Time for ‘Blue Space’

After our swamp thang experience and dreams of being eaten by baby alligators, we were both ready for some beach time!

Some scientists are calling that incredible feeling of peace and calmness that you experience at the beach as ‘Blue Space’.  It has something to do with the combination of soothing smells and sounds of water that allow you to feel at ease in a hypnotic sort of way. Being around water allows your brain to relax. Here is some research on this:  http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2016/ocean-views-linked-to-better-mental-health/ https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2016/02/25/mental-benefits-water_n_5791024.html

We arrived at St. Andrews State Park in Panama City, FL  just as the sun was setting on St. Andrews Bay and scored a nice campsite on the water. We were lucky to have made reservations in advance as snowbird RVers start making their migration southward.

  This is a beautiful 1200 acre state park with over a mile of crystal clear water and white sandy beaches.  There is boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing piers, scuba diving, snorkeling, interpretive exhibits, and lots of paved areas to ride your bike.  The deserted beach was just a short ride from our campsite and although it was cold, we still took a dip.

The state park also owns the western part of Shell Island, a 7 mile barrier island just a short boat ride away. At the start of WWII, the army set up a temporary harbor defense in this area where the Bay meets the Gulf to protect the area from German submarines who were lurking in the Gulf & Atlantic.

Loved the friendly porpoises, waking up to a sunrise in the reflection of our “T” campervan and the view of the bay from our bathroom…

Sunrise on the bay and a stranded sail boat courtesy of Hurricane Irma.

We met our first fellow Travato campers at St. Andrews park while on a bike ride.  Bob & Carolyn and their ‘Little Red Wagon’ have been full-timers in their van for 2.5 years while their house is being built! We are hoping our house desires don’t follow suit.  They said their favorite stay was 3 months in Alaska and more recently a month in Quebec.

. We haven’t seen many Travatos on the road, so it is exciting to meet other owners and share travel adventures and talk about ‘mods’ or modifications.  It is like you are part of a private club. People call it the ‘T- Nation’ community.  We are already talking about a meet-up in Alaska next summer!  Negh eshchen…