When I first saw photos of the Emerald Coast waters, I thought they were fake. There is no way the water could be so green yet translucent, like green glass! So I had to find out for myself. Panama City Beach lived up to the magazine photos.
May 22, 2016 – Sunday
The beach house welcomes us with pale shades of blue, sea foam green, white-washed wood, and plenty of sunshine. Breakfast is healthy and light. The coffee is strong, its warmth comforting, and the view is a fuschia-purple crape myrtles peeking into a small balcony just outside the dinning room. It’s only 7 a.m. but the sun is on full bright and I can tell it’s going to be a hot day, mellowed only by a soft breeze blowing from the ocean.
We are off to the beach!
The white powdery sand feels velvety under our feet and it leads us to the translucent emerald waters of the gulf. I’m mesmerized by the colors and clarity of the water. As we walk along the beach, we notice two dark shadows not far from the shore, playing in the water. Two stingrays are riding the surf and waves, and it seems like they are flying under the water’s surface. We stand in the wet sand, allowing the waves to engulf our ankles gently. Our feet sink in a little deeper as the water pulls back and reclaims the sand from underneath our toes. It’s all so soothing: the gentle caress of the water and the soft yet already warm sun at only 8 a.m. I feel at peace but exhilarated at the same time. A smile spreads over my face and I think: I could do this every day!
When the sun is too much, we head on over to Liza’s Kitchen, a small but lively local spot, where we enjoy bloody good Bloody Maries for lunch, alongside tuna. Pizza is our dinner and our bed time is early, as we slip into vacation mode.
May 23, 2016 – Monday
This is one Monday I do not mind! After an early swim and catching the early rays, we visit Liza’s Kitchen again, then head up the beach to look for sailing rentals. A tanned staffer from Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort hooks us up with a small cat and we set sail! I’ve never been on a catamaran before and I didn’t know what to expect. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. It’s like cruising in a low rider, all-the-while having a front seat to the amazing shades of green and blue of the water. Once in a while, when changing directions, I had to duck and slide over to the other side of the boat. My husband knew what he was doing and we didn’t stall. It was a great experience and I’d most definitely do it again.
All that excitement got me thirsty and we got a fruity boozy drink at the Tiki Bar across from the sailing place, overlooking the beach.
The one thing I didn’t think about before going sailing was how wet my shorts would get…. So, lesson learned, we headed to the shops at the Pier to look for some dry shorts.
All that shopping, got us thirsty again! And when on vacation, one must enjoy taking it easy. We found a rooftop terrace (at Pompano Joe’s) where we kicked off our evening with happy hour drinks, once again not getting enough of the beauty lying in front of us.
A walk on the beach, and a quick dinner at Schooners completed our blissful Monday.
May 24, 2016 – Tuesday
I am NOT a morning person, but somehow I managed to be while visiting PCB. I had the beach almost all to myself before 9 a.m., as I stepped into the calm blue-green water for a morning swim. I floated peacefully with nothing more in sight that the beautiful pastel colors of sunrise over the ocean: the sky went from lavender to blue, to pink, transitioning to the inky blue of the sea at the horizon, softening into emerald and aqua, then becoming translucent as waves frothed over the white sand. Bliss!!
I met up with David (hiding his burnt feet – Irish heritage curse?) and we walked along the beach for a while, picking up butterfly-shaped seashells.
We came across a beautiful marriage proposal, complete with sand castle, and took in the beauty of the tropical blooms adorning our path to and from the beach.
