What Google Gets Right About Lanark Village
When I was shopping for a warm-in-winter coastal home, I relied a lot on the internet to learn about various towns. As a wannabe beach bum on a budget, I was looking for the right place at the right price. In that regard, all the real estate websites pointed me toward the Forgotten Coast.
I wanted something that had retained a bit of the character of Old Florida, light on development and heavy on the natural environment. I love a water view, but fear hurricanes enough to rule out beachfront properties. Still, something within walking distance of the shoreline would be nice.
I wanted something that was not out in the wilderness exactly but was wilderness-adjacent. Something without a Ron Jon. Something without a high rise.
At the same time, I wanted a getaway that was within an easy drive to a city. Places to shop. Places to eat.
It was a big ask.
But thanks in large part to the internet, I’m now happily at home in my Lanark Village retreat. And since I recently told you some of the things that Google gets wrong about the area, I wanted to balance out the story and tell you what Google gets right.
Here are some internet truths that helped to put Lanark Village on my map.
According to FEMA, Lanark Village is in the X flood zone.
That designation, which means that the risk of flooding is low, doesn’t include the homes directly on the sound. But the old barracks of Lanark proper are on a gentle rise from the water that protects us from sea rise and storm surges.
We’re not at zero risk (few places in the country are), but for a neighborhood that’s less than a mile from the coastline, the chance of being flooded is exceedingly low. if you’re buying, your mortgage company won’t require you to purchase flood insurance, which helps to make the area even more affordable.
In Lanark Village, winters are mild and summers aren’t scorching. From the internet, I learned that there are no extremely cold days in the winter, which makes it possible to enjoy the great outdoors most days of the year.
And the outdoors here is really great.
One of the things that helps to make it so is the abundance of wildlife. From an Audubon Society article, I learned that we’re just across the highway from one of the most important habitats in the country for seabirds and shorebirds.
Lanark Reef, which lies out in the sound about a mile from the Village’s shore, is home to several threatened bird species. The reef is managed cooperatively by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and its owner, the Audubon Society, who monitor it closely.
If you’re a bird watcher who’d love to lay your eyes on a Marbled Godwit or a Short-billed Dowitcher, the bad news is that Lanark Reef is not open to the public.
The good news is that you may be able to go there as an Audubon Society volunteer, so if you’re interested, sign up to be a Bird Steward by following the instructions here.
A managed habitat for rare red wolves is also nearby. You’ll need a boat to get there (if you don’t have your own, you can take a charter), but St. Vincent Island is a wildlife refuge worth a visit. It’s home to one of the few breeding pairs of red wolves (you probably won’t see them), birds, deer, and loggerhead turtles, among other species.
In addition to its identity as a wildlife refuge, St. Vincent, like many areas along the Forgotten Coast is a great place to find seashells by the seashore.. Other barrier islands near Lanark, in particular, St. George Island and Dog Island, also offer superior shelling opportunities.
Lanark Village is historically relevant. It and the surrounding area were the training grounds for the soldiers who played a large part in achieving the Allies’ victory in WWII. Before landing on Normandy beaches and other strategic sites, they practiced landing on the barrier islands that now shield Lanark from tropical storms.
The skill they developed on the Forgotten Coast was critical to the Allies’ victory and Little Lanark Village helped save the world. I read it on the internet, and believe it or not, it’s true.
The Forgotten Coast has a complicated relationship with growth and development. That’s true of so many desirable areas and you can see it in articles like this one and in some of the conflicts and conversations that unfold in the area’s multiple Facebook pages.
Those of us who are working-age want good jobs and good wages. We know tourism is the surest path to both.
Most of us want visitors to come here and to see what the Forgotten Coast has to offer. We want them to appreciate all the natural wonders without complaining about the missing amenities of city life.
We want the area to retain its Old Florida feel. We want tourism dollars, just not at any cost.
Fishing is a major draw for tourists and residents alike. From the blog of UGA professor Lenny Wells, I learned that a fishing trip launched from our docks can produce a big yield, not just in fish, but in well-being too.
I also learned a lot about the various species fishermen might catch here, including the Goliath grouper, which can weigh up to 700 pounds. Hooking one, Wells says, is akin to “pulling a Volkswagon off the bottom of the gulf.”
He tells us what kinds of fish we could expect to catch on an expedition from our Village, what makes good eating and what makes good bait, what can be kept and cooked, and what must be thrown back.
Finding the proper use of resources, deciding what to hold close and what to release - a lot of life centers around those kinds of decisions and they’re not always easy to make.
We want to keep the Forgotten Coast a secret, but we can’t stop talking about it. Although Wells ends his post with the hope that the area will “long be forgotten,” he speaks of its remoteness, uniqueness, and unspoiled beauty in a way that is sure to make others want to visit.
“The Forgotten Coast still holds onto something so rare these days that we hardly recognize it anymore—-authenticity, “ he says. Maybe we can find a way to hold onto that while at the same time sharing it with others. We must make sure we don’t toss it away.
