Alabama Gulf shores

BOATING, BIRDING AND BEACH LIFE GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

Alabama Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, also known as Alabama's Gulf Coast, tucked away at the southernmost tip of Alabama, 50 miles southeast of Mobile and 35 miles west of Pensacola, Florida, with its long stretched of misty white beaches, imposing sand dunes churned by a feathery wake of hungry grills, enchanting sunsets and equally magnificent backwaters safe from the capricious waters of the Gulf, is experiencing an earth shaking transition. Environmentalists are alarmed, developers delighted and long-time residents dismayed. They say the old, relaxed, southern lifestyle of the Alabama Gulf Shores is fast disappearing, and only flitting memories remain. But the extraordinary mix of attractions makes this region one of Alabama's most popular destinations with an emphasis on family fun. The old southern lifestyle, both friendly and elegant, is evident at every bend of the beach, and is a special travel bonus.

Intrepid RVers, always on the cutting edge of travel, and often the firt to truly enjoy an undeveloped region, have long been delighted with the charms of the Alabama Gulf Shores. Ever since the first road was cut through the trees, they have been drawn here, as are thousands of new visitors who are pulled in by the snazzy beachside resorts, meandering golf courses and miles of sandy beaches.

At this point in its landscape transition, the Alabama Gulf Shores can't make up its mind if it's a city or country, ritzy high-rise living or earthy backwater adobes leaning on stilts, D.C. snobby or don-home funky, Jaguar flashy or muddy backcountry four-wheel shift, sushi-mooshy or the classic Gulf Shore plate of fried snapper, hush puppies, slaw and cheese grits.

Driving the Alabama Gulf Shore, a captivating 32-mile stretch on Highway 180 along the Gulf from Orange Beach near the Florida border to historic Fort Morgan at the tip of the peninsula, and the mouth of Mobile Bay, it's easy to see the changing landscape. The contrasts are particularly keen on the 22-- mile section of Fort Morgan Road and Highway 180 West, bordered on one side by the Gulf of Mexico, and on the other by Mobile Bay.

A few RV parks remain such as Doc's and Callaways, along with rag-tag mailboxes slightly tipsy from the sweet Gulf air, decorated with hand-painted signs reading, "Not So Fancy," "Fishing Nets Repaired," "Fresh Shrimp," and "House For Rent, Cat Included," all tucked in among five-star golf courses, huge resorts and new housing developments-decidedly diverse and extremely appealing.

GULF COAST ANGLERS

Alabama's deep sea fishing fleet of some 100 boats is anchored at Orange Beach. These salty `bama captains, licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard, know where and when the fish are running, and chase them down in boats equipped with electronic fish-finding equipment. Those who cast from shore or the Gulf State Park's fishing pier, which extends 824 feet into the Gulf, will try for mackerel, redfish, speckled trout, and bluefish. Freshwater enthusiasts have 400,000 acres of waterways to play in, including 700-- acre Lake Shelby at Gulf State Park and the attractive Bon Secour River.

GOLF THE SAND DUNES

RVers who have been nipped by the golf bug will discover in the sub-tropical climate, a whopping 14 courses in the area including nine signature courses, and layouts to fit all abilities including the Kiva Dunes Golf Club, a links-style, low density course beautifully designed through natural wetlands and majestic sand dunes.

Nearby on Fort Morgan Road, the 820-acre Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club, touched on two sides by the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, has three, playable nine-hole courses, all traditional layouts with wide fairways, large greens, and 30 glimmering lakes. When playing hole 7 on the Lakes Nine, golfers are rewarded with a nice view of Mobile Bay and just enough beauty to ruin your concentration.

Other nice rewards are a huge Jack Daniel's barrel of chilled apples waiting on the first hole of all three courses, and chilled towels hand-delivered to golfers throughout the complex. For a little extra work on the swing, practice balls are included. RVers can also slip into the full-service fitness center for a stretch, or volley on one of the Hydra-Court tennis courts. If time is limited, the clubhouse offers a "Golfer on the Go Menu," and luncheon specials.

DAMN THE TORPEDOES

Another dominant Gulf Coast attraction at the end of the peninsula is Fort Morgan with its Civil War cannons that guard the mouth of Mobile Bay like faithful sentinels at their post. The site of military defenses in the War of 1812, the Civil War, Spanish American War, and World Wars I, and 11, the fort is still intact and great fun to explore.

During the Civil War, an 18-ship Union fleet commanded by Admiral Farragut steamed to Fort Morgan and the entrance to Mobile Bay. The Fort sank the lead Union ship taking most of the crew down with her and causing great confusion. At this moment Farragut gave his famous order, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead." The old fort also has guided tours, living history re-enactments, a museum, fishing pier, bird sanctuary, and picnic tables. A small entrance fee is charged. Visitors can also ride the ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island and Fort Gaines to the Estuarium aquarium sea lab, a family favorite.

BIRDS GALORE

Resident bird watchers pull up with pride when they speak of the Mississippi Flyway, a major migratory path past the Gulf Shores. Birders visit the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge on Fort Morgan Road/Highway 180 West, which contains one of the last undeveloped coastal dune systems in Alabama. Bon Secour, French for "safe harbor," provides critical habitat for migrating songbirds and other threatened animals including the Alabama Beach Mouse.

Pine Beach Trail, a mile west of the Bon Secour headquarters, is a four-mile, round-trip hike to the beach over a dune thousands of years old. In mid-October hundreds of Monarch butterflies can be seen along the trail feeding on milkweed and other plants. The Jeff Friend trail is a wheel-chair accessible, one-mile loop with views of Little Lagoon.

in the Wildlife Refuge and surrounding area are 36 Loggerhead Sea Turtle nests, an occasional gator, and depending on the season, a wide variety of wading birds, brown pelicans, ospreys, 39 types of warblers, and a long list of other winged species. Open at sunrise and closed at sunset, Bon Secour is a nice change of pace from the Gulf Shores beachlife.

CARIBIANA ISLAND CRUISE

One of the highlights at Gulf Shores is a private backwater nature cruise with Captain Joanne McDonough, a transplanted New Yorker who worked with the late Charles Kuralt on the awardwinning, CBS Sunday Morning television show.

McDonough, a naturalist with a deep love for the Alabama Gulf Coast, along with her husband, manufactures custom-made, six passenger, 23-foot Caribiana sea skiffs that she showcases on her intimate Wolf Bay wildlife cruises.

Passengers cruise Wolf Bay, a serene protected waterway where sailboats, Forrest Gump-style shrimp boats, and bottle-nosed dolphins can be seen, along with hermit and blue crabs, egrets, pelicans, great blue herons, and mullets, acrobatic fish with a sense of humor that love to jump and twist and splash in the bay. She cruises along narrow waterways through a maritime forest of live oak, cypress, cedar, pines, and towering magnolia trees, with a soft, mesmerizing narration. McDonough has brought romance back to boating with a sunset cruise and visits to remote, sandy beaches fringed with grass, timeless bayous, and the restful sounds of bird songs.

According to McDonough, "The cultural heritage along the Alabama Gulf Coast is a wonderful mix of people-- people who grow food for us to eat, and people who catch food for us to eat. Many visitors to the Gulf Coast come for the beaches and are totally unaware of the serene wildlands of the back bays. Our niche is privacy. You can stop where you want and go where you want. Just to catch a glimpse of a blue heron or see the bottle-nosed dolphins is a treat. I just hope we can save the land from developers." McDonough charges $75 an hour for private cruises of up to six passengers with a two-hour minimum.

FLORIDA-BAMA HOSPITALITY

On the Gulf Shores "Don't Miss" list, recommended by almost everyone including the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, is the wellknown Flora-Bama Lounge that supposedly straddles the Alabama, Florida state line near Orange Beach. Regardless, the wildly popular hangout, in business since the early 1960s, has two telephone booths out front, one in each state.

All types, from bearded beach guys with ripped jeans and ponytails, and people who still think the Civil War is raging, to elegant ladies draped in gold and diamonds who feel perfectly comfortable in a room that is unlike any other in either state, come to hear an ongoing lineup of excellent musicians. The locals call it a "family bar," without the kids, as it is absolutely not a "pickup place," nor are the crowds rowdy Linda Davidson, an attractive advertising account executive from Birmingham said, "The Flora-- Bama is a five-star hole-in-the-wall roadhouse with southern-style elegance."

Two 70-year-old twins listen to a musician sing, "Put an Alabama lip lock on your Louisiana pork chops," while couples dance between the tables, a longlasting Flora-Bama tradition. An RVer from Miami sitting with a group of friends explains, "You can be anybody here, meaning you leave your hat at the door. You don't need a checkbook or a resume when you walk in the' Flora-- Bama. Some sail in on their yachts. I drove in riding a land yacht, while others might have bicycled in. It doesn't matter, the energy in here is worth the trip to Gulf Shores."

Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, P.O. Drawer 457, Gulf Shores, Alabama 36547; (800) 745-- 7263, www.gulfshores.com. CIRCLE 200 ON READER SERVICE CARD.

Copyright T L Enterprises, Inc. Jan 2002
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