Around The Beach

We are in our second week here at Gulf Shores and the weather has been really nice. Cool temps during the night but very pleasant days.

Tracy and I spent an afternoon at the beach this week. The sunshine was abundant and the sand felt good between the toes.

We are a pair of bathing beauties! HaHa! Tracy waded out a lot farther than I did. The water was pretty cold.

We split a burger and fries for lunch at the Pink Pony Pub as we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere.

This week we ventured out to a couple of fresh fish markets in Bon Secour, Alabama. It was only a thirty minute drive from the RV Park and highly recommended.

First we went to Billy’s Seafood. As Tracy and John checked out the fish, I checked out the boats. I am sure that most of these have seen their last day.

A pile of oyster shells and ewww the fish smell.

The other was Aquilla Seafood just down the road. Shrimp was the purchase this day.

As most of you know I travel with my girls Harlie and Frannie, both Chinese Crested Hairless pups. Most of the time they are on their leashes, in their pen outside or in the camper, and I wanted to let them get out and run for a bit so I took them to a beach off Fort Morgan Road.

I think they had a great time. Full of sand and the faint smell of fish they both had a nice warm bath after we returned. Here are a few more pictures from that beach.

Tracy and I went to the Swift-Coles Historic Home. Located in Bon Secour but only open on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Swift-Coles mansion was first built by Thomas Gavins as a four-room house, called a dog trot, in 1882. His trade was fishing as the home sits about one hundred yards from the river.

By 1898, Charles Swift purchased the home and the surrounding land and built a sawmill. He moved into the house with his wife Susan and raised eleven children. The Swifts added a downstairs wing and rooms upstairs, and by 1908 it stood as the 16-room mansion it is today.

The last Swift to live in the house passed away in 1976, and the house was sold to Nicholas Coles of Gulf Shores. Coles, a restaurateur and antique dealer restored and lived in the home. After his death he left it to the Baldwin County Historic Development Commission.

The house is 6000 square feet with 3000 square feet of porch. A five seater outhouse and two barns.

I must tell you I was in awe of this home, from the all natural wood interior to the beautiful spanish moss hanging from the giant oak trees.

The inside was amazing!

And the grounds!

The path to the river where people use to take a boat ride to Mobile for ten cents.

The guide told me of many ghostly happenings in the home as well. You can read more by searching the book; Haunted Baldwin County, Alabama – Harriet Brill Outlaw.

On Thanksgiving we grill pork chops with mashed potatoes, stuffing, deviled eggs, fruit salad, corn, crescent rolls and topped it off with pumpkin pie!

We spent Thanksgiving evening at the beach, which is three blocks away from the RV Park and watched the sun go down. It was absolutely beautiful. I’ll let you judge!

On our walk back to the park we saw the huge November Beaver Moon!

Oddities are always fun to explore. When searching foe Dinasaurs in the Woods!

There was also an old sundial.

Then Bamahenge

The Marina Fountain

The giant metal spider

And lastly the Lady in the Lake!

It seems there are antique and thrift shops everywhere if you look, and WE look!

Lunch this day was the Fish River Grill.

EXCELLENT!!!!!

This morning we drove out to the ferry to go over to Dauphin Island but they cancelled the first two departures due to the dense fog, so we will try a different day.

So we decided to have breakfast at Tacky Jacks.

Yes that is a bloody mary!!! Yum

On our drive back we stopped at the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and took a nice one mile hike on the Jeff Friend trail.

We have had a great week! I taught Tracy how to loom and her first project looks great on Harlie!

And I think I am turning John and Tracy in Buckeye fans as we finished this week by watching the game. The Buckeyes won and this is how we roll on a Saturday afternoon in the RV Park!

HaHa! Talk soon y’all ♡