Fair Hope AL to Orange Beach AL


Today we left Fair Hope Yacht Club and traveled to Orange Beach Marina in Orange Beach AL

This meant a journey down Mobile Bay 
(flat seas, they said...  Yea, just like the 1ft seas on lake Michigan).  After being shaken like we were in a washer for an hour or so we turned and took the waves from the stern.   Much better.   Mobile Bay is huge (can't see end to end) but only 5-8ft deep most of the time (and often less) so you have to follow charts closely and take paths that are less likely to run you aground.   It also helps to be on a rising tide so if you DO run aground the water will eventually lift you off.   We didn't have that problem today....
Eventually we got down to the Intracoastal Waterway which is a 12ft deep trench dug out inland to avoid going into the open ocean and stay protected.  .

We saw our first Dolphins running near our boat today!  so cool!  No photos sorry. Hard to even SEE them.  They weren't around long enough to take pictures.   Eventually we will be where they follow us around for a while ..

We followed the ICW over then around to the beach side of the Gulf Shores area.  We were literally 25ft from the Gulf of Mexico today in the blue water - for a few minutes .. before turning back to the north side of the island to our marina. 
We didn't stop but wanted to at Lulu's.  It's Jimmy Buffett's sister's restaurant.  It was highly recommended by family and tour books.  No time today.  We couldn't leave this morning until the rising tide allowed and had to arrive at our marina before dark - which left a fairly tight window.  
As we move south the boats get nicer.
and the marinas as well...
eventually the ICW opened up into wider areas but we still had to stay in the narrow dredged channel.  Sometimes only 50-75ft wide.  

Boy did we pass some nice houses.  Unfortunately there was also a misty rain which meant keeping hands on the wheel and eyes on the charts to be sure to stay in the channel.  
finally we've arrived.   We are at Orange Beach Marina just a stones throw from the open ocean/gulf.   Tomorrow is supposed to be nicer weather so hopefully we can get out and enjoy the area.   We're staying two nights here so buddy boat can get oil, filters and do some restocking.  We are also staying til Monday because the marina is closed tomorrow and we arrived after close and need fuel when they open on Monday.   

I probably won't post a blog tomorrow. We are unlikely to move.   We will move Monday and Tuesday and then sit for one to seven days waiting for the best night to pull an all-nighter on the open Gulf of Mexico to cross to Clearwater or Tarpon Springs.   It will take us 12-16 hours if all goes well and we need daylight in the evening and morning to be able to properly identify near shore crab pots floating on the surface that can wrap on boat shafts/props and cause lots of damage.   

We hope to arrive in Tampa Metro area in a week or so....



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