More Gulf Shores Alabama Photos

Gulf Shores Beach Photos

Kids having a good time jet skiing near Perdido Pass at Orange Beach.


Trolling near Perdido Pass, Orange Beach.





We didn't go deep sea fishing this week, but we did visit the marinas to see what others caught. The best time to see the charter boats come in is about 2 PM. Here is a good catch of red snapper. The biggest fish we saw come off the boats was a 140 lb tuna.




This rod is waiting for a fish. If it's a real big one the rod might get yanked into the sea before the owner can grab it. Seen that happen. Even lost one myself.




Kathy with our son Chris and his cousin Cindy talking it easy at the pool.




There's always kites flying on the beach. Some beach lovers fly them for hours. This one is pretty creative - a hammerhead shark.




Brown Pelicans are common on the Alabama Gulf Coast. They fly in formation.




Sunset over Terry Cove

Gulf Shores Alabama Photos

Recently much of our extended family gathered for a wedding on the beach. I usually have a camera with me, and I'm constantly taking beach photos. However, the photos on these pages were all taken during the last week of May 2009. They show just a portion of what can be done during a typical week at Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Actually, as busy as I was with my camera, it just scratches the surface. The Alabama Gulf Coast is a busy place.




A surf fisherman with a pompano, pound for pound, one of the hardest fighting fish in the sea, and it is one of the tastiest. Earlier he caught a 32 pound redfish, which he released. He was fishing just west of Perdido Pass.




My daughter Leslie with her friend and her little girl, along with my niece Jaiden, stepping into the Lazy River at the Phoenix West.




This parasailer is pointing at me taking a photo of him.




I parasailed one time in Cancun, Mexico. That was more than fifteen years ago, before parasailing was popular on the Alabama Gulf Coast. For me it is one of those "glad I did, but once is enough things."




Sailboat at dusk in Terry Cove, Orange Beach.




America




Three Dog Night

Kathy and I went to the America and Three Dog Night concert at the Wharf Amphitheater on May 24. The Amphitheater is a great place to see shows and some are very inexpensive - Ten dollars a ticket for this one, five dollars a band. That's a deal. On July 31, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan are going to play the Wharf. Now that's a show. Tickets are going to be considerably higher than $10, but still - Bob Dylan in Orange Beach. Who'd have thought that just a few short years ago?




While it's best to get tickets to a show you'd like to see early, especially for the currently popular big name acts, sometimes tickets are still for sell as late as they day of the show. Look for the Wharf event sign as you cross over the toll bridge.

Beach Sea Oats

Beach sea oats are the most common plants that you will see on the beaches of the Alabama Gulf Coast. They are beautiful to look at, but controlling beach erosion is their greater purpose.

People who don't give much thought to the beach, except to enjoy it during a vacation, usually think of sand dunes as just big piles of sand, but that is not true. Without sea oats, there wouldn't be any sand dunes. Sea oats hold the dunes in place, and make it possible for the dunes to get larger, offering more and more protection for the beach as they grow larger and larger.

Sea oats grow on dunes from Florida to Virginia and then around the entire Gulf to eastern Mexico and into the northern part of the West Indies. They are very salt tolerant and they thrive close to the sea. Their large system of underground roots and stems helps to reduce the erosion of the sand dunes.

Growing in colonies, sea oats produce few seeds. They spread underground from rhizomes and they get distributed by winds and the shifting of sand.

Leaves grow to a maximum of about two feet in length and they are about an inch wide. Above the ground, stems on sea oats grow up to six feet tall, and they contain graceful, drooping clusters which are called panicles. Panicles contain seed heads which are called spikelets.

Cereal can be made from the dried and cooked seeds. Seed heads which have matured are used in floral arrangements, such as pretty wreaths. However, it is not permitted to pick them for those purposes on the Alabama Gulf Coast because they are protected by law.

It is against the law to pick the wild plants, but you can easily buy them from native plant nurseries which have permits to sell them.

Sea oats withstand heat, salt, wind and poor soil very well, but pedestrian traffic can cause major damage. Most municipalities have enacted laws that prohibit walking on sand dunes and most public beaches now have boardwalks around and over the dunes.

After a strong storm, beach towns go into crisis mode to rebuild the dunes. This can be labor intensive and time consuming. During the last decade, it has been hard for beach towns like Orange Beach and Gulf Shores to get ahead of all of the bad weather events.

Sea oats provide a significant service of stabilizing the ocean shoreline and sand dunes. Without beach sea oats, beaches lose ground. Before the best beaches were commercialized this was not really a problem. Extreme weather events just moved the beaches. With commercialization there is nowhere for the beach to move. Without sand dunes and the sea oats that hold them in place, the sea would eventually consume what man has built.

Gulf Shores Alabama Weather - What to Expect

The moderate climate on the Alabama Gulf Coast makes the area a wonderful place to visit any time of year. There are a plethora of fun activities to do during every season of Gulf Shores weather.

• Gulf Shores Weather: Autumn Breezes

We certainly don't have the colorful fall foliage of the North, but Autumn on the Alabama Gulf Coast is magical. This is the least busiest season for tourism, so lodging rates are low and the beaches aren't crowded.

The days are mostly filled with sunshine and warm breezes. This is the perfect time of the year to relax on the 32 miles of beautiful white sandy beaches. Many visitors enjoy going out on one of the many charter boats so they can go home with stories of the whopper that they caught!



Shorts with a short sleeve shirt should do just fine most of the time, but some days, especially during the latter days of autumn, can be windy and cool, so you need to pack some pants and some long sleeve shirts.

It is best to bring a lightweight jacket or sweater with you for the evenings. Once the sun goes down, the temperature drops rather quickly. It can get a bit chilly in the evening so it is best to be prepared.

There isn’t much better than sitting on the white, sandy beach while watching the sun go down in the Gulf. Bring a blanket to sit on as well as one to snuggle up in to keep warm while watching the magnificent sunset. For other activities in the evening, long pants and a long sleeved shirt are advised.

• Gulf Shores Weather: Winter on the Alabama Gulf Coast

Although in the winter, the Alabama Gulf Coast is warmer than most of the rest of the country, it still gets a little chilly. The wintertime temperatures during the day usually reaches into the high 50s, low 60s, and even the low 70s, but winter days can be much colder, especially if it is windy and wet. These cold spells usually do not last long. The typical winter might see only a few days that are uncomfortably cold.

Winter’s evenings bring temperatures that drop into the 40s. I would definitely recommend wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts along with a coat.

This is possibly the best season of the year to enjoy one of the many spectacular golf courses without melting in the heat of the summer’s sun.  Deep sea fishing is good also.

Retirees from the North flock to the Alabama Gulf Coast in the winter to escape the bitter cold and snow at home. That's why they are called "Snowbirds."

• Gulf Shores Weather: Spring on the Alabama Gulf Coast

Springtime on the Gulf Shores is incredibly wonderful. The beautiful flowers are blooming and everything appears to be more vibrant. Residents are beginning to wear shorts and tee shirts again. Flip-flops have been rescued from the back of closets and are enjoying the sunlight again. Spring is a great time for bird watching in the area.

The evenings are sometimes warm enough for shorts but carrying a light jacket would be wise. The local restaurants often feel a bit chilly in the spring so you should definitely have something to cover your arms.

The Snowbirds begin leaving in the spring, and families and spring breakers take their place.

• Gulf Shores Weather: Summer on the Alabama Gulf Coast

This is the most popular season for visitors as they travel to Gulf Shores in droves. The wonderfully sunny weather creates hot days and warm nights. Shorts, tank tops and bathing suits are the outfits of choice for the area. Unless it rains, you won’t need much more than that.

Regardless which season you choose to visit the Alabama Gulf Coast, there is always plenty of do. Boredom is not an option Alabama Gulf Coast and Gulf Shores weather is one of the reasons.

Interview with Andy Andrews

ANDY ANDREWS: INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER, BEST SELLING AUTHOR


AND PATRIOT
By Bonnie Bartel Latino
Alabama Gulf Coast area resident and New York Times best selling author, Andy Andrews, is one of the state’s most prolific contemporary writers. In addition to being an author, Andy is a busy man. We appreciate his willingness to be interviewed for Bill Coleman’s gulf-shores-travel-guide.com.

BBL: Before we talk books, Andy, I want to thank you for your dedication to the U.S. Military, particularly Air Force Special Operations Command, just up the road at Hurlburt Air Field, FL. Where all have you traveled with the military?

Andy Andrews: I have gone with the USO to places like Cuba, Honduras, Panama, Iceland, Newfoundland, Greenland, and others . . . I have been all over Europe and the Middle East with the Air Force - including combat zones in Afghanistan and Iraq.

BBL: How did you become closely involved with Special Operations Command?

Andy Andrews: At one point, I spoke to all the Air Force generals and wing commanders stationed in Europe and the Middle East. They were all gathered in one room in a foreign location. At that meeting I became acquainted with Lt. General Mike Wooley, who was about to become the Special Operations Commander. I have been working with Special Ops for more than five years.



BBL: We sometimes forget that our military is composed of human beings who, like everyone else, need to be inspired. On behalf of gulf-shores-travel-guide.com, I thank you for the time and energy you devote to that important task.

BBL: Tell us, how are you feeling after a recent car crash in California?

Andy Andrews: My right arm was injured and my right ribs were broken. I still have pain in my ribs, and my neck is stiff. Considering it took the “jaws of life” to get me out of the car, I am just happy to be here! I am fine!

BBL: That’s great news, but let’s talk books. You are well known for your best sellers, “The Traveler’s Gift: The Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success,” which published in 2002, and “The Noticer,” published earlier this year. Self-improvement books disguised as fiction, both were published by Christian publisher Thomas Nelson in Nashville, TN. The books appeal to a far broader demographic than the Christian niche, why do you think that is?

Andy Andrews . . . I am not a “Christian author.” I am an author who is a Christian. While my books reflect my faith, they are not intended as teaching tools for a Christian audience per se. My books are stories created around principles that work for everyone and they work every time. The fact that these are God’s principles doesn’t mean that the broader demographic doesn’t enjoy them and learn from them. The most recent figures show that only seventeen per cent of my sales are through traditional Christian retailers.

BBL: You’ve had yet another book published recently that is different from your self-help books, but nevertheless doesn’t contradict a Christian world view. The book is “Return to Sawyerton Springs: A Mostly True Tale Filled with Love, Learning and Laughter.” I heard you read from your original version several years ago. How did the updated version of “Sawyerton Springs” come about?

Andy Andrews: Some of my stories in “Return To Sawyerton Springs” were initially short stories in a self-published book I wrote more than ten years ago. I think maybe…ohhh…seventeen people bought it. A year ago, Hay House, Inc., approached me through Mark Victor Hanson and asked about a publishing deal. I had always wanted to novelize those original stories and write more to complete a real book. That was the genesis of that project. Hay House is a huge publisher that does all of Wayne Dyer’s books to name one author.

BBL: And Sylvia Browne, Suze Orman, and Dr. Phil McGraw to name a few more. That’s walking in some pretty tall cotton for an Alabama boy! How does “Sawyerton Springs” differ from your self-improvement books?

Andy Andrews: “Return to Sawyerton Springs” is by far the funniest thing I have ever written. The lessons are much more subtle . . . compared to some of my others. If you want to laugh with your family, read this one aloud!

BBL: I agree! Moving on, let’s go in a different direction. Would you comment on a marketing philosophy that says to sell product, sometimes you have to give some away?

Andy Andrews: At last count, my accountant said that in seven years, I have given away more than fourteen thousand copies of “The Traveler’s Gift.” I give them to folks on planes as I travel. This doesn’t even include the numbers of my other books I give away. I always encourage authors (especially new authors) to be as generous as we are blessed. For one thing, it is a way to help people. For another, it is a seed one is planting for the life of the book. Giving a book away to someone I didn’t know is how “The Traveler’s Gift” eventually became Book of the Month for Good Morning America. Someone gave it to someone who gave it to someone else. It eventually made its way into Robin Robert’s hands. She loved it. The rest is history!

BBL: Let’s switch gears to social media. Twitter followers of @AndyAndrews find your “tweets” hilarious. It’s obvious that you travel extensively as an inspirational speaker for many Fortune 500 companies. What type of presentations do you find the most exciting?

Andy Andrews: I really love to speak for organizations that have hit a plateau or are experiencing a downturn. One thing I am most proud of . . . is that we are able to track big increases in productivity and profitability where I speak. Not necessarily because I am a business expert, but because I understand and can convey principles that have (both) immediate and long lasting impact.

BBL: Readers of gulf-shores-travel-guide.com want to know everything there is to know about our little corner of bliss. Tell us some of the Alabama Gulf Coast restaurants, businesses, and places that are featured in “The Noticer.”

Andy Andrews: Pack N Mail in Orange Beach and Café Beignet right next door in the Winn Dixie Shopping Center. Also The China Dragon, Sea N Suds restaurant, Craft Farms Golf Course, and of course the Gulf State Pier!

BBL: For anyone who may not know, as a young man Andy lived under that pier. To find out why, you’ll have to buy “The Noticer.”

BBL: What’s next for Andy Andrews the writer?

Andy Andrews: I am researching my next novel, trying to keep a healthy blog schedule, and getting ready for one more book, “The Butterfly Effect” that will be released soon by Simple Truth Publishers. It is a small five thousand-word piece, but the early word is that it will be an exciting release. Every page has full color art. Oh…I am also working on a children’s book that is contracted for Thomas Nelson!

BBL: Let’s tell everyone that your web site is: www.AndyAndrews.com. I encourage everyone to sign up for your blog, too. I’ll let you get back to work with one final question. When you are asked for an autograph, what is the one word you write and why?

Andy Andrews: The word is Persist! I believe persistence is a major key to success in any great endeavor. I want to remind folks to PERSIST in whatever they are tackling at the moment!

BBL: Thank you for making time for Bill Coleman’s gulf-shores-travel-shores-travel-guide.com. You’ve provided readers real insight into who you are as a man, writer, speaker and friend to America’s military.

Andy Andrews: Thank you for the opportunity! I enjoyed the conversation.

Atmore native Bonnie Bartel Latino is a former columnist for Stars and Stripes newspaper in Europe. She recently won the Military Writers Society of America 2009 People's Choice Award.

Beach Photography - The Art of Taking Great Photos on Your Beach Vacation

Beach photography is an extremely popular art form. It is hard to resist the urge to capture the rolling, unpredictable waves, the bright sparkles of sunlight that bounce off the glistening waters, the unusual shells that line the surface of the shimmering sands.

Nature is uninhibited, and absolutely gorgeous. If you enjoy photography, you are sure to benefit from this informative guide on how to capture the essence of the beach on film. It does not matter if you engage in photography for fun or if you do it professionally, you can learn a great deal about technique and strategy here in this beach photography guide.

When it comes to beach photography, there are several different methods and techniques that can be used to capture the sights. If you are a photographer, it is important to ensure that you attempt to capture pure emotion.

Your pictures must be organized so that someone can pull out a certain feeling, or bring an experience out of the picture. Now, this may sound like a challenging procedure, but if you know a few ways to do this, you are sure to capture the beautiful images that you set out to when indulging in photography of the ocean. The following methods have proven successful for many who have participated in beach photography:

1. The first step in capturing pictures that overwhelm the senses and emotions of an individual is to look around and focus on the first thing that draws your attention. It could be a seagull walking along the shoreline, or a particular cloud looming over the waves. You may see a slight breeze pressing against the palms…or, a small pool of water with a beat down sand castle along the side of it. If it draws your attention, it is likely to also draw the attention of your audience.

2. The next thing that you should do is focus on shadow. When it comes to beach scenes, it is common to see bright skies, lots of sunlight, and shimmering sands, but it is not often that you can capture an intriguing shadow. The shadow may come from a tree along the inviting shore, a rock sitting along the waves, or even a sailboat traveling across the luscious seas. The extreme mix of shadow and light often plays upon the senses of an individual. If you are able to capture this, you may just have that one picture that is actually worth TWO million words!

3. In beach photography, it seems that the “unchartered” territories are often the most intriguing to individuals. Most people want to walk across the rocks, but hold back. Many may want to check out that cave nestled in on the shore, but are frightened of the possible dangers or scary legends that surround the cave. If you want to have the best of the best when it comes to beaches, visit all those unchartered territories and capture various images of it on film.

4. If you want to add a little “color” to your shots, take the color completely out of the picture! Black and white photography of the ocean as well as the shore has been found to be quite popular among users. By doing this, you are creating a whole new atmosphere that is quite attractive to viewers. It has also been stated that this type of picture is more successful in drawing out the emotions of the individual that views it.

5. Chances are, you are going to get yourself a little wet. The waves crashing upon the shore, the droplets of water in the wind coming from the ocean, as well as storms, rain, and other types of condensation may all result in this. It is important that you are showing no inhibitions when photographing the immense ocean and beach that you are capturing. Sometimes, getting a little wet actually enhances the images that you are attempting to capture. It is important to make your viewer feel as if they are right there, playing in the waves, feeling the ocean breeze, and enjoying the warm rays of the sun.

There are numerous tips and techniques when it comes to beach photography. I could express what type of camera to use, the flash that should be purchased, what angle to shoot at, and more. The truth is, though, it is not about what equipment that you have as much as it is about the experience that you encounter while visiting the beach. If you shoot from the angle of experience, you will succeed in beach photography.

When you are visiting the Alabama Gulf Coast, be sure to take your camera everywhere. Good photo subjects have a way of showing up when and where you least expect it. I rarely leave home without my camera. When I do I usually end up saying, "That would have made a good picture." This brown pelican at an Orange Beach marina with the two new Turquoise Place condo towers in the background captures many different thoughts in one small photo.

Never Before Caught a Stingray This Way

I've caught many stingrays on the Alabama Gulf Coast. If you're fishing the beaches and bays with natural baits its impossible not to catch them.

On our last trip to Gulf Shores, I hooked one. I knew it was a ray because my line suddenly went tight. I couldn't budge it. Like many do, this one had buried himself up in the sand. Even small ones are hard to drag out when they do this, and usually the fisherman has no choice but to cut the line, as I did.

I re-rigged and made a cast. I had a hit, but didn't hook the fish. While reeling in I noticed that I had hooked a line. I grabbed the line and pulled the stingray in by hand that I lost.







Notice the barb in the last picture. Even small stingrays like this one have prominent barbs that can be dangerous. Stingrays are gentile and non-aggressive, but they can be dangerous if you invade their space.

Read more about stingrays here