Mobile AL to Pensacola FL

Very low tied let the SaSea Sally settle in the mud

Turner Marine harbor at the Dog River bridge

Saturday morning (November 16), after a seatrial (test ride) with the head hocho repairman Roger to check out the autopilot which Clay has named Susan (Sus, I imagine you feel honored! You are the main woman in case you don't realize it! But you had a few glitches that had to be worked out!), we cruised 1.5 hours across Mobile Bay to the Eastern Shore Marina in Fairhope, AL (again so near but so far away from anything! Bummer in Sal's books!) We found out from soon-to-arrive friends Randy and Margaret that the town of Fairhope was about 6 miles from the marina by car and that all the stores and retail were closed on Sundays. Now, remember this is Saturday, 3:30 p.m., and with darkening skies, we rekindled our friendship until time to depart for Tamara's Restaurant in downtown Fairhope where we'd watch the AL-MS State game on big-screen tv's; our boat was, darn it, under roof in a covered slip so we had no satellite reception for either the game or for XM radio. 


During our chat, we got involved with the Auburn game and sat down at Tamara's for the exciting end of that game and the whole of the Alabama game.  NOTE:  Loopers midnight is quoted as being 9 p.m., and I must admit I fell asleep in my chair in the closing minutes of the AL game. Fresh air and long cruising days, plus a bit of apprehension of the unknown must make the 9 p.m./midnight analogy true!

Freighter departing Mobile Bay

First Mate Randy Schmitt, a childhood friend, at the helm

Back on the scene Sunday, Margaret and Randy gave us a car tour of Fairhope and Point Clear, including the Grand Hotel which is of historic significance. Quite a showplace! We arrived at high tea but did not partake, being visitors and not guests. These gulf and bay winds can certainly impact the temperatures and thus the comfort level! Back at the boat, I grilled salmon, then Randy overnighted in prep for our Monday departure for The Wharf at Orange Beach where he and Margaret have a beach cottage and are, thus, well acquainted with the area.

The Gulf Inter-coastal Waterway

Our fist bottle nose dauphin escort

After a rainy/misty, foggy morning in Fairhope, the SaSea Sally set sail for Orange Beach, entering the ICW (Intercoastal Waterway) off of Mobile Bay escorted by a pair of bottle-nosed dolphins. I was estatic and reacted like a little kid and much the way I do each and every time I see the Delta Queen, MS Queen, etc! Such a thrill. At the Rendezvous, they'd told us we would have dolphin escorts in plentiful supply and that they love music. I did not burst into a gusty rendition of the Theme Song from Flipper (thanks, Walter, for the suggestion for future!), but nonetheless, we had many dolphins alongside us as we proceeded thru the ICW (past LuLu's and Tacky Jack's) to The Wharf at Orange Beach.

The Warf marina and shopping complex

Christmas tree at The Warf shopping area

Hooray!  Civilization! The Wharf, where we arrived mid-afternoon, is a multi-story (10?) complex of condos (were built to sell at the height of the housing boon for $1mil+ but many went for $100,000 range) with ground level of shops, restaurants, and management offices. The complex runs parallel to the waterfront with a perpendicular, adjacent 2-level complex of shops on either side of the main road. After showers, we four met at Villagio's for dinner, a nice restaurant near the waterfront.

Having missed lunch (due to late departure) at LuLu's on the way to Orange Beach from Fairhope the day before, Randy and Margaret decided we needed a late-morning tour of the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area on Tuesday followed by lunch at LuLu's. LuLu's is a

LuLu's Restaurant, owned by Jimmy Buffett''s sister

restaurant establishment owned and operated by Jimmy Buffett's sister Lucille aka Lucy aka Sista for which LuLu's was named. Lucy takes a very active role in running the restaurant and gift shop and play area for kids; the restaurant, waterfront on the ICW is known for its menu item 'Cheeseburger in Paradise.' Following lunch, we were delivered back to the marina to spend the rest of the day at our leisure; for me, that meant casual browsing in the shops which included Oo La La, Tickled Pink, and Bungalows. Clay joined me at 6 p.m. for the light show which is repeated nightly again at 7 p.m. Thrilling and a little touch of Christmas in the air! Many of the shops were participating in a Girls' Night Out, 5-8 p.m. which gave me additional time to shop but I didn't partake.

Remote controlled bow steering barge

Randy showed up the next morning (Wednesday) to cruise with us from Orange Beach to Pensacola, FL, where we are currently docked at the Palafox Pier. Because Randy spent many years in business in Pensacola, raised his family here, and has now settled in the area of Tuscaloosa, his presence was even more welcome as he helped us navigate the ICW, pointed out sights of iterest and tripped down memory lane with Clay. NOTE: Clay and Randy (Schmitt) were childhood friends in Louisiana, attended Westminster together and spent much time following graduation together, Clay having been in Randy's wedding to Missy and Randy in our wedding as well.

Margaret arrived soon after our docking at Palafox Pier where we sought out Jaco's for a combo late lunch/early dinner. Another town tour late morning today (it's now Thursday) and lunch at Marina Oyster Barn for oysters on the half-shell helped to pass the day quite pleasantly, regardless of the whippy winds and thus chill on the waterfront. A stop at Joe Patti's for fresh fish of all kinds at wholesale prices, Clay and I are now armed with enough fish for dinners for the next few nights aboard the boat at a fraction of restaurant prices. Joe Patti's was a cool place where I could have spent hours exploring their raw and prepared foods and seasonings offerings. It was obviously a very popular place where patrons took a number to hold a place in line for ordering. We ended up with Gulf Grouper, Amberjack, 2 different packages of shrimp (one for Doris' shrimp creole recipe...thanks, Doris!..and one for grilling on skewers), plus a package of refrigerated pesto and a Cavender's Greek seasoning which both Randy and Margaret highly recommended for grilling, baking and for sprinkling.

Well, you're now caught up with us through Thursday, November 21st. "Happy Trails Till We Meet Again!"