Happy New Year 2023!

Happy New Year! What a year 2022 was indeed and we limped across the finish line December 31. My wife came down with CoVid two days before Christmas and our house was turned upside down for a week. No holiday get togethers, no baking, no festive mood… basically no fun. Our kids bailed on us and we didn’t do our family gift exchange until the 28th. A different Christmas indeed but we survived and made the best of it. And yes, thank the Good Lord, my wife is doing fine. She shed a lot of tears but I did the best to entertain her (lots of Christmas movies, carols and fires in the fireplace).

We start year number six of The Hidden Coast Magazine and we are blessed indeed for such great support from all of our wonderful customers. All of our current customers resigned with us and we picked up some new ones, and old friends at the end. We are looking forward to a great year and it kicks off with several festival planned throughout the area for the first quarter.

We start with Fiddler Crab Festival, then Miles of Smiles, The Lower Suwannee Art & Nature Fest, the Brew Fest, the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts and finally the Horseshoe Beach Spring Fest. Knock on wood we have had a mild winter so far, so get outdoors and enjoy these great events.

We have some great articles in this edition from our regular contributors and Dawn Taylor, Unexpected Adventures with Dawn, gives us an overview of some of the events mentioned already, plus a few more. We have all of our regular charter captains giving tips and tricks to fish the winter waters and Nikki Douglas gives us an Old Time Cracker Christmas. A little late, we know, but it’s well worth the read.

Finally we are excited to announce the launch of a third publication. We’ve had several charter captains contact us about writing in The Hidden Coast Magazine. Unfortunately so many that we don’t have the room for them anymore. Hence, we decided to start The Fishing Lowdown. A monthly tabloid publication that zeros in on the fishing right here along The Hidden Coast. We have several captains already in with us and the reception has been far greater that we ever expected. They are a tough bunch, all with big hearts, who are excited to promote the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Be on the lookout for our first issue this month and be sure to check out our website for additional information and updates. www.thefishinglowdown.com

Until the next time, enjoy The Hidden Coast.