Pensacola, FL

Happy Halloween from Pensacola Florida!

Dennis drove all the way to Panama City (200 miles RT) to get a replacement GPS, while Carol and Doug enjoyed a hot day in Pensacola.   We took a mid-morning stroll to the downtown Farmers Market which was about six blocks long.  It was filled with bakery, honey, vegetables, crafts, music, and friendly people.  Much was considered, but little was purchased - a pan of homemade cinnamon buns being the sole temptation.  But we did take some nice pictures and our favorite was the dachshund in costume. 

After that we did find the historic old town Pensacola which had a number of museums and restored homes and churches.  Although Pensacola was first founded in 1559 (!) the buildings dated from the late 1600s to 1880s.  Very nice with a great old fashioned town square with towering old chestnut trees.  

After that we did stick our heads in the Pensacola Museum of Art but did not visit due the fact that hunger called.  We ate at the coolest restaurant called Al Fresco of Pensacola which is a series of old Airstream trailers which are set up in a small park, like food trucks, and you eat outside.  The selection ranged from toasted cheese (Doug melted for these) to Shrimp tempura (Carol dove into these) and BBQ and Fish Tacos.   A fun meal in a great setting, and recommended by Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives TV show.  From there we walked back to the marina, and of course, an ice cream stop topped off the meal.

Back on the boat Carol and Doug read and took a nap from all the stress.  Dennis arrived with the new GPS (still did not work), the weather started kicking up so we decided to do the only thing we could, and go out to EAT.  We went to Shuks which, guess what, specializes in very fresh oysters and we slid quite a few down.  After that, we were lucky to be in town for a BOZ SCAGGS concert which was sold out.  Really a great show and an enthusiastic audience in a beautiful old theater, right downtown.. Boz played nonstop for almost two hours, which is not bad for a 71 year old rocker. Speaking of rockers, the boat is rocking pretty well tonight, and we are expecting hard rain and wind tomorrow, so we will stay here another night. Pensacola is a good stop and much is walkable from the Marina.  

 

Nice Costume

Beautiful Flowers

Performers at the Farmers Market

Doug getting trailer food

Boz Scaggs in Concert

The Wharf to Palafox Pier Marina, Pensacola, FL

We departed about 9:30 with quite an adverse tidal current keeping our speed down to 6.6 mph that would usually be 7.8 or so. Later in the day that effect would reverse and we would see 8.3 mph, tidal flow usually reverses about half way between openings depend upon their size. The two openings controlling the flow today were the Mobile Bay opening and the Perdido Key opening and later the Pensacola Bay Inlet. Lots of Navy Jets flying over the Bay as they practice flying together, Pensacola is the home of the Navy Flying Team, the Blue Angels. We arrived at Palafox Pier about 2:00, picked up a rental car for the weekend, and visited the downtown for a while. As we walked downtown and passed the Saenger Theater, Boz Scaggs is playing tomorrow night and three tickets were available, so we are going to a concert. We plan to be here until Monday we expect Sunday to be a rain day and we want to watch the Packer - Bronco Game Sunday night. There is a boat in the harbor called the Nor Goliath, a supply ship for oil rigs and other off shore tasks. It has a 70 meter boom and dwarfs anything else in the harbor,sleeps 314 people, has a workout center, a pool above the bridge, and a dining area that can serve 150 people. We watched a heron fishing here in the marina and saw him catch a fish by standing on a fender, extending his body downward and snatching a fish from the water, way cool. Tonight dinner was at Jaco's here in the marina, good food but a bit noisy. 

Crossing into Florida

Yep, Florida

Cleaning up from fishing

Still a little commercial traffic

The Naval Air Station

A new Littoral Combat Ship built in Mobile by Austal

Nor Goliath

A giant crane

The Old and the new

A pink fountain for Breast Cancer Awarness

Saenger Theater

Tomorrow night!!

Fishing is challenging 

It takes intense concentration and patience 

LuLu's to the Wharf at Orange Beach

We traveled about 3 miles today on the AICW to the Wharf Marina. This marina has changed quite a bit since our last visit in 2013, we are in the main part of the marina now directly in front of the large condo building and at the very end of the main street, with great access to town. Carol did some laundry and I discussed our transducer problem with several Garmin techs, we hope we have a solution and they will ship a second chartplotter in the next day or so. We did some retail therapy this afternoon and visited many of the quaint shops here at the Wharf. Tonight we ate on the boat with grilled pork tenderloin that was very tasty. We were surprised by a light show on the main street with music and a theme, it lasted for 15 minutes and a second show began about 15 minutes later, music and coreographed lighting, quite different. The Wharf would like to be a destination spot for both the locals and visitors alike and a new Marriot is being built here near the marina. The weather was clear, a bit of wind and nicely warm about 80 most of the day.

Across the canal from LuLu's

LuLu's from the AICW

The Wharf Marina

At Sunset

Main Street at the Wharf

The light and music Show

And even a Ferris Wheel

The Wharf

Fairhope to LuLu's

Finally some sun but with it a west wind across Mobile Bay, our crossing to the intercoastal was 20 miles of open water. As the day progressed the waves reached three feet on the beam and we rolled a bunch. Once in the GICW we met two tows a bit unusual for here and our first dolphin sighting, we must be getting close to Florida. LuLu is Jimmy Buffetts sister and this place is all Alabama and all fun. The music at the restaurant tonight was a bass, and piano and a female singer, the music was fun Zac Brown and Buffett offerings and others very enjoyable. We downed a pound of peel and eat shrimp and shared a grilled shrimp basket, much fun. 

Levity at the helm

Dolphins were here, really!!!

Homeport marina at LuLu's

Homeport Marina

Fairhope

Today we went to a museum that opened September 26th, Gulf Quest a really different place. Containerized cargo had its start in Mobile and this museum explains all about the process and more. Many hands on exhibits including a simulator that allows new captains to drive Coast Guard Boats, tows and cargo ships and is quite authentic a great afternoon. Tonight we had dinner at Tamara's Downtown a fine restaurant with ahi tuna and other exciting seafood meals. 

Intro movie

Display about Mobile

Shooting the stars

An observation deck at the museum

The convention center

Fairhope Yacht Club

This is a great place to stay, the rates are very low and the facilities are great. We had dinner last night with Doug, and his friends in Fairhope Jim and Sandy. Today, the rain was constant, it began last night and has continued all day, heavy rain and gusty winds from the southeast. Tonight there are flash flood warnings the Bay water level is very high, when we left this afternoon the water had risen to above part of the pier, the level is up at least 3 feet above normal. Since Doug has a car we went to Barnes and Noble for a few new books, then to a movie, Carol and I saw "Bridge of Spies" and Doug went to see "Steve Jobs". We really enjoyed "Bridge of Spies" and hope it will win several Emmy Awards. 

Dinner at Jim and Sandy's house 

Fairhope Yacht Club

Carving in front of the club house

Reunion at the end of the T dock far left 

Carol learns to walk on water

Three Rivers Lake to Fairhope Yacht Club

Another spectacular sunrise this morning over the river, a calm morning and not quite a cool as the previous mornings, maybe because we are getting closer to the Gulf. Our last day of quiet peaceful river travel, it will end as we pass through Mobile and into the Bay. More river action today, several commercial tows and several together in one area. Because of the switchbacks it is often difficult to determine exactly when we will encounter a tow. It could be within a half mile and actually be 6 or 7 river miles away due to the curvy nature of the river in this area. The charts change here as well from a river chart to a coastal chart. Mobile is very industrial with lots of cargo loading and ship building, then finally a bay crossing to Fairhope.

Wow, really inspiring!

White egrets along the river bank

Loading steel coils and slabs

Steam Power Plant

The river view of a power plant

A crane for big bridge work on I-65

The marsh above Mobile

The actual marsh

Tows and shipping everywhere

Little Toot

Toots big brother

Loading directly from a barge to a ship

Ship building

Mobile downtown

A new nautical museum

Heading to Mobile Bay