Tom King Bayou is a small, but locally important, bayou and creek in Navarre, Florida.[1][2] The mouth of the bayou opens onto East Bay near Axelson Point and Robledal.[1][3]
| Tom King Bayou | |
|---|---|
| Etymology | Origin unclear, though name dates back to prior to 1921 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Navarre, Florida |
| • coordinates | 30°24′58″N 086°56′20″W |
| Mouth | |
• location | East Bay, Navarre, Florida |
• coordinates | 30°27′08″N 086°56′19″W |
| Length | 2.95 miles (4.75 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Cities | Navarre, Florida |
| Bridges | Tom King Bayou Bridge |
The bayou acts as a major runoff for stormwaters and is critical to the local environment and for local homes for this purpose.[4][5]
The bayou is navigable by small boats for just short of a mile (1.6 km) and is a popular fishing spot.[2] Though lacking the volume of recreators as other bodies of water in the area such as Santa Rosa Sound, paddleboarding and kayaking is not uncommon in the relatively calm waters of the bayou.[6]
The origin of the name of the water body is mostly unclear, though the name does appear on maps as early as 1921.[7]
The bayou is crossed by East Bay Boulevard near the entrance of the bayou. Though it had no official name, the bridge is often referred to as Tom King Bayou Bridge.[8][9][10][11]
The bridge is currently not pedestrian friendly, despite current sidewalk and trailway expansions along East Bay Boulevard.[8][9] However, several designs have been furthered to allow for pedestrian friendliness.[9]
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