Gulf Waters / Orange Beach Alabama

2-16-16:  Still enjoying Orange Beach and Gulf Waters Alabama.  The weather is getting better and better each day.  We've done lots of beach walking and enjoy collecting sea shells.  The best shells are about 18-24 inches under the beach sand and need to be dug up.  After the last hurricane all the sand on the beaches was washed out into the gulf so they had to go off shore a ways and dredge up new sand to put back on the beaches.  The dredging process also dredged up lots of different shells and they were dumped on the beaches and then buried by the very fine white sand.  Thus, you dig down to find the best sea shells.  We've also got into geocaching.  Loads of fun looking for hidden treasures using the GPS on our smart phones.  The other day we located nearly a dozen caches.  Roberta actually found everyone of them.  I got her to the point on the GPS and before I could really begin looking she would call out "I found it".  You do have to watch where you go because there are alligator and water snakes all around the area.  It makes it all the more fun.  Some caches are very challenging and some are easy.  We have come across some that we just could not find.  We had great weather today which allowed us to get out and kayak.  We kayaked through some of the bayous here in Orange Beach and again we had to keep an eye out for gators and snakes.  It was a beautiful day for kayaking and the bayou is so pretty.  We have another 2 weeks here and look forward to hooking up with our friends from Michigan who arrived today and are staying in Pensacola area (20 miles from us).  Bella Terra RV Resort is such a nice park that we made reservations to come back next February.  This will be one of our stops as we head to Key West next year.  The people are awesome and they have great amenities (pool, hot tub, fitness room, potlucks, dog parks, and great RV pads.  Enjoy the pictures.

Waiting for the Mardi Gras parade to come by.  Lots of fun.

Roberta got new jewelry compliments of Mardi Gras

Trent meets and baby Boston Terrier while taking our walk

Had a great day cheering on the Brocos in the Super Bowl 50 Win.
Love our Bronco.

Digging for sea shells.  It's just like mining for gem stones.

Our cache in just one outing.  Plan to dig for more one day.
Looking for that big one.

The seagulls are looking for a handout

I climbed all 110 steps of the lighthouse in Pensacola, Fl.
The views were spectacular.

One of Roberta's favorite sites - lighthouses.
Or is it the guy next to her???

Her other favorite site - beaches

The sun is setting in Pensacola, FL.

Orange Beach - geocaching with my significant other

Seagulls and other birds love our old bread

They are not afraid when it comes to food

Bruce on the bayou.  Look out for the gator in the grass.

All pumped up after 4 hours of kayaking.
My sexy man.

Love my kayaking partner

Are we lost????  Where did we park the car???

There's that gator in the grass.  

Where did that gator go???

Very peaceful kayaking the bayous

The tree in the background has several crane purched in it

Pelican are everywhere.

Some of the tree stumps in the bayou are pretty cool

Biggest eagles nest I've ever seen.
The eagle took off as we approached.

Roberta waiting for the eagle to come home.
Maybe on our next trip we'll get some pictures.
Doesn't come close to what we saw on our trip to Alaska.

2/1/16 - Orange Beach, AL.

Bella Terra RV Resort, Orange Beach, AL. – We are here in Orange Beach, Alabama for the whole month of February.  The RV park is beautiful.  They only allow Class A motorhomes in this park so it’s been fun walking around the park to see what everyone is driving.  Lots of Winnebago motorhomes here.  The weather has been on the cool side since we got here (50s to 60s) during the day.  Mornings have gotten down to freezing (32) at night.  We’ve had rain and sun.  We met a couple from St. Louis, MO. (Dave & Georgia) and Bruce got to go golfing with them yesterday.  First time golfing in over 10 years.  Roberta said it’s like riding a bike, but I fell off the bike quite a few times.  A few par holes, a few bogies, and a lot of bad shots.  Driving range, here I come.  We went out to dinner last night with Dave and Georgia to LuLu’s restaurant.  LuLu is the sister of Jimmy Buffet.  Lots of fun.  We walked Orange Beach the other day.  Beautiful white beaches.  On one of the cooler days we went and saw the movie 13 Hours.  Very good movie.  There are many many areas to go kayaking and we’re waiting for a good warm day to get out.   More to come.  Enjoy the pictures.

Home at Bella Terra RV Resort near Orange Beach, AL.

View from front window of motorhome.  Not bad. 

Boardwalk across lake in RV park

Main office at park.  Movie theater, pool, hot tub, and fitness room

Hot tub.  Roberta's favorite place at the end of her day.

Pool is heated, but not hot enough to swim in

You see alot of these signs down here.  Kayaking will be an interesting adventure.

Oranage Beach.  Beautiful beaches. 

Walking through foam along Orange Beach 

She's at home on the beach

Another great walk down the beach

1/30/16 - Biloxi, MS

1/30/16 - Biloxi, MS. – We spent 2 days in Biloxi, MS. before heading down to Orange Beach,  Keesler AFB had a nice little FamCamp RV park where we stayed.  The beaches along the gulf here are snow white and beautiful.  The damage caused by hurricane Katrina is still very visible.  Not so much from a destructive perspective, but from lots of open space where buildings used to be.  I was down here before the hurricane and remember seeing many great mansions along the coastal highway.  Now, most are gone.  

On the road again - heading for Orange Beach, AL. 

Taking a ferry across Galveston Bay

Cats enjoying thr ferry ride

Ships sitting in the bay at Galveston

Heading towards Biloxi, MS.  This bridge goes for mile and miles
across the bayou 

Home for a couple days in Biloxi, MS.  Keesler AFB  FamCamp

Fish and clams.  I'm in heaven.

Three plates of just crab legs.  Love the south.

Her plate was not full of crab legs.  She ate just one.

How do you eat a crawdad?????

Shrimp and more clam.  Hushpuppies were awesome

Looking out on the gulf in Biloxi, MS.

Lighthouse in Biloxi.  Survived the Katrina hurricane

Enjoying a rest stop at the Biloxi visitor's center

Biloxi beach in background

Sunset in Biloxi

Sunset in Biloxi.  Clouds prevented us from seeing sun dip into gulf

Beautiful evening before dinner

Life is good.