One frequently asked question that I receive after posting on our company Instagram account (@fivestarproperties) or our Facebook account (https://www.facebook.com/ExperienceService) is the water there in Destin and on 30A really that color? The simple answer is Yes! But it is interesting when you go into detail as to how the Emerald Coast has wound up with some of the most beautifully colored water in the world. Much of the color we perceive when we look out at the clear-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico has to do with the sand lying beneath it. The fine, white sand of the Emerald Coast creates a clearer backdrop and better reflects the true color of the water. The course, darker sand found along the east coast results in a distorted color being refracted of the waters of the Atlantic. The fine, highly polished quartz crystals that comprise the sand found here on the Emerald Coast originated high in the Appalachian Mountains some 350 million years ago. The journey from the mountain range to the Panhandle was much longer than that from the range to the east coast. Due to the longer trip, the crystals were further eroded and sun-bleached resulting in very fine, white sand. As for the water color, we owe that to harmless, sun reflecting micro-algae that are found in the shallow waters off of our beaches! Now that you know why our beaches and waters are so stunning and beautiful, come see the Emerald Coast for yourself!