 During this time, the bay served as an anchorage for timber concerns in northern Florida and provided access to the port towns of Apalachicola, Carrabelle, and St. Marks.The bay also provided access to the river port towns of Port Leon and Magnolia.On August 1, 1899, the 2nd hurricane of the season struck St. George Island and the Apalachee Bay area, causing massive damage to some 15 ships moored at Dog Island, Florida.