Out for an Adventure

With more than 720 square miles of diverse, rural land, Putnam County doesn’t lack for opportunities for local residents and visitors to get out and get active. Thanks to the variety of the area, people looking for outdoor adventures can have a taste of Old Florida, new adventures, or a mix of the two.

And while the outdoors have always been an option, they have been one of the only options during the past 12 months as the COVID-19 pandemic forced people out of offices, restaurants and other indoor areas they used to frequent. Since March 2020, health experts have encouraged people to participate in outdoor activities as a way to stay active while safely social distancing.

And Putnam has been more than willing to accommodate. Dana Jones, president of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, said local business and government leaders have spent the last year promoting fishing, camping, horseback riding, skydiving, paddle-boarding and other activities that can be done locally.

After nearly everything shut down in March 2020, the state slowly began opening a few months later. And that’s when people, slowly but surely, began to rediscover the outdoor gems like the St. Johns River, Jones said.

“There’s so many opportunities to get out on the river, whether you want to be on a pontoon boat or a kayak,” Jones said. “The nature-based tourism started opening up because people were looking for where to go and get out.”

But as more people get vaccinated and become more comfortable with and knowledgeable about the pandemic, the possibilities for traditional and adventurous outdoor fun are nearly endless, Jones said.

To get the blood flowing, there are multi-use trails lacing the county’s land and water. People can ride all-terrain vehicles in designated public and private lands, and there are acres throughout the county available for hunting, season permitting.

“We have a group that comes over there from Tampa (for a week at a time), and they fit in everything from pheasant hunting to bass fishing to alligator hunting,” Jones said.

Or people can enjoy rounds of golf, which Jones said has been a mainstay during the past 12 months.

“Golf tournaments, there’s been a ton of those in Palatka and Fruitland,” Jones said. “So we’ve had people in and out last year. … We’re trying to put together some trip itineraries, and we’re doing the same thing with targeted Facebook posts.”

An activity that was thriving before the pandemic and is trying to regain its popularity as we rebound from the pandemic is skydiving.

Art Shaffer, the owner of Skydive Palatka based out of the Palatka Municipal Airport, said the business is hoping for a resurgence after the pandemic put a dent in the number of tandem and solo jumps during the last year.

Shaffer said thrill-seekers can attach themselves to a professional to embark on a tandem jump above Palatka after watching a 15-minute instructional video and signing the necessary paperwork. He likened the experience to a theme park, saying most people desire another go – with some coming back to learn how to do solo jumps.

“It’s a pretty high-speed, high-adrenaline type of activity,” Shaffer said. “You have very few people who do it and don’t want to do it again. About 5% of the people at some point come back to learn how to skydive (solo).”

To learn more about Skydive Palatka, visit skydivepalatka.com or call 386-328-0606.

But for people who prefer the water to the skies, Hallie Landing on Lake Stella is a fairly new feature in Crescent City that provides a plethora of outdoor activities. The recreational site offers pedal boat and stand-up paddleboard rentals, visits inside “Florida’s only semi-submarine with underwater windows,” food service, and, for those requiring only tranquility, a great view.

Co-owner Lloyd Reeves said while Hallie’s Landing will be starting only its third year in Putnam County in June, he lived in the area prior to opening and even visited his grandparents here as far back as the 1970s. He has similar businesses in California and figured Putnam would be a perfect place to open up shop in Florida.

With some rentals as low as $5 for kids and $10 for adults, Hallie’s Landing is one of the most cost-effective venues in the surrounding area to venture into the water, Reeves said.

“If you don’t own your own boat and you don’t know where to borrow one, we’re probably the cheapest way to get out on the water,” he said.

More information about Hallie’s Landing can be found on its Facebook page or by calling 386-559-8125.

Jones credited Putnam County’s numerous options for outdoor fun as a reason the area has continued to function with some sense of normalcy. Larger metropolitan areas like Orlando continue to grapple with shutdowns and layoffs, but people keep flocking to Putnam because of what it offers.

“It was fortunate for Putnam County that we have the diversity in our industry base and in our tourism aspect,” Jones said.

Visit the Putnam County Chamber of Commerces at its Facebook page or putnamcountychamber.com.