Steinhatchee on the Coast

We received a call from Judy and Stoney. There were picking us up in the morning and we should plan to spend the day in Steinhatchee. I had the fishing gear and my passengers ready to go by 9 and an hour later, Stoney drove into the driveway of our day’s hosts. Bill and Jackie are retired school administrators that Judy had previously worked with in the school system. We learned they house themselves both in Gainesville and Steinhatchee. The former to entertain their penchant for ‘Gator’ sports, the latter to fish and relax along the riverbanks and Gulf. Bill, Stoney and I spent the morning practicing casting off the docks. I was interrupted once with a catfish but my other two compatriots had more luck in their practice. They weren’t interrupted at all. The ladies spent some time walking the side-roads and alleys of the fishing village taking in the sun, wind, and each other’s stories.  Steinhatchee at one time provided a perfect outlet for incoming bales of marijuana in the ’70’s, only to find a product transfer to the ‘nose candy’ of the 80’s. Private trucks would align in parallel in the dark, sparking their headlights to provide makeshift runways. Once the incoming plane slowed enough, out would fall the bales, to be whisked away by the pick ups and turning madly about in a spray of directions. Times have since changed and the village is more of a laid back fishing and vacation destination now. I was informed that it is the ‘scalloping’ capital of the state, a practice that takes place beginning each May.  However, the economic downturn has left plenty of pastel casitas vacant and dotted with realty signs. There seems to be no strong middle class here with housing bookending the spending spectrum, from what I could afford I would never want and what I want I could never afford.  After spinning stories, nipping at hors de oeuvres, we headed out for dinner at Roy’s, on the wharf. I tried my first ‘mullet dip’ there and was pleasantly surprised with the pasty appetizer. After dinner we returned back to Bill and Jackie’s for some homemade Key Lime pie. I had never had the decadent dessert and found this won’t be the last time, either. It was one of the best tasting things I’ve put to my palette. We’ll return to Steinhatchee once again in the future and use the day to explore even more out of the way niches. We returned home by eight and began packing for a business trip north.