Mobile Bay to Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Alabama River Cut-Off Anchorage
This is the evidence of ice on the windshield

New "Stealth" Warship

Sundown on Mobile Bay

It is supposed to be warm here!

11/23/08 to 11/30/08 Thank goodness Eastern Shore Marina had a courtesy van-we made several trips to Walmart, went out to eat about 3 times (including Thanksgiving dinner at Cracker Barrel for 8 of us), visited a marine supply store (men), and drove into Fairhope once or twice. Lois J., Judy, and I shared dinner duties every night that we ate together "at home". One of our unique meals was roasted fresh ham from a wild boar, thanks to Joe, a marina employee. Since Lois J. has the best kitchen facilities (3 burner stove with oven, and large pots and pans), she did most of the preparation. She boiled the ham for three hours, then roasted it in "Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce" for two hours. Delicious!
12/01/08 Because of heavy, almost gale-force, winds for the last two days, we did not leave Fairhope when we had planned to.
12/02/08 This morning winds were calm and Mobile Bay was smooth, so we headed out, first going southward on Mobile Bay for several hours, then turning eastward into the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW). Barrier islands separate the GIWW from the Gulf of Mexico. From time to time, porpoises swam and jumped around us. We anchored for the night in Ingram Bayou, a protected bay with no traffic, very peaceful. It is near Orange Beach, AL.
12/03/08 When we left Ingram Bayou this morning, the weather was perfect-sunny, cool, no fog. As we cruised eastward on the GIWW, the sky got darker and the wind and waves increased. By the time we got to a marina at Fort Walton Beach, FL, around 3 PM, docking the boat was very difficult. We were grateful to get the boat tied up securely.