Integrity Cruise

Day 227: - Fairhope to near Orange Beach, AL

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Day 227: Friday, December 9th: We were determined to get going on the Loop again, so today we did. The weather prediction sounded OK, only rough in Mobile Bay (the first twenty or so miles of the day's trip). We peeled the lines off the pilings and headed out. On the way out we bid yet another farewell to Tom and Mary Jane on Wings as we passed by. Super folks they are:

We got out onto Mobile Bay and headed south. We found the north winds had kicked up a significant sea, about two to maybe three feet, and they were from behind us. Most mariners call them "following seas," but we call them "wallowing seas" due to Integrity's motion in them. This is what it looks like looking astern. No, the world is not tilted, the boat is. The flag is spanking the air, the boat is yawing thirty degrees and we are happy campers to be moving again!

As we passed a channel marker in the middle of the bay, we noticed what a rookery it was. The cormorants had taken it over:

We eased eastward into the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway at Bon Secour Bay, went through Oyster Bay and into the "canal" as Bill's family used to call it in the '50s. The water was suddenly "millpond" smooth. That's the Gulf Shores Bridge ahead. Note the yellowish building just visible behind the left support:

That building is "Lulu's", a popular waterside restaurant and bar in this area. Lulu is Lucy Buffet, Jimmy Buffet's sister. It is all sort of honky-tonk:

We were hungry, so stopped for lunch. It was very "commercial," and nothing like the old days when such spots were wooden fish camps. However, we discovered a couple of kids dressed for the snow playing in Lulu's snow bank - er, make that read "sand pile."

We had planned to stop and anchor in a lovely bayou about ten miles east of Lulu's but when we saw this boat washed up onto shore, it gave us pause:

Undaunted, we moved on into the bayou and dropped anchor. It was cold! However, the sunset promised a good tomorrow (red sky at night…):

The lunch at Lulu's had come so late that we skipped supper, put on our long underwear and went to bed early. It was good to be on the way again!

Position tonight: N30 19.262 W087 33.437

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