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I can’t say scalloping in Florida was ever on our bucket list, but it turns out, Steinhatchee is one of the best places in Florida to go for it.
Millions of scallops naturally grow here and people can free dive for scallops in the grassy shallows. The best time of year for scalloping is from June to September, when scallops are ripe for the picking.
We never even knew you could do this until we did a North Florida road trip one summer and passed through Steinhatchee, and it was recommended as a thing to do there. Even though, we had no idea what it entailed – we’re always up for any kind of adventure!
Not only did it help tell the story of the Florida Gulf Coast region we were visiting, which is rich in maritime history, but it also pushed us out of our comfort zone to learn a new skill, and have a blast while doing it.
The girls were nervous about going out into the ocean to do this as they had never free dived before. There was a lot of grumbling (which happens often before any adventure), and a bit of coaxing was needed to get them in the water…
But once they went in, we couldn’t get them out!
“This is the most fun ever!” they cried when our Florida scalloping adventure was finally over.
If you’re wondering what a scalloping trip to Steinhatchee would be like, here is what went down when we tried it…
Steinhatchee River
We arrived in Steinhatchee River and discovered a delightful region centered on this short, undeveloped black river in the Big Bend region of Florida.
It’s the kind of place I felt I could stay for several days enjoying the slow pace and the recreational activities on the river.
Signs out the front of our hotel warned “Slow movement. Manatees around!“
How cool to be sitting in the hotel riverside garden area and see one of Florida’s favorite wildlife species swim on by. If you’re lucky you may see an alligator or two!
Our Experience on the Steinhatchee Scalloping Tour
Around 8:00 am, we met Captain Mike down at Sea Hag Marina.
Mike is a private charter captain who takes people out on scalloping tours on the Gulf Of Mexico in the Steinhatchee River.
He gave us a brief intro to the area and scalloping and made sure we were prepared with our gear…
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