Touring Dauphin Island and Bellingrath Gardens

It looked like you were walking under the sea

The grounds were filled with lighted scenes

Home of Walter Bellingrath

Bellingrath Gardens was the home of Walter Bellingrath, president of the Mobile's first Coca-Cola bottling plant. He bought the land on the Fowl River and planted gardens which he opened to the public in 1932.

Visited Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island at the entrance to Mobile Bay.

Dog River Marina, Mobile, AL

We got back to the boat on Dec. 4, Ed had some work to do before the boat was launched. The yard had been working on the shaft while we were gone and a sea trial was next on the list. Fri we did the sea trail and everything was good. Our friends were having some work done and their boat and had rented a car for a week. We decided to stay around and do some maintenance on the boat and see the area of Mobile with them.

A view from our boat across Dog River. Boats assembling for the parade

Shrimp boat with wings out looked like an angel coming down the river.

Hard to get a good picture with boats in motion.

The people were throwing beads and candy to us

Jan and Tim came over to enjoy the parade

Historic downtown Mobile, AL

Outside the Richards historic house
Jan, Tim and Linda outside the Richards house.

Period dresses in the livingroom

We were invited to have spiced tea and home made cookies which were very good! The house was decorated for Christmas.

Trip east to Laura's in RI

Laura and the view from her front window
View from Laura's front window

Our family, Ed and Neil back row, Linda, Laura, Brennan, Barbara. This was our Christmas celebration at Thanksgiving. Laura is off to Australia for a couple of weeks vacation.

Brennan and Neil playing with Bren's new Wii game.

Neil and Rio, have to be careful where you go with Rio, he looks so much like a deer.

Brennan

Dog River Marina, Mobile, AL

Things you meet in Mobile Bay

Pelican frenzy

Fishing boat returning from the gulf and feeding the pelicans

NCL cruise ship

Coming into Mobile Harbor from the Mobile River

Freedom a 125' yacht in front of the convention center, the one that was at
Bobby's Fish Camp

Stealth Military Watercraft

Town of Mobile

30 34.040N
88 05.480W

We arrived at the Marina after going through Mobile Harbor. We will be leaving the boat here in a few days and fly home from Jackson, MS to Providence, RI. Our daughter, Laura, lives about ten minutes from the airport and we will be spending most of our time with her. Our house is rented for a few months so we will only be able to go home for somethings we can't live without! We will pick up the boat on December 3 and then head east and south.

Big Bayou Canot Anchorage

Big Bayou Canot anchorage, starting to see fan palms.

We have not seen any gators but we have heard reports of them

Cypress along the banks of the river

Close up of the "Red-Neck Riveria"

This is called the "Red-Neck Riveria"

At 5:30 am we got a call from Freedom, the 125' yatch to get ready to leave Bobby's and head for the lock ahead of barge traffic. We were just leaving the lock when the sun came up.

30 52.023N

87 59.352W

Bobby's Fish Camp

While at Bobby's we met Lena, a sweet little girl who played Bocce ball with us and recited the alphabet with a cute Alabama accent!! She's in kindergarden.

Department of defense priority barge

Tim and Jan, Full Circle, getting ready to raft with us

Okay Catfish

We left Bashi Creek around six am and had only one lock to go through at Coffeeville. About two miles out we called the lock on the radio only to find that we had at least a two hour wait because of barge traffic. We pulled over at Bobby's at 9am and waited only to be called at 1pm. By that time it was too late for us to make any anchorage on the other side of the lock.

We were docked at the end and by night fall we had 3 forty foot boats and two rafted and a 125 foot with its stern tied to the dock and anchor in the river. They also tied it to trees all so that they could take their dog could walk and run!

31 45.862N

88 09.477W