The shallow bay between the mainland and St. George Island that for most of the 20th century supplied 90 percent of Florida's oysters. The bay collapsed in 2012 after years of upstream water diversion in Georgia reduced the freshwater inflow, throwing off the salinity that oysters depend on. Wild harvesting has been closed since 2020 and is only just beginning to return under heavy restrictions.
The bay is still beautiful — flat, brown-green, dotted with marker buoys and the silhouettes of boats. Several local operators run kayaking trips through the marshes and back bays where birdlife (egrets, pelicans, the occasional bald eagle) is abundant. Fishing for redfish, trout, and flounder remains good. The story of the bay's decline is itself part of why a visit to Apalachicola feels meaningful.