The Wharf at Orange Beach, AL for a week!!

Day 196 … Thurs, Nov 2nd; 34.3 miles; 4:15 hours … and Fri, Nov 3rd to Wed, Nov 8th

Fairhope Yacht Club, Fairhope, AL to The Wharf, Orange Beach, AL

Not a long day to travel today; first up, Mobile Bay down to the Gulf ICW (GICW)

Then we pass LuLu’s …popular restaurant on the water with free dockage while you eat. LuLu Buffett has a pretty famous brother. Jimmy. Ever heard of him?

We didn’t have time to stop; plus leaving Cally on the boat with the lunch crowd steps away might actually get her barking … so we keep moving.

But these folks stopped … see the BRAKE LIGHTS?? That is a DUCK BOAT, when it goes up to a boat ramp, it drives up on land on it’s wheels!!

The Wharf at Orange Beach, AL is home for a week. An a fun week it has been. PLUS, Rip repaired the dinghy motor (parts were waiting for him when we arrived), 8 loads of laundry, flu shots, shopping, provisioning, boat cleaning … and more.

Dinner out with Mike & Laurie from Firestorm, Jim & Mandy from Shell Belle and Bob & Barbara from Chemistry.

At Fishers, Dockside Restaurant at Orange Beach marina

Tilley is aboard Chemistry and played with Cally

I even got to put my toes in the sand & surf. The beaches here are BEAUTIFUL!!

The Wharf is a resort sort of place … marina plus condos, shopping, restaurants, ferris wheel, pool with lazy river, farmers market, and more.

Even a Zip Line with 4 stations; but, still under construction. Should not be long til it is in play!!

Ours views from the boat this week …

This guy walks the dock beside us all day … until Cally gets on the dock.

Good night from The Wharf …

The LAST of the Inland River; off to Fairhope Yacht Club on Mobile Bay

Day 195 … Wed, Nov 1 … 54.2 miles; 6 hours

Tensas River Inlet to Fairhope Yacht Club, Fairhope, AL

Today … the end of Mobile River at mile 0. That means - NO more inland river cruising; we are off to open water and in 2 days, the Gulf Intra Coastal Waterway (GICW).

More tows today; 5 in all. After about 25 miles, we saw signs of civilization again. Industrial civilization and the Mobile Shipping Channel!

Lots and lots of AIS Targets moving about around and thru the shipping channel. None causing any issues with us moving thru the area.

Some of the military’s newest & fastest shipping being built here, too!

Soon enough, we are in the open water, albeit shallow water, of Mobile Bay. YAY!!!

A short hop across the northern end of Mobile Bay and we are at Fairhope Yacht Club. April & Larry on One Eye Dog are  members and urged us to stop. SO GLAD we did!!

What a deal. First night FREE, including slip, power, showers/bathroom and beach! 2nd night would only be $10; but, we are only here for a night. Since it was free, we thought we should have dinner at the club. April, Debbie (GP) and Laurie (FS) raved about the food. AND, they were right. we had a wonderful meal. The staff made us feel like members.

A few scenes while walking Cally around FYC and the neighborhood.

An incredible art sculpture from a tree destroyed during Katrina  …  the story is in the last picture. Dolphins on left trunk section with 2 birds at the top limbs and dolphins jumping on the right limb

Tensaw River Inlet – LAST anchor day on the Inland Rivers!!

Day 194 … Tues, Oct 31, 2017 … 40.71 miles; 4:30 hours

Sunflower to Tensaw (aka Tensas) River Inlet, Alabama

The last day traveling only in the inland rivers; before we can go, the fog needs to clear enough to see. At least taking the dog to shore is easy. A second boat came in to anchor by us late yesterday. They too have a dog (actually 2 dogs) to take to shore.

We headed off after shore dooty, right behind the other boat … which quickly left us as they sped on down the river.

Some of the last scenes from the inland rivers …

Surprised at all the tows we passed; 5 in all today. None as large as on the larger rivers, but still something to work around.

We passed a boat ramp and potential landing spot for Cally. We hope to get her to shore, but reports of the river banks here from fellow Loopers say it is quite muddy.

AND … the banks are too muddy; deep, sink to your calves and lose your shoes muddy! We tried once, but Cally sank in 6+” of mud when she jumped out of the dinghy. Another couple feet in and it was hard and dry. SO?? Off to the boat ramp, 1.6+ miles upriver from the boat and on the opposite shore we will go. Actually, all went well at the boat ramp. lots of grass area to walk Cally, no mud and only 15 mins round trip (not counting shore time) in the dinghy. Well worth the time to get here & not deal with all the mud; which takes more than 15 mins to clean up.

One trip we met 2 guys putting their boat in the water. It was 5:30pm and seemingly late to go fishing. Rip noticed a bucket of fish carcasses in the boat and asked what they were fishing for … they were going hunting! For feral hogs and coons. Hmm, glad we didn’t go to shore where ever they there going hunting.

Anchored in the Tensaw River Inlet; out of the path of moving tows!!

Quiet spot at first …

Then, 5 additional Loopers came in and anchored behind us. 1 took dogs to shore; all were quiet & left before us the next morning.

Nice couple out fishing stopped by the boat to chat. They had been down to their hunting lodge and cooked dinner out over the firepit. We were invited to use their land to take Cally to run and play, but it still involved a muddy river bank to cross. We thanked them, but returned to the boat ramp for Cally.

Nice evening and beautiful sunset tonight.

Tomorrow the last of the rivers and back into salt water!!