It’s a scene that’s seemingly common, something that JR Hott has seen many times when he’s flying his Panhandle Helicopter.  Meteorologically, it’s a pretty normal event,  but the result in these photos was captured just right, at just the right time.  Just a little later or a bit earlier, and these photos would have never happened.

Last Sunday, Hott went for a flight with his lead captain and fired off some very interesting pictures. The pictures seemed to capture waves of fog flowing over the gulf front condos in Panama City Beach, specifically, Celadon and Splash Resort and several others on the western end of Panama City Beach.

Jason Koertge has an awesome vacation rental business in Panama City Beach that focuses on remarkable properties right on the gulf.  They range from 1 to 4 bedrooms, they’re clean, and amazing.  He can be found lurking at PCBLP.com.

Hott said, reflecting on his thoughts before he posted the original image to his Facebook page, “Eh, these look pretty cool, I thought, maybe I’ll post them to my page. . .  When we started seeing the Likes and Shares come through, we were dumbfounded. . .  We never expected this.”

The pictures.

What’s really happening in the pictures.

As explained to me by the Panhandle Helicopter guys, when the air temperature, dew point and water temperature are all about the same, a fog is created.  Add a slight breeze from off the gulf and that fog will envelope the structures on the beach.  If it’s just a little too windy, the fog won’t form.

Meteorologist Dan Satterfield describes the process on his blog:

“Cool air offshore was very nearly at the saturation point, with a temperature near 20ºC and a dew point of about 19.5 degrees C. The air at this temperature can only hold a certain amount of water vapor, and how much it can hold depends heavily on the temperature. Drop the temperature, and it can no long hold as much water vapor, so some of it will condense out and a cloud will form.

“In this case, the air was cooled by lifting it about 50 meters over the top of the condos,” Satterfield continues. “A parcel of unsaturated air will cool when lifted at a rate of 1 degree C per 100 meters. In this case, it probably cooled about 0.5 degrees C, but that was all it took! On the back side of the condos, the air slowly sinks back down and warms at the same rate. As it warms the air can hold more water vapor and the cloud evaporates and disappears!”

The pictures were taken on Sunday, February 5 at 12:40 pm, and the main shots are picturing Celadon and Splash Resort with a variety of other resorts in the shot as well, including Tidewater, Tropic Winds, and Emerald Isle.

The virility of a picture.

Sure, there are talented people that have nailed the creation of viral content over and over, but a large part of creating viral content just really can’t be predicted.  A number of anomalies have to occur and fall into place just right to create that viral spread.

In this case, the photo was capturing something that happens on a regular basis, but the shot was captured from a vantage point that is not so regular. We see fog all the time, but we see it from the ground.  Seeing it from the air is very unique and rare, especially since helicopters can’t take off in foggy conditions.  However, with this situation, the fog was not impacting their landing/take-off location and they were able to get in the air.

The fog seems to be taking over the condos in massive waves, and everything blends together to create a neat, viral package.

So, just how viral is this?

Hott has said he’s literally seen his picture on sites around the world.  Spain, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, England, and Russia just to name a few.  The pictures have shown up on sites like weather.com, cnn.com, tntmagazine.com, huffingtonpost.com and news.discovery.com.  There is a YouTube video from CNN that has over a half million views.

Looking at the Facebook Insights, the original image has over 15,000 people who have interacted with it by either sharing, liking or commenting on it.  Bringing the analytics a little further, according to Facebook, the image as “reached” over 33,000 people.

Their Facebook page, last Saturday had just over 1,050 Likes. As of this post, they had just over 2,500 with over 3,500 people “talking about” them.

What are you thoughts on these pictures?

Wow, what a fantastic weekend.  The Seabreeze Jazz Festival was clearly more packed this year than it has ever been.  Crowds extended past the perimeter sidewalk and “into the forest.”  With artists from Bryan Culberson, Euge Groove and Eric Darius, the weekend was rocking, smoothing, and grooving and could be heard from miles away.

I could write about this all day, but I’m gonna save my words (and your time reading) and go right to the awesome pictures we took.

You know how when you see project or construction renderings, the imagery always seems so polished, glossy and beautiful looking?  You always hope the final product will look just half as good as the original artist’s touch, but the real thing just never seems to be quite as beautiful.  Well, in the case of the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport – the exact opposite is true.  The final product, to me, looks even more beautiful than the original artist’s concepts.

It was January when I was looking through some old PCBDaily pictures and realized that I didn’t have any pictures of the New Airport as a completed project.  The new airport has opened up a whole new era of travel to Panama City Beach, spurred an immensely competitive arena for air travel to Northwest Florida (think $19 flights from Vision to VPS) and has consistently posted numbers three times what the old airport did month over month.

Now, before you look at these pictures, I want to address ONE thing – the lack of people in the shots.

When I was on site taking the pictures, I realized something that I hadn’t before I arrived, or I would have planned this a little better.  Flights come in on a schedule (duh), but I didn’t realize that the place would be practically empty in the 2 hours in between flights.  Well, it just so happened that when I came on property, the afternoon Southwest jet had just left, full with an afternoon crowd.  So, naysayers, before you jump into the comments with accusations that the new airport is empty, realize that the time before each flight leaves, the place is jam-packed.  I was asked to come back at 5 am right before the morning flight – I was told the baggage check area is full, almost wall to wall.

So, without further ado, here are the pictures!

The one year anniversary for the opening of the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is coming up fast but we figured many of you still haven

Spring has sprung, the weather’s warmed up nicely and college kids have come out of the woodwork to enjoy our white sand beaches in Panama City Beach.  Last week I parked my car in an obscure location and hiked to the central nerve center of Spring Break, right behind Club LaVela.  I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

It all started with wanting to put a carousel in Pier Park.

Jenny and Teddy Meeks started their search a couple years ago wanting to erect a carousel in Pier Park.  Their search led them far and wide, through ride brokers and agents leading them, eventually, to the perfect candidate.  After numerous road trips, confusing emails and phone calls, they finally found the location of this perfect carousel they’d only seen in pictures.  It was in storage right here, in Panama City Beach, at Miracle Strip Amusement Park.

This ride opened with tons of fanfare and excitement just a couple short years ago.  Popularity grew quickly and their Facebook page’s fan number skyrocketed.  They knew immediately that their next logical step was to resurrect more rides from this place of childhood memories.

Moved locations and added rides.

The original carousel was located across the street from where it is now, next to the bungee bounce area.  When they started planning expansion, they moved to a larger area that could accompany more rides.  Today, as it stands, there are four operational rides: the Carousel, the Balloon Racer, Red Baron plane ride and a Ferris Wheel – the first three being original rides from Miracle Strip.  They also built a pavilion, which has been transformed into a butterfly wonderland.

Three new attractions opening March 1.

Over the last couple months, the Meeks have been acquiring, restoring and assembling two new rides and outfitting the newly built pavilion to offer three entirely new attractions in Miracle Strip in Pier Park.  The new attractions are:

• 1975 Eli Bridge Scrambler
• 1991 Seiner Tilt-a-Whirl
• Butterfly Pavilion – over 500 butterflies

Pricing.

Each ride costs one ticket per rider to ride.

• Single tickets are $3.75
• One ticket book is $29 – 10 tickets
• All day pass is $18 (includes Butterfly Pavilion)
• Annual pass is $99 (includes buddy riding)

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

View the Flickr Photo Set.

Welcome to our Secrets of Panama City Beach series, showing you things about the beach, you’ve never dreamed of.

January is in the process of packing up it’s toys and that sneaky spring break season is peeking around the corner.

It’s still a bit chilly, but with a collective yawn, the whole town seems to be stirring from it’s sleepy winter mode and we are HUNGRY.

This week’s Secrets of PCB adventure, takes us to Salty Sue’s.

Over the years this fine restaurant has undergone several changes, despite these transformations, their mouth-watering BBQ has remained the same. As well at that cheeky pig statue, waving you in with a seemingly proud air about him, and a knowing look that appears to say “I’m Delicious!”

Salty Sue’s features a relaxed atmosphere, sports bar area, and great outdoor seating.  Their quick service and friendly staff makes this a true favorite among the locals.  Ask any patron what they would recommend and you’ll quickly find a popular must-have off the lunch menu is the Pulled Pork Sandwich.

If you don’t see this on the menu, don’t worry! All you have to do is ask, and they’ll happily whip up this tasty treat for you.  Salty Sue’s offers a variety of sauces for your pork,  ranging  from fiery hot to sticky sweet.  Their side items leans toward the customary favorites like: potato salad, cole slaw, beans, okra and mac-n-cheese.

Now that we’ve validated Salty Sue’s reputation for delicious swine,  it brings us great pleasure to announce that their seafood is quite exceptional as well.  In fact, the staff at Salty Sue’s prides themselves on their oysters, and rightfully so, but don’t take our word for it. The best way to test this scrumptiousness, is to pack up that horseradish sauce and head on over there.

Over all, there’s something for everyone at Salty Sue’s.  Traditional Southern comfort food, great fresh seafood, and a reasonably priced lunch menu, rounds out their considerable appeal.

During warmer days, there’s  a large outdoor porch to enjoy which offers an additional treat to all those dog lovers out there. Salty Sue’s is elated to announce they’ve obtained their city doggie dining permit.  Do you know what that means?

It means that on the third Thursday of each month, Salty Sue’s has “Yappy Hour” for Fido.

During “Yappy Hour”, Salty Sue’s will be hosting patrons and their pets on their outdoor dining deck. All you need to do is bring your canine and a $5 donation. Donations will go to a local dog rescue organization. Good fun, good food and good causes. What more can one little town handle!?

Salty Sue’s sits just off of HWY 98 on the far West end of the beach.  Whether you are looking for a place to escape the chilly air, get some great BBQ, eat some oysters, or just want to enjoy the nice sunny days that PCB offers, Salty Sue’s is a place you don’t want to miss.

Welcome to our Secrets of Panama City Beach series, showing you things about the beach, you’ve never dreamed of.

Well the New Year is sure off to a chilly start! Don’t let the cool weather stop you from heading to the beaches. Some of the best times to be had at the beach are when it’s cooler and calmer.

This week’s Secret of PCB is a little place located inside St. Andrews State Park, called Gator Lake. Many people pass right by it on the way to the beach, which is why it’s a neat find.

“Do Not Feed Wildlife” greets you as you start your short walk to the lake.  Not a problem for me, I wasn’t planning on feeding any wildlife. Once you get to the lake, you then realize how meaningful those words are!

You are right up to the water and there is only one fenced in viewing area; however the rest of the area around the lake is not fenced off – places you’re free to walk. During the summer, there is a bit of risk since the paths by the lake are pretty close to the water, but this risk is well worth it since you are so close to the action.

It is really neat to see an alligator floating in the water during the summer and a bit of thrill because there is no barrier! Small thrills are what add a bit of spice to life!  So no, I will not be taking any food or drink with me on any visit. No need to make friends with the native wildlife.

During the summer months, the lake is inhabited by alligators, hence the name, however if your more timid now is a great time to check it out! During the winter, the likelihood of seeing any alligators is very low, so feel free to meander through the sandy paths and enjoy the nature and being outdoors.

It’s a great little place to stop on your way through St. Andrew so stop by this hidden treasure and take a moment to relax. The area has trails and informational posts throughout so you are able to learn about native plants and wildlife. You will have to pay to get into the state park, but it’s worth it. Enjoy this neat little area and regardless of the time of year, you’ll have a great story to tell about your close encounter with the wild alligators!

For the third year in a row, Pier Park’s New Year’s Eve party was the largest on the beach.  With a family friendly atmosphere, tons of excellent live entertainment, 7,000 beach balls, loads of fireworks and a warm night, it’s no wonder this was the place to be.

Many of you remember last year’s beach ball drop blunder – this year, they used fabric nets and the deployment and drop of 7,000 inflatable beach balls fell without a hitch.  30 minutes before the drop, crowds began to gather below each net in anticipation.  And the crowds were thick.  I’ve never been a good estimator, but I’d say there was at least 15,000 people there new year’s eve night.

All in all, the crowd seemed tame, the entertainment was fantastic and most everyone had a great time.  Here are the pictures.

With a brief break in the frigid weather, this year’s Christmas Parade was as great as ever.  With thousands of attendees lining the route that weaved through Pier Park and float riders passing out buckets of candy and beads, Saturday evening was a joyous time for all.

Float participants ranged from local ROTC groups to the various news stations, The Shriners, High School bands, Panama City Beach Mayor Gayle Oberst, The Beach Mosquito Control and more.  The parade ended with an appearance from Jolly Old Saint Nick himself, Santa Clause.

The parade was organized by the local Optimist Club and has been an annual tradition for 30 years.

This year’s Emerald Coast Cruizin Event was a great as ever.  This weekend was full of interesting and beautiful cars and thousands of people out enjoying the shiny metal and wonderful weather.  I was talking to the event promoter this morning, and his head was still spinning from the whirlwind of activity over the weekend at Frank Brown Park.

1.) Thousands of show cars

This year’s attendance was consistent with years past with just under 2,400 registered show cars at the event.  “There were much more than that cruzin’ the streets of Panama City Beach,” remarked Robert “Rakes” Parrish, event promoter.  “There are tons of people that just bring their cars down to cruise around, that don’t enter the show.”

There were all types of cars, from classics restored to their like-new look and feel, to highly modified street-rod muscle, to rat-rods to highly polished new muscle cars.

2.) People in town from everywhere

Parrish reported that there were visitors from as close as across the bridge to as far away as California.  The three biggest states represented were Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana, but they had registered cars from Wisconsin, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Iowa just to name some of the more distant states. 

3.)  One guy bought 11 cars AND a hotel

Yea, you read that right.  There was a high-roller in town buying up all he liked and it was said when he was done buying cars at the auto auction, he went down the street and bought a hotel that was for sale as a foreclosure.  We’re still waiting for more information on this, but if anyone else knows anything about this, let us know in the comments!

This event brings a certain kind of person to our area, during a time when the weather is typically impeccable.  Many of the people that come down to this event fall in love with our area and return again during the tourism season.  There is no doubt this event is great for our area.

We were there on Saturday, here is a taste of some of the cars that were at the event.