SPLASH OF PATRIOTISM: Crab Island was the place to be Fourth of July weekend

After a tiring Fourth of July weekend at Crab Island grilling burgers and scooping nachos aboard the Chomp n’ Chill barge, there is no doubt in Chris Chataignier’s mind that tourism is back in Destin.

“We went through three days of food in less than one day,” said the owner of the lime green floating hut. “It was busy — really busy. There was probably 10 times as many people here as there was last year.”

Layers of music echoed throughout the island and the scent of sunscreen and alcohol filled the air. People came by boat, kayak and paddleboard for the celebration of America’s 235^th birthday at one of the most popular Destin destinations. 

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Dan “Woody” Wood had just his head bobbing above the water with both arms lifted up, one to hold his drink and in the other his waterproof camera. He and Tricia Stauffer paddled their way to the island from the Destin harbor in a kayak early Sunday afternoon.

 In the mid-1960s, “Crab Island was an actual island that you could camp out here,” Woody said. “We catch crabs, eat crabs for dinner, we’d go fish out in the pass and catch mackerel and kings… That was a normal weekend thing.”

After Hurricane Betsy in 1965, the island changed dramatically and “the next hurricane after that, there was no more island…they should call it underwater Crab Island,” he said. 

These days, Wood still visits every chance he can get to relax or to scuba dive with his son, a Naval flight officer stationed in Pensacola.

‘We just absolutely love it. It’s a good time with friendly people,” he said.

Displays of love for the American way of life could be spotted all over the island. Old Glory hung from the stern of boats and some prideful patriots wore the red, white and blue on their bathing suits.      

Navy pilots Dan Farzluff, Ben Permenter, Ryan Theriot and Greg Sivers of Whiting Field in Milton had flown over Crab Island and its boatloads of people several times and knew the spot just north of Destin’s Marler Bridge.

“This is my first time down here. We came here to meet some friends for Louisiana. They’re around here somewhere,” said Farzluff looking around the wall of boats.

The five lieutenants have all served the country overseas supporting anti-piracy missions and guarding oil platforms in the Bell HT-18 Jet Ranger. They showed their pride by flying both an American flag and the Navy flag side by side on their boat.  

“It seems like people who come here really love America,” said Permenter.