Being a Travel Nurse Near the Beach

St. George Lighthouse

South Georgia certainly has it's perks.  The biggest one, at least to me, is the close proximity to Florida's panhandle beaches.  Some of the nicest beaches I've ever been to are located in the panhandle.  My family took a winter beach trip this past November.  At first when my husband approached me about going to the beach during the winter, I thought he was crazy.  The beach?  Really?  You can't swim, or even wear a bathing suit this time of the year.  Why would I want to go there?  I couldn't have been more wrong.

St. George Island
We decided to rent a beach house on St. George Island, Florida.  St. George Island (or SGI as the locals call it) is just off the coast of Apalachicola in Franklin County, Florida.  As soon as we pulled up to the beach house my girls tore off their clothes, put on their bathing suits and headed straight for the freezing cold water.  For most of the day they ran in and out of the surf with their blue lips and chattering teeth.  We got a few strange looks from some of the older people at the beach.  Apparently a lot of snowbirds go to St. George Island during the winter months because the rates on beach houses are 1/4 the normal rates.  Some couples spend months on the island during the winter.  It is also apparent that they are not used to seeing kids spashing around in the freezing cold surf.

St. George Bayside

We brought a golfcart with us so we could cruise on the beach with the kids.  We found all kinds of cool conch shells and even saw a large dead octopus!  As the sun was going down, the kids used the golfcart to gather drift wood for a bonfire.  My husband was able to light the bonfire despite the fiersome wind.  It was amazing.  There's nothing like a night beach bonfire.  All that was lacking was a guitarist for a little Cumbaya.  :)