While in the 'Forgotten Coast', we had time to pay a visit to Apalachicola's plainer, less interesting sister, Carrabelle. This small town, which would blend in nicely in Cape Cod, on the mouth of its eponymous river, is more about boating than people - in fact we hardly saw a soul. You could drive through it in the blink of an eye. But this unassuming town has its own special place in history.
Carabelle has a gloriously long beach and it was here that the US Forces, for months and months, trained for D-Day that would eventually take place on the beaches of Normandy. In 1944, thousands of brave, frighteningly young soldiers were to leave the safety of Florida on their way to join their Allies for their heroic European landing on the infamous Utah, Omaha, Juno, Sword and Gold Beaches of France. However, tragedy struck unexpectedly in England as they prepared for the big invasion. It was bitterly ironic that over 800 of these American soldiers were cruelly and unjustly to die in the top-secret Operation Tiger exercise on 28th April 1944 on Slapton Sands in the UK in a D-Day rehearsal that went disastrously wrong. It was one of the biggest fiascos of World War Two when the US Forces headed out into the English Channel to turn around to land on the long Devon beaches, 'defended' by the Brits. However, the Allied Navy failed to give the US boats the cover they planned and an enormous flotilla of German vessels appeared and picked off the landing craft at will. And it got worse. Through a terrible mix-up, British troops then fired live shells on the surviving forces as they came back ashore and hundreds more US troops were killed by friendly fire. All this remained a carefully guarded secret for decades. This is why we must never forget Carabelle and all those gallant servicemen who left their homeland to defend their nation and the world against Nazi Germany, many of whom would never return.
But, as we leave Carabelle to head East, our memories of this coast are only happy ones. The Forgotten Coast will not be forgotten. It is a delight, with its endless beaches, sand-dunes and seaside homes. We particularly liked the name of one new seaside house. The plate outside, boldly and honestly displayed, read, "Daddy's Money". Perhaps that was the old man's condition of funding it.
Carrabelle
Carrabelle
Carrabelle Beach - scene of D-Day Landing training
Recording the role of the US Forces in WWII.
An auspicious sign - a white squirrel in Carrabelle (apologies for picture quality, taken on I-phone - the bloody thing kept running away)
Apalachicola Cemetery
The tomb of a distant forefather
The irrepressible John Lee in his store
John Lee's unmissable store in the main street
Cheers! Merry Christmas to you!