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Life is a (Clean Beach)
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Alabama
Maralyn D. Hill & Norman E. Hill

This old, usually jovial, saying took on a new life for our IFWTWA group that toured Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama from November 14 through November 17, 2010.

Our visit took place not too long after the much publicized BP oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico. To varying extents, all adjoining states, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida were adversely affected. We were well aware of all the media horror stories of oily beaches, oil-soaked wildlife, and poisoned food. While we started our press trip with open minds, we really didn’t know what to expect.

It seems that Louisiana was much more impacted than other Gulf States. But we saw detailed evidence of how citizens in the 32 miles of Gulf Shores/Orange Beach and local areas in Alabama have reacted to the spill and impressively recovered from it.

Beaches

On June 1, 2010, the Alabama Department of Public Health issued a swimming advisory for Gulf Shores. This was considerably below a complete beach closure. The advisory notice was lifted at the end of July.

Even if BP’s technology was flawed and led to the great spill, other technology in our society led to a massive beach cleanup. Constant plowing of the complete beach was being made by tractors. Their blades were nothing like those of lawnmowers. Instead, they were refitted and dug deeply into sands to remove any clumps of oil that might have made it to land. We saw operators at work through the day and continuing into evening. They also cordoned off one section of the beach at a time and cleaned the sand down six feet. Then, they moved on to the next section.

 

During the night, workers were aided by ultraviolet lights that searched for any oily surfaces or pieces that tractor blades might have missed. The hope is that this intensified scrutiny will be lifted sometime in January, 2011.

We, as well as others in our group, personally walked along portions of the beach. We saw only deep white sand, a very welcome sight. A volunteer, who works on the regular annual coastal cleanup, said that, “This year, there was nothing to clean. The beaches have never been this clean.”

Wildlife

Dolphins, those much loved creatures, are prominent along the Gulf. For some time, they have been protected from hunting. Sharks are natural predators, to the extent that they frequent these waters. Instead, the most frequent “predator” of these creatures is boat propellers.

Widespread concern was voiced about dolphin jeopardy, due to possible oil spills. We talked to one sea captain, who, along with his wife, had just closed his dolphin tour operation for the year. This man, Bill Mitchell, has a passionate regard for and empathy with dolphins. He described how he has named many dolphins by various subtle physical characteristics. This allowed him to study many of the local creatures before and after the spill. At one point, he went to Florida and joined with a government agency, studying any impact across the entire Gulf. He worked with scientists who looked at individual dolphins for any evidence of lethargy, lesions, dehydration, or other sickness from oil spills. Fortunately, he stated that, from the study over the 2010 summer, no impact was evident.

Captain Bill mentioned a related episode about one dolphin. This inhabitant of the Alabama Gulf shores died during the summer. One reporter was set to highlight its death as an example of the horrific spill impact on wildlife. However, the Captain stressed that he knew this male specimen very well. It was quite old and had died from natural causes, around age 35 or so, the normal dolphin lifespan. He prevented the reporter from filing an incorrect story that would have further harmed the local area and suggested he wait to file his story until after the results from the lab were returned.

 

Food

Fish, such as shrimp, scallops, and oysters, are heavily harvested from the Gulf. Naturally, there was concern whether this food supply had been infected by any oil residues. All summer, scientists had collected thousands of tissue samples from varieties of fish. Several restaurants held back on seafood offerings until safety concerns were satisfied. At this point, the above types of fish have been declared free from health concerns and we made a point of sampling them all.

Food Itself, Plus Entertainment

During our visit, we had many excellent meals, from several restaurants, cafes, and bars. Instead of being merely “safe”, the food we received exceeded our expectations. Many of the outlets use fresh local food exclusively, while others use as much regionally as possible that fits their menus. In all cases, these restaurants partnered with the tourism office in covering the cost of our meal. The tourism bureau picked up 25% of the cost and gratuity and the hosts the rest.

We experienced LuLu’s at Homeport Marina, known for good food, good music, and a good time. LuLu’s is owned by Lucy Buffet, younger sister of Jimmy Buffett. You can arrive by land or boat.

Magnolia Springs Bed & Breakfast provided a delicious brunch that was low fat and healthy. The food was flavorful and quite satisfying. Staying at this B&B in Magnolia Springs would be a real treat.

We also indulged in dessert at Jesse’s Restaurant. It has been voted the best steakhouse for four years and specializes in steak, seafood, and a bit of New Orleans cuisine.

 

Cosmo’s Restaurant is a favorite with locals and features a diverse menu of regional fare. We enjoyed our dinner there. Tacky Jack’s of Orange Beach hosted us for a breakfast.  This 30-year establishment has been a local favorite and lived up to its hype. We were fortunate as song-writer Mark-Alan Barnette was also having his breakfast and sang several tunes for us.

Cobalt the Restaurant provided a lunch to remember. Cobalt and Cosmo’s have the same owner who sources locally. If some of the large distributors don’t want to source local, he won’t order from them. Both food and view from Cobalt are exceptional.

Villaggio Grille at The Wharf provided a wonderful tasting menu. Chef Brody Olive had catered one breakfast at the Visitor’s Center, so we were able to experience his talent twice. Its tasting menu satisfied everyone’s desire.  

We also made a stop at Flora-Bama Lounge & Oyster Bar. Due to being half in Florida and half in Alabama, it is a colorful tourist spot.

 

We had Sunday Brunch on Wednesday at Southbeach Bar and Grill. Locals salute this as “Best Sunday Brunch.”  Located in the Southbeach Resort, its surroundings are spectacular.

We lunched at The Hangout and this family hang out is indeed memorable. A destination in itself, it is designed to entertain the entire spectrum of 3 generations.

Next was a tasting and tour of Hope’s Cheesecake. With over 30 varieties to choose from, we each took a slice home. We had ours for breakfast the next morning, before departing for the airport.

Our final dinner was at Shipp’s Harbour Grill. Chef/Owner Matt Shipp prepared another exceptional tasting menu. They pride themselves on using only fresh seafood and prime beef and everything is made from scratch on a daily basis.

 

All of our experiences eating were in casual, family friendly spots. It is easy to see why this is considered a family destination.

Our visit coincided with the 26th Annual Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival. There were over 100 songwriters performing at more than 25 venues along the Florida/Alabama Gulf Coast. Most of these were of the country music variety and many were Nashville, Tennessee residents. We were fortunate to hear several of them perform at restaurants and establishments we visited. What was very special was they performed with no cover charge. If you are into country music, keep it in mind for next November.

Lodging

Along the Alabama Gulf Shore, there are a variety of dwellings. Many classic beach houses, set high on supports, are available, along with tall condominiums with modern architectural designs. We stayed at Turquoise Place condominiums, a Spectrum Resort. This emerald glass tower spans 24 stories and houses 173 high-end state of the art units.

 

We did not investigate details of current condominium prices for sale or rental. One rental price quoted to us for a three-bedroom condo was about $3000 per week.  Due to the nationwide housing situation, favorable deals for many of these fashionable condominiums may be available.

When we brunched at the Southbeach Bar and Grill, we also experienced the beautiful Beach Club Resort, another Spectrum property. They get many groups of golfers and conventions.

Even though we stayed at a luxury condo, there were a wide variety of price ranges available. Two of our group have been staying at simpler local versions for eight years.

Activities and Tours

There are plenty of additional activities and tours besides the beach.

Cetacean Cruises offers two types of tours. Their 52’ Catamaran goes out for scenic sailing cruises and has a 62’ mast. They also offer a 40’ pontoon, used for viewing and education during their dolphin cruises, nature, and eco tours. The local pod of 19 to 30 dolphins can usually be spotted and 2 or 3 calves are added each year. These cruises can be as simple or luxurious as you want.

Fort Morgan
One historical site we visited was Fort Morgan, named after the renowned Revolutionary War hero of the Cowpens battle. This fort stayed active until after World War I and was briefly reactivated during World War II.  One interesting feature of the fort was an area used to house a retractable cannon. It was set to fire on enemy warships and, through elaborate pulleys, and was lowered downward out of their range. Since battleships historically were set to fire straight outward, they could not reach the lowered Fort Morgan cannon.

 

In November, Orange Beach Indian & Sea Museum celebrated its 100th birthday party for the original wood frame building.  It features old school memorabilia from the 1800s, mounted animals and birds indigenous to the area, and artifacts from the native Creek Indians. In addition, donations have come from local families, as the museum represents challenges and achievements of the early fishing industry.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Gulf Shores Museum. Originally, it was a library, then a recreation center, and now the city museum. The garden in back of the house is a butterfly habitat. Housing permanent and rotating exhibits, something of interest is always happening.

 

San Roc Cay is great for shopping, dining, marine activities, and a spa. Our group strongly supported the local economy, as almost everyone purchased a few items. In addition to what you’d expect, this is the home to Beach Cite (Community Interactive Teaching Experience). This new, interactive facility provides educational experiences in all the fine arts, including music, theatre, creative writing, photography, dance, music, and cooking.

 

Orange Beach Art Center fulfills its mission statement: “Sustained by the people of Orange Beach, the Orange Beach Art Center’s mission is to provide a venue for inspiration, education, promotion and enjoyment of the arts for the residents and visitors of the Gulf Coast.” The gallery features over 100 local artists and its ever-changing exhibits. The Hot Shop is the only public glass studio in Alabama, dedicated to educating the community about glass blowing, sculpture, and art. They provide ongoing demonstrations and classes.

 

Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail provides a 10-mile trail that allows wildlife viewing and exercising. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail, which is open during daylight only.

Golf Gulf Shores offers 9 signature courses of 189 holes. Their market, naturally, is golfers.

Overall, there were many more activities than we had time to experience. We would have to say there is something for everyone.

BP Role

It has been well publicized that the oil company is on the hook for billions of damage dollars from the spill. They have already paid large amounts to help affected areas, including the Alabama Gulf Shores/Orange Beach. Sums have been paid, directly or indirectly, to tourism bureaus to help restore the greatly diminished tourist influx. Gulf Beach used much of their funding to sponsor a series of concerts, which in turn, drew tourists. Instead of two to four press trips a year, they have been able to offer six or seven.

Some have apparently complained that food and travel writers should not frequent any areas where BP money has been paid. Even though the company has not set any travel agendas or expectations, somehow, such visits are inherently “tainted.” The implication may be that only some sort of direct federal money to local areas would render food and travel writers free to prepare independent articles.

 

The logical, even insulting, fallacy of such implications lies in the integrity of writers themselves. We’re sure that our IFWTWA group would react indignantly to even the slightest hint of requests for slanted, favorable articles about our visit. As usual, our group was set to report honestly on observations. We have attempted to disclose as much as we know, since this has been such a volatile topic.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Alabama Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area. Hopefully, tourists will be reassured of beach and food safety and will return to the area. The usual renowned southern hospitality should remain, just as our IFWTWA group enjoyed it and life on its (clean) beach.

The Tandem Travelers  are a traveling writing team made up of Maralyn D. Hill and Brenda C. Hill - co-authors of ‘Cooking Secrets - The Why and How’ and ‘Our Love Affairs with Food & Travel’, plus Maralyn's husband Norman E. Hill - author of ‘Winner and Final Chairman’. Learn more about their books on www.BooksByHills.com, or follow their travels around the world on www.WhereOrWhatInTheWorld.com

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