The Great Blue Heron

No bird is more regal than the great blue heron. These are large wading birds which are found in wetlands and near open water. Their territory runs over a majority of North and Central America, the Galapagos Islands, and the West Indies. This bird shows up in Europe rarely, and it has also been spotted in the Azores, England and Spain.

The great white heron was once thought to be a separate species, but it's not. The white heron roams south Florida and the Caribbean and is actually a white morph of a blue heron. Another species of heron called the Wurdemann's heron looks similar to the great blue heron, but it has a white head.

In Europe and elsewhere a similar but smaller bird, the grey heron, is predominant. Along with the cocoi heron and the great blue, the grey forms a sort of super-species. There are also five subspecies.

The bird's territory goes up to Alaska and Canadian provinces. Birds normally living in the northern part of their range migrate South for the winter. On the West Coast and in the southern U.S., they stay put. In the north, some of the birds do remain during cold winters, as these are hardy birds.



The blue is the biggest of the herons in North America and grows up to fifty-five inches tall. Stretched out, the wings may cover a length of seventy-nine inches. It can weigh up to eight pounds and it has lovely, slate-blue feathers, reddish brown thighs, and two stripes down the flanks. Its neck is a rust-grey color with white and black streaks down the front. It features an almost-white face and a pair of bushy black "eyebrows" on its head.

The great blue heron has a dull-yellow beak and this turns orange at the start of the breeding season. Young birds have an overall duller color, no plumes, and a beak which is dull gray-yellow. The bird walks in an almost straight line and the distance between steps is about nine inches. It has small talons which imprint as it walks.

Habitat is varied for this large bird. It is very adaptable to its surroundings. The great blue is always found close to bodies of water, and it prefers nesting in an elevated location such as bushes or trees. The great blue heron might be spotted in both saltwater and freshwater marshes, at the edges of lakes, shorelines, and in temporarily flooded meadows, like their cousins the egrets.

They are a favorite of birdwatchers because they are regal, refined and elegant. Watching them wait patiently for prey and then lightning quick catching it, brings a few of those gorgeous Audubon paintings to life.

You are likely to spot these large and beautiful birds if you visit the coast or inland waterways of Alabama. They are very common on the beach, and there you will normally see a solitary heron in search of food. They are very accustomed to humans, so it is easy to get close enough to take a good photo. If you are in a watercraft, look for their nests (from the water, of course) on the islands in and near Perdido Pass.

Gulf Shores Memorabilia

Alabama Point, Alabama ... Spanning Perdido Bay, this bridge connects the resort areas of two states - Florida and Alabama. (1960s)


The first bridge over Perdido Pass was opened to traffic in 1962. This two-lane bridge was damaged by Hurricane Frederick in 1979. After the hurricane, a higher four-lane bridge was built and the old won was demolished.

Ashwander Beach Cottages ... Completely Furnished for Housekeeping ... Air-Conditioned ... New and Modern ... Write or call for reservations ... Earl & Lois Ashwander - Gulf shores, Alabama. (1960s)



Friendship House ... Gulf Coasts' Finest Food ... Restaurant - Lounge - Antiques ... Highway E. 180 on Intracoastal Canal ... Gulf Shores, Alabama 36542 (1960s)

The Friendship House, owned by Nick Coles, was located on the Intracoastal Canal at the old drawbridge.

Lovell's Restaurant ... Loxley, Alabama ... Serving the most delicious meals, specializing in plate lunches, chicken and sea foods... Owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. M. Lovell. (1960s)

This building still stands. Several different businesses have occupied it since Lovell's closed.




Just glance at the map! Gulf Shores, Alabama, is easily accessible to a vast area of the United States. It's the perfect holiday spot for every member of the family, and ideal for extended visits too! Its fishing and beach sports are yours on a year-round basis. The attractions of the Azalea Trail and Mardi Gras in Mobile, the Pensacola dog races, are only a short, pleasant drive over beautiful highways.

We have Courts, Cottages, Motels and Hotels available at reasonable rates. Kitchen equipped if you like, or you may dine in our many excellent restaurants. They are located on the Gulf Beach, Intra-Coastal Canal and Orange Beach.

The simple life's the rule of wonderful Gulf Shores, but the accent's on true, modern comfort. There's a variety of cottages available, assuring just the type you need. MODERATE rates always.
Fishing? Every day in the year, you have your choice - deep-sea fishing in the Gulf, fresh water fishing in nearby streams, bay fishing in one of our many bays, casting from one of our five piers, or surf casting directly from the shores! All yours in Gulf Shores! (1960s)

Carnival Cruise Shore Excursions

Carnival Cruise shore excursions can add greatly to the enjoyment of your trip. Notice that I said "can," not will. You should be very cautious about booking them. The wrong trip will waste your precious vacation time and your money.

You should book the trip that is right for you - more often than not, one that is right for you plus the rest of your party. That takes some thought and research.

One of our cruises stopped at Cozumel, Mexico. If you've never been there, it is a wonderful place - much of the experience doesn't have to cost you anything but taxi fare and a little food to tide you over until you get back to the ship.

A family of four was seated with us for dinner. We had been to Cozumel a half dozen times and didn't plan on spending any money there this time, except for food and some T-shirts from the Hard Rock Cafe. We enjoyed the city and snorkeled in the lagoon. That family of four had never been to Cozumel before, yet they bought a shore excursion to CANCUN. To get to Cancun from Cozumel, one has to take a ferry to Playa del Carmen and then a bus to Cancun, eating 4 - 5 hours of time in transportation. Not only that, most of these tours, especially in Mexico and Jamaica, stop at places where the tour guide gets a kickback from the owner of the premises. More time wasted. Cancun is a nice place to visit, but if you haven't seen where the ship docks...



Maybe You Can Do It Yourself?


Another thing to consider when booking Carnival Cruise shore excursions is whether the tour is unique to the place that you are visiting. Snorkeling is fun, but if you can do that closer to home why spend a lot of money doing it somewhere else? Doing it free is one thing, but paying for it is entirely something else. In fact, at most cruise stops all you have to do is tell a taxi driver to take you to the nearest good snorkeling. You will need your own equipment, but if you don't have it you could probably buy your own for the cost of the tour.

.... Which brings up another suggestion that works for those that don't mind a little extra adventure on their Carnival Cruise shore excursion. Before you book an excursion through the cruise lines, investigate and decide whether it would be easier and more economical to just go without a guide booked through Carnival. We do that often. It saves a lot of time and money in most instances and you are not at the mercy of the tour guide. Make sure that you get an exact price for the taxi ride before you get in the taxi and make it clear to the driver that you want to go there and back in a straight line - no stops for kickbacks. JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN GET BACK TO THE SHIP IN TIME.