Fairhope day 3 & off to Orange Beach, Al.

55 low / 81 high

Mon. was our third day in Fairhope. We've been blessed with such wonderful weather. Ann & her cousin spent the day in town browsing the shops. I stayed with the boat and got caught up with the external cleaning. That evening was a pot luck at the yacht club and we had several invitations. Everyone was so friendly and curious about our travels. We soon were invited to join several couples for supper. Among them were 2 fascinating people. 1 was Marlin Griffin. He was 98 years old and had just returned from purchasing a new car. He had been a WWII combat photographer and had videoed the Japanese war crimes trials. Over the years he had been an artist, photographer and art director. The man was just as sharp with his memory as any of us youngsters. The other person was Madie Ewing. She is 91. She and her husband started out in New Orleans, then Mobile and finally in the Fairhope area. She was an avid sailor but there were no women allowed to be members of the yacht club at that time. So she used to sail the races under her husbands name and won many of them. One hallway is lined with her trophies.

Ann & Carolyn

The yacht clubs pool.

The Fairhope Yacht Club.

 

Madie & Marlin
 

We departed Wed. around 930am with the rising tide for the trip down the very shallow Mobile Bay. At the south end we joined the intercoastal waterway and were welcomed back by pine trees and real palm trees. We passed Lulu's restaurant which belongs to Jimmy Buffett's sister. Arrived at the Wharf Marina about 130pm and settled in for a few days. This is another resort marina with condos and a main street filled with shops and restaurants. Things are slow now but crowded on the weekends and the summer. We had dinner on an outdoor patio and even saw the nightly light show. All the palm trees that line main street are lit as well as rotating lights on the buildings along the street. They all change color to music.

Leaving Fairhope.

Out on the bay.

Back in the intercoastal and still tows.

Lulu's

Part of the shops at the Wharf.

Dinner spot on main street.

Part of the light show.