In these days of pandemic and public panics, a reprieve from the maddening crowds is a welcome option. To disconnect from the stresses and demands can be both psychologically and physically beneficial to urbanites and suburbanites alike.
Idyllic isolation, however, is a rare commodity in the intensely connected 21st century, but there are some feasible options.
One of those possibilities is Mashes Sands beach. The site sits on the end of a peninsula facing east into the Gulf of Mexico.
It is easy to enjoy the natural environment of Florida’s gulf coast and take a break from the stresses of 21st Century life.
Waves lap the sugar sand shore, sea birds hover above and the quiet is only occasionally disturbed by a distant boat or jet. It is north Florida’s coast as it once was with only a hint of civilization on the horizon.
As with any public accommodation, timing is everything if tranquility is the objective. Weekdays during the spring and autumn are when a visitor will most likely find few if any other visitors. Weekends and the summer are utilized by locals and the occasional out-of-towner to sun, swim and fish at this out of the way stretch of sand.
Visitors can enjoy the relatively isolated location at Mashes Sands Beach. Fishing, sunning and strolling are all doable with contemporary social distancing in mind.
Granted, the water is not the clear picture perfect aquatic fluid of some Florida beaches. The local tributaries and swamps supply tannic acid leached from decaying plant material which darkens the water. Even so, the water is clean and safe for swimming and fishing.
Marine life is varied and plentiful. An oyster bar is located off shore within easy swimming distance and is sometimes exposed during low tide.
Gulf Fritillary butterflies are one of the many native creatures which share the beach with the occasional human visitor.
In the spring, horseshoe crabs use the beach for their mating ritual. Hermit crabs, sand crabs and countless other creatures (aerial, terrestrial and marine) are present year round leading lives like their ancestors have for eons.
It is a good place to see north Florida’s coast while still in its natural state.
What to Expect
Mashes Sands beach is simple to find but easy to overlook. Mashes Sands Road intersects with U.S. Highway 98 just north of the Wakulla County/Franklin County line. If coming from the north, it is the last left turn in Wakulla County before crossing the bridge across Ochlockonee Bay into Franklin County.
Once on Mashes Sands Road, follow it to the end where limited parking (less than 20 market spaces) is available. Vehicles with trailers are discouraged as turning around would be very challenging, and there is only roadside parking.
At the beach basic restroom facilities are available, but nothing else. No boating facilities are present, but the parking is close enough to the beach that kayak portage is reasonable.
At the intersection of Mashes Sands Road and U.S. Highway 98 there are some convenience stores with fuel. In the town of Panacea less than 10 miles away there are more retail options available for supplies and souvenirs.
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