Gulf Shores 2007

After Andrew's Baptism, Hank and I were on our way to Gulf Shore's Alabama. We invited Hank's Mom and Dad along since we had learned that his Dad had never seen the ocean. Our friend, Jessica, and her family were also going to Gulf Shore's as well. They rented a cabin down the beach from ours. They were planning on driving straight through (14-16 hours). We decided we should break up the drive. So, we drove for 7 hours and stayed the night in Shreveport, Louisiana. The next day (Sunday) we drove through Baton Rouge, then to Alabama to catch a Ferry Boat to take us to our Beach House.

That night, we went to the Grocery Store and found that everyone else was going to the same store as well. As a result, there were no eggs, milk or bread. All the "staple" foods were gone. So, we had to make do with what we could find.

On the first full day, Hank was stung by a jellyfish. He quickly recovered and was able to go back out into the ocean that evening. We also learned that only "tourists" go out to the beach between 11:00am - 4:00pm in the summer. This is the hottest time during the day. So, we would go into Gulf Shores for shopping during that time. Hank and I would wake up early to enjoy a stroll along the beach and then meet up with friends that evening for another fun time at the beach.

We also were able to take part in crab fishing. Jessica's Dad set out many nets to catch the crabs at the pier. We also saw a shark jump from the ocean, dolphins swimming, crabs, sand fleas, periwinkles, JELLYFISH, hermit (crabs) and sting rays. Yes, we saw many sting rays. They would swim close enough to the shore line that we could see their tail splash the water. Needless to say we all got out of the ocean during that time.

The mosquitos are much more aggressive in Gulf Shores. They aren't the lazy mosquitos we have here in Oklahoma where they fly around you to find the perfect spot to bite. In Gulf Shores, they don't waste any time and dive right in. They could even sting you through your clothes. The OFF spray didn't seem to help either. You were guaranteed to be bit anytime you went downstairs to your car.

All in all, we had a great time with friends and family. It was worth the drive to experience the "beach life."

Here are a few pics. Click on the link to see more...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_lau_family