The white sand shoreline of the Florida Gulf Coast features clear water ranging in color from indigo blue to turquoise
East Pass is the only waterway connecting the Choctawhatchee Bay in Destin, Florida to the Gulf of Mexico for approximately 60 miles Originally, the Gulf of Mexico and the Destin Harbor did not connect to the Choctawhatchee Bay in this area. This posed an extreme danger of flooding to the fishing fleet. In 1926, the Melvin, the Marler and the Destin families took on their largest task to date. Four men cut a drainage ditch two feet wide across Okaloosa Island using only shovels. Within two hours, the ditch was over a 100 yards wide. That hand dug trench opened a torrent of rushing water that created the East Pass into what you see today. The Army Corp of Engineers dredges portions of the East Pass periodically to keep the water deep enough for the boats to move freely back and forth. Just north of the Destin Bridge is known to all the locals as Crab Island. At one time, Crab Island was actually two islands made from sand that the Corp. of Engineers dredged up from the East Pass. This island was large enough back then to inhabit sea grass, small shrubs and nesting seabirds, but time and weather have made it what it is today - an island that appears only when the tide is out which provides a local haven for area boaters and a great place to anchor and enjoy the sun and sand while relaxing with friends.
Size: 4256px × 2831px
Location: East Pass, Destin, Florida
Photo credit: © Diana Jarvis Godwin / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: beach, coastline, dune, east, florida, gulf, marine, mexico, north, ocean, pass, sand, sea, seaside, shore, water, waterfront, waterside, west, white
