Exploring Orange Beach & Gulf Shores

Today we explored around Orange Beach and also Gulf Shores.  We started out the morning with a 2 mile walk on the Backcountry Trail.  It was a pretty humid but it was good to get some exercise!  We had our picnic at a really nice park in Orange Beach that overlooks a bay.  It was a beautiful view and a peaceful spot. 

Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail

We had our picnic lunch overlooking Wolf Bay in Orange Beach

Blue Heron

There was a father and his two sons fishing off the pier

There were quite a few surfers out tonight

In the afternoon we drove around Gulf Shores more and went in a huge Dollar General.  They had $5 t-shirts ;)  We came back to the hotel and enjoyed some time at the beach watching the sunset.  I found a few new shells for my collection as well.  It was an enjoyable day :)  

Pensacola Beach & The National Seashore

We started our Monday morning out with getting our laundry done!  Not all aspects of vacation are glamorous ;)  After that we had a picnic lunch at a shelter by the beach then headed over to Pensacola Beach.  It was a beautiful drive!  There definitely is a lot more people and traffic over that way compared to where we are.    

The bridge to Pensacola Beach

 

These guys were in the water fishing haha

 

The floor in this gift shop was sand from the beach!

Pensacola Beach

 

When we got back from our drive we stopped and got pizza to bring back to the hotel.  To end the night we are going to go and take a dip in the hot tub :) 

Blessed Sunday

I don't have a lot of pictures to share with you guys today, but I do have some good stories!  It truly was a great day.  We drove up to Foley and went to church at the Assembly of God there.  Everyone there was so friendly and welcoming and we heard an encouraging message on Hebrews 12:1-3 about having grit and perseverance in our Christian faith.  I love the excitement for our God that I see in these people.  We need more of that in our lives!     

Foley, Alabama

After church we came back to the hotel and had a picnic lunch then went for a walk on the beach.  We enjoyed some time relaxing at the pool as well.   

While we were walking I found this miniature sand dollar as it was washing up on the beach!  It is about the size of a quarter.  I thought this white shell was pretty too :)

This evening we were invited to a hymn sing at an older couple's home.  My mom has a friend who spends winters down here with her husband and she invited us to come tonight.  There were about 20 people there and it was such a blessed time.  There was a potluck supper (I feel very southern as I tried hog jowls for the first time - they tasted like bacon!) which was followed by hymn singing and prayer for one another.  It is so wonderful to fellowship with other believers and meet God's people from all other parts of the country.  As of today we have been gone 1 week and so much as happened!  It'll be interesting to see what else is to come!   

Ferry Ride to Dauphin Island

Today was a very full day!  We started out and drove to the Mobile Bay Ferry to catch it leaving at 10:15am.  It is a 35 minute ride on the ferry over to Dauphin Island.  The ferry can carry 28 vehicles at a time, plus other passengers and also bicycles!

Boarding the Ferry

We saw several oil rigs on the ferry ride

Coast Guard

We walked to Fort Gaines once we got on the island

The tunnels underneath the fort were so cool to walk through!

Sting rays at the estuarium!

 

 After we toured Fort Gaines we had a picnic along the water and then went to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Estuarium.  There was a lot of great displays there and some interesting animals.  We walked back and boarded the ferry for the return trip at 3:30.  It was a really enjoyable day and I loved the experience of riding the ferry.