Paddleboarder on a coastal dune lake; image by Tom Adkinson.

GRAYTON BEACH, Florida – A paddleboarder enjoys a solidary post-sunrise moment on Western Lake, one of 15 rare coastal dune lakes in Walton County, Florida. Coastal dune lakes occur in only a few spots around the globe outside of Northwest Florida. You would need to travel to places such as Oregon, Australia, New Zealand and Madagascar to see others.

Coastal dune lakes are permanent bodies of water found within two miles of a coastline. They can be freshwater or brackish and gain new water from rainfall, groundwater seepage, springs, creeks and storm surge. The Florida coastal dune lakes sometimes open directly into the Gulf of Mexico when they reach a high water level or when a storm breaches the dune system. The Florida lakes are modest in size and are popular with swimmers, kayakers and even people with small sailboats. Three are big enough for motorized boats.

Trip-planning resources: VisitSouthWalton.com and VisitFlorida.com

(Travel writer Tom Adkinson’s new book, 100 Things To Do in Nashville Before You Die, is available at CornersOfTheCountry.com.)