Washington, DC

Fishermen from around the country are planning to pack the steps in front of the U.S. Capitol this week to demand changes to a federal fisheries law they say is killing jobs and eroding fishing communities. Recreational Fishermen from Panama City, Destin and Mexico Beach will be loading buses Tuesday morning at Captain Anderson’s Marina and begin their journey to our Nation’s Capital. They will spend the night in Richmond and meet protesters from around the Country at the Capital Building for the rally at noon.

Organizers of the “United We Fish” rally expect an estimated 3-5,000 people at the Feb. 24 protest, including a bipartisan roster of congressmen, fishermen and their advocates from up and down the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and a smattering from the West Coast and Alaska.  Continue reading "Area Recreational Fishermen Travel to Washington, DC" →

Experience WaltonOutdoors.com

WaltonOutdoors.comOne of Northwest Florida’s most exciting and growing industries is, without question, eco-tourism. Northwest Florida inhabitants enjoy one of the most diverse areas in all of America, an area that can rival places like Costa Rica with its pristine coastline, diverse ecology and landscape.

One site dedicated to showing off our incredible area is WaltonOutdoors.com, an online community resource for outdoor life in Walton County and the surrounding area. Lori Ceier, the site’s founder, acknowledged the power of eco-tourism as an untapped resource for our area.

The entire region of Northwest Florida is covered in eco-jewels from places like Econfina Creek and Morrison Springs to Eden Gardens and Topsail, places that the area’s expanding market will fly in to see. It will be interesting to see, as the new airport comes online, the eco-tourism effect. Our area as a whole, from Panama City Beach to Walton County and surrounding areas should see a tremendous benefit.

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WaltonOutdoors.com showcases everything from beaches, hiking, fishing and more. The amazing variety of activities throughout the area is and will continue to develop into a massive draw for the tourism industry.

To all you people who haven’t been out to experience our truly amazing area, take a quote from WaltonOutdoors.com’s founder; “Get out and explore.”

Please visit http://waltonoutdoors.com. We think you will be amazed at the depth and quality of the information Lori has developed regarding all there is to do outdoors in our area.