888-248-7299
205-410-6751

The Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay, Alabama

For those of you that subscribe to Coastal Living magazine, go back to the September-October 2001 issue and read or re-read the delightful article written by Susan Haynes… If you do not subscribe, YOU SHOULD. And another thing, a subscription to Coastal Living makes for a very nice Christmas gift that the recipient will treasure forever. Go to your favorite bookstore with haste Today and / or go to the www.coastalliving.com website!!!

In the meantime, before you rush to the bookstore, humor me and peruse here for a few thoughts about "the Eastern Shore" of Mobile Bay, AL, not to be confused with "the Eastern Shore" of the Chesapeake Bay. By the way, Mobile Bay is the second largest bay in the U.S., behind the Chesapeake.

First of all, it's one of the best-kept secrets in this grand ol'-USA and even to many Alabama natives. Other than natives, who have never left her shores coupled with those that have come back to retire, many people from around the country and even from foreign ports proudly now call "the Eastern Shore" home.

Secondly, let's get to some more "nitty-gritty" and boast about the whole of Baldwin County, AL… Baldwin County is one of the largest counties east of the Mississippi and larger than the State of Rhode Island…

"From the rivers and forests in the North, to the county seat of Bay Minette, to the historic areas of and surrounding Spanish Fort (the area of the last battle of the War between the States), to the bay-side communities along the Eastern Shore of Mobile, Weeks, and Bon Secour bays – Daphne, Montrose (Ecor Rouge, with the highest coastal elevation point between Maine and Mexico), Fairhope, Pt Clear and Magnolia Springs (with the last U. S. Mail delivery route via water) - and let's also include our two other famous bays of Wolf and Perdido… from the nurseries, farms, orchards, outlet stores, cities and towns in the Heartland – Loxley, Robertsdale, Foley, Elberta, Lillian and Summerdale - to the seafood industry and Gulf seaside resorts in the south – Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, including Ono Island - Baldwin County is the most enchanting and diverse environment in Alabama… and a great place to LIVE and INVEST."

George W. (Bill) Thagard… a "newcomer"

Now, about Fairhope… 12,500 +/- people strong on the eastern side of Mobile Bay… is a canvas that the talented and proud Fairhopers, who are artist in their own right, have created a delightful piece of work, worthy of displaying in any gallery (of cities throughout the world). Founded in 1894, Fairhope survives as one of only two remaining entities of its kind in America, The Fairhope Single Tax Colony… founded as an industry of people… co-operating individually as a group, an interesting concept. Come to Fairhope and learn more of its history.

What does downtown Fairhope offer, you ask?… Interesting artsy and traditional specialty shops, galleries, antiques, provocative and realistic art establishments, bookstores of rare and otherwise bound volumes, sidewalk restaurants, sporting goods of clothing and kayaks, jewelries, music shops, emporiums, garden / flower proprietors, coffee shops, inns and more… abound on Fairhope, De La Mare and Magnolia Avenues and streets of Section, Church and Bancroft. If your feet tire of all the window-shopping, choose a resting spot at the Fairhope Hardware or the Fairhope Courier office and sit a spell in one of their rocking chairs. One of the favorite "hang-around" places for the guys is the barbershop. Here at Ken's and Vernon's, you'll run in to local artists, writers, politicians, farmers, shopkeepers and all of the rest of us; not to mention Ken and Vernon (avant garde barbers) who will keep you in stitches putting "a spin" on everything found in the news journals, including "the politics of the day" and ribbin' everyone that walks in the door for a haircut. Whether you need a haircut or not, you've just gotta spend some time at Ken's and Vernon's or Vernon's and Ken's; I'm putting both of them first and last because I do not want to play favorites and be a victim or a butt of their ribbin' (just kiddin', they're just funnin')… They carry barbering to an art form with a comic - personalized touch of humanity… Get a haircut in Fairhope with Ken / Vernon whether you need one or not.

From downtown (or rather up-town), stroll downhill toward the Fairhope Pier (the longest on the Gulf Coast, over ¼ mile, stop in the Yardarm on the pier for a snack or a meal) to begin your tour of the many quaint turn-of-the-century cottages along the many streets, avenues and lanes of Fairhope, including one such section know as the "fruit and nut" streets, i.e. Orange, Fig, Pecan, Kumquat and Satsuma.
 

What else will you find along "the Eastern Shore"?… stately homes, city parks along the bay, gardens, thousands of piers that point west out into the bay, pelicans, sailboats and shrimp boats, giant overhanging oaks draped with Spanish moss dangling and shimmering in the gentle trade breezes, magnolia blossoms, azaleas, people walking with smiles on their faces and a song in their heart, absolutely breathtaking sunsets and flowers, flowers, flowers everywhere…

• Other popular spots of meeting for a meal are in Old Towne Daphne establishments: East Shore Cafe (wonderful "chefy" food and desserts), Manci's Antique Club (for dining, drinking and viewing the second largest known collection of Jim Beam decanters), Guido's (for Daphne's Italian heritage), Judge Roy Beans (for conversing with the blues) and Camellia (lunch "set in stone" de jour); and for a water / sunset view in Daphne near I-10 try the Nautilus.
• Fly Creek Café, circa the bay, and amongst the marinas of Fly Creek, drop-in / drop- anchor and drive-in / dingy-in for a superb sandwich on the screened porch overlooking the marinas. Sunday afternoon jazz-jammin' with the accompaniment of a beautiful sunset is a treat.
• At Punta Clara (Spanish for Point Clear) Kitchen, your senses will discover aromas, as you park your car, that'll make your mouth water for home-made pralines, fig preserves and other titillating goodies.
• After Punta Clara, for a taste of an Ernest Hemmingway setting, meander on down Scenic 98, keep right onto County Rd 1 for about 10 more miles for another delightful waterfront dining experience (often including local music groups), you'll find Pelican Pointe Grill at the end of the road (I call it… Alabama's Key West).
• While in this area of the Eastern Shore, "tea time" at the Grand Hotel is a must-do. The Grand is the "grande dame" of Alabama and Gulf Coast hotels dating back to the mid 1800's and gifted with historical events. From the hotel's marina, one can charter a sailboat and with a prevailing breeze cruise out to the famous Middle Bay Lighthouse.
• Other dining treats with a view of the waterfront and awesome sunsets include Gambino's (south Mobile St, Scenic 98, one of my favorite all-time restaurants, anywhere, and I have traveled a lot), Down by the Bay (by the Fairhope fountain and rose garden, great Po-Boys) and the Yardarm (a neat place with maritime activity located on the Fairhope Pier).
• In "uptown" Fairhope, you'll also find more surprising and tasty places to include: Mary Ann's Deli, Sandra's Place, Fairhope Inn, Old Bay Steamer, Old Bay Pub, Mama Roux's, Andree's Wine and Cheese, Julwins, Honey Baked Ham, Muffin Man, Pappa's Pizza, Mr. Gene's Beans, French Quarter Café, 14 South, Latte' Da, Extraordinary Edibles, Renaissance Café, The Royal Oak, Trattoria and Le Beaux's.
• Guest Houses and / or Inns for a night or longer along Scenic 98 (near the water or "uptown" Fairhope) are as follows: Bay Breeze B&B, Baron's By the Bay Inn, Mandevilla, SunGate Villa, Point-of-View, Fairhope Inn and Church Street Inn B&B.
• For further interest in art and education, respectively, you'll find the Eastern Shore Arts Center, Gallery and Academy, on Oak street AND you can stroll through Eastern Shore history at the American Bicentennial Museum and the Marietta Johnson Museum on the grounds of Faulkner State Community College at the corner of Fairhope Avenue and Bancroft Street.
• And if you have more interest, i.e. yachting, boating, flying or golfing, well, there is Fairhope Yacht Club as well as other marinas and clubs in the area, Fairhope Airport (6,800-foot runway) and Quail Creek Golf Course (owned and operated by the City) as well as other courses in the area.
• For a walk on the wild-side, visit the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge located on the shallow Weeks Bay Estuary for boardwalking through its wetlands. Quite interesting!
• Bon Secour (river and bay), the name is synonymous with seafood, specifically with oysters. Take another must-do trip to the south of the Eastern shore to introduce yourself to the fishing villages of local and offshore fishing boats and dine at the Fish Camp (try the River Bank Catfish) and The Oar House (try anything) on County Rd 6. And Billy's Seafood is one of the places to go to pick out your choices of seafood, right-off-the-boat, for your very own party.
• For you hikers and bikers... Take advantage of the Eastern Shore Trail that links the battleship U.S.S. Alabama on the Mobile Bay causeway to the Weeks Bay Estuary – 33 +/- miles.

Oh, Oh, Oh… Before I turn you loose to go buy a Coastal Living, have you ever heard of a Jubilee???

You gotta experience one of these 'cause I have. I didn't believe it until I saw one 'cause I don't believe in ghost (but I haven't seen a ghost, yet), BUT I have seen a Jubilee (and it's for real).

"Every summer, Fairhope residents in particular as well as some neighbors on Mobile Bay look forward to what they call a "Jubilee". In essence, what happens is that bottom dwelling fish and crustaceans are forced toward shore when low-oxygen water masses move toward them. Swimming toward shore to escape the threat from deep-water pools out in the bay, flounder, crab, shrimp and others are trapped, forcing thousands to the water's edge to become easy prey for knowledgeable Alabamians waiting with buckets and eager hands.

Specific time and weather conditions are necessary, i.e. a pre-dawn summer morning following a cloudy day, a gentle east wind, a rising tide and a calm bay surface. The combination causes an upward movement of oxygen-poor bottom water created when bay water warms and moves its mass shoreward.

Only some larger fish can buoy themselves above the movement and escape back into the bay. Others, starved from oxygen, actually seek it from the air at shoreline. Then comes sunrise creating from plant life in the water the reaction needed to restore oxygen. Aquatic dwellers return home. And so do humans with their seafood bonuses from a "Jubilee"." ***

The foregoing is only that proverbial "tip-of-the-iceberg"… If I have failed to hit a "travel-shopping-food" nerve of interest to you, you're either brain dead or just plain boring, "Get a Life"… Get-on-down or get-on-up to "the Eastern Shore" of Alabama for the treat of your lifetime…

by George W. (Bill) Thagard

*** The City of Fairhope