Thursday

November 10th, 2016

Today we cross the Gulf of Mexico...

aprox. 180 miles from Carrebelle to Red 4 ATON (aids to navigation)

at R4 the Intercostal Waterway starts again to give us protection from the Gulf.

We push off at 3 pm this afternoon with at least two other boats running at 9 mph. We should arrive at marker R4 no sooner that 10am Friday morning after running all nite.

We have our ditch bag ready!

Mike, Joell and our dog Elwood

Tuesday 

November 8th, 2016

This is LuLu's Restaurant.  Owned by Jimmy Buffet's sister...

We heard the food wasn't the best but an interesting place to stop... Wind was up that day so we cruised on by...

Here's the boat behind us at the Wharf Marine which I had to avoid during docking and leaving our slip...

Shopping area at the Wharf Marine

I think they need to add some color here!

Our first anchorage on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway...

Less than a eight mile across the land here is the Gulf...

This is Santa Rosa Island with lots of white sand...

Anchored in 10' of water with 70' of rode out...

Nice Beach area...

Our first shell find of our loop....whoopieeeee

Most of the shells were occupied by Hermit de Crab...

I tried to coax it out but it wouldn't budge...

Elwood on line duty... cheer up doggie...

So what do you fresh water boaters see here???

Boats in the salt water leave a sort of contrail in the water behind them...

Dolphin riding our wake...coool........

Currently on our way to Carrabelle, FL.  to wait for a weather window to cross the Gulf of Mexico

Saturday

11/5/2016

We are now at the Wharf Marina in Orange Beach, AL.  Orange Beach is on the Gulf Inter coastal Waterway (GICW)  Today, Mike took back both of our West Marine folding bikes.  We will be looking for new bikes.  There are supposed to be a lot of nice bike trails in Florida.  

Below are a few pictures from the last few days we spent in Fairhope, AL.  Joell's Aunt Mary Ann drove us past Grandpa Joe Maradik's old farm and gave us a tour of the farm her home is on, which is Great Grandpa Joe Maradik's old farm.

Chicken coupe at Grandpa Joe's old farm

Brooder house that Grandpa Joe built.  The original red clay and  mortar have been covered over.  

This field behind the old farm used to be all pecan trees.

This is at Great Grandpa Joe's old farm.  It is a smoke house.  Notice the red brick.  There is a lot of deep red clay in this Alabama area. 

Inside the smoker.

Big utility shed on Great Grandpa Joe's old farm. 

A lot of neat farm equipment in the shed.

Old barn that mom (Betty) painted (see below)

Overgrown trough had been used for the cows

Another view of the barn

Inside the barn you can see there used to be cows.

Fresh fruit called Persimmon, we picked from Mary Ann's backyard.

Mary Ann's cousins are growing peanuts in the fields this year.  We collected some that were left behind.

Here is the picture mom painted of the old barn.  It is hanging in Mary Ann's home.

Friday

November, 4th, 2016

Last evening Joell noticed a little Crab about 1" deep by 2" wide

Hard to get in close for a photo op!!

These are piers with nice seating areas at the ends.

Sunset at Fairhope, AL

Looking South West from FYC

Heading down...

Gone!

Wednesday

November 2nd, 2016

This was our last 62 miles of river before we enter Mobile Bay

Here we are at 3 Rivers Lake Anchorage just off the river with two other Loopers.

This boat in front of us is facing the opening to the main river...

Jet Stream was across from us.... (retired Airline Pilot)

Elwood enjoying a river snooze...

Scrap Metal unloading on the river...

Entering Mobile Bay

Travel Lift with a Tow

Naval Ship Building

I wouldn't want this chasing me down...

Catamaran?

more building

Cargo Ships

Loading steel containers...can you pile them any higher?

Fairhope Yacht Club

Our view from the boat... $10 a day to stay here...sweet!

This could be Tony Buck from SSYC's sister!

Hey Tony, I found your long lost sister...

This is Sue, the bar manager of Fairhope Yacht Club. Sue let us use her car while we were here.

Lakeside view of FYC

Circular drop off of FYC

Various entrances off the front...

This side overlooks Mobile Bay and is full of members during cocktail hour just rockin and talkin. 

Oh, FYC had Taco Tuesday which is free to all members and guests...

FYI Yacht Club Members...

Fairhope Yacht Club Associate Membership (first year)

$500 Entrance Fee,  Dues $670 per year, $56 per month minimum in bar or restaurant.

not bad!!!

Fairhope Yacht Club Equity Membership (second year of membership)

Equity members must purchase a $5,300 Debenture Bond which may be paid in full within thirty days of acceptance or may be paid in installments over a 24 or 48 month period with a 8.5% interest rate...

what the heck....

Before Hurricane Katrina the bond was $300 dollars.... Water, not Wind from Katrina destroy the Fairhope Yacht Club completely and insurance didn't cover it all....thus the change...