Direct Gulf Front Escape

Jill and Scott Christopher are two soul mates who have had a interesting and roller coaster life. Both serial entrepreneurs, Jill and Scott have focused on real estate and hospitality. Real estate development, brokerage, management and marketing are all within their skill set and portfolio interests.

"We try to provide a unique quality vacation experience incorporating superior accommodations, true hospitality, and personal attention to detail"

After searching the Emerald coast for two years we decided that Navarre Beach would be our hide-out. We were eager to escape our businesses in Maine in the winter and were especially enchanted by the beauty of the beach and gulf as well as like its low key laid back feeling.

We closed late in July in 2004. As we left the closing table my wife remarked that as long as we did not have a hurricane…”all would be great”. Unfortunately that wish was not to be fulfilled as 14 days later, (having never stayed a night in the property) we took a direct hit from hurricane Ivan.

As a Florida native, hurricanes were nothing to be feared and I remember countless “hurricane parties” as a young boy that were really great fun. However hurricane Ivan was a storm of historic proportions and that coupled with our direct Gulf front location created unimaginable destruction.

The repairs took a full 27 months. During the repair period with the building already in a damaged condition, two additional hurricanes hit Navarre adding to the destruction.

When I came to survey the damage, there was no access to the island as the bridge was unpassable. A FEMA ferry took owners to their properties. If you can image, the elevator where you enter at the parking lot was accessible only by use of a ladder as the hurricane had washed approximately 12 feet of “earth” into the sound…(including all water mains, sewers and other under ground infrastructure. The front foundation pilings of the building were in the Gulf. The beach was gone.

However we rebuilt better than before and never looked back, but regrettably know it will certainly happen again.

Navarre Beach is actually located on Santa Rosa Island a 40 mile barrier island bordered by Santa Rosa Sound and the ICW on one side and the Gulf on the other.

The island stretches from Okaloosa County near Destin to the east and Ft Pickens to the West. Much of the island is Department of Defense (DOD) lands and is not accessible to the public.

Navarre Beach is accessible by one of two bridges, the Navarre Bridge to the east and the Pensacola Beach Bridge to the west. There is a toll of $1.00 at the Pensacola Beach Bridge for access from the mainland. However there are no tolls to exit the island.

The geography of the island is in large part responsible for its “quiet” nature of Navarre Beach. Bordered by the DOD to the east, and the Gulf National Seashore to the west, Navarre Beach is a unique oasis, constrained in size by its government neighbors.

Much of the 1978 film Jaws 2 was filmed at Navarre Beach. Hotel scenes in the movie were filmed at the Navarre Beach Holiday Inn, a complex subsequently destroyed by Hurricane Ivan.