Trip Report Incoming: Gulf Shores (AL) Shrimp Festival Week 2022

[bama_ed]

Whoa boy, after all the fun yesterday, today was a much needed slower day. This morning we slept in and hung around the campsite until lunchtime. It gave me time to work on my puzzle. As I said in a previous post, the individual scenes make it easy to piecemeal this puzzle together. Status at the end of today's work:



It was another beautiful day. After lunch we went on a bike ride over to the pool/store area because DW wanted to check out the Nature Center. I was glad we did.



It is one room with skins, shells, stuffed animals, aquarium tanks with fish, snakes, turtles, lizards, etc.



And some baby gators. I nicknamed them Randy and Michael.



There is also a nice pool and splashpad for kids in this area but we did not visit that.

But to me, the best part of the Nature Center was on the back porch and downstairs underneath where the pylons are.

On the back porch is a cage with Archimedes, a live pet ambassador Eastern Screech Owl who was born in 2009. He has a damaged right eye so he lives full time at the nature center.



Downstairs with the pylons are two more owl ambassadors, a Barn Owl that was sleeping:



And an ambassador Great Horned Owl (pro tip-keep those fingertips away from the screen):



The best part of the basement was getting up close with Hawkeye, an ambassador Red Tailed Hawk who was about to go to a private show. He's a handsome one:



Biked back to the site, locked up the bikes, and drove off to the Lake Shelby Day area to catch a $5 per person shuttle bus to the Shrimp Festival at the Public Beach in Gulf Shores where Hwy 59 terminates at the Beach Highway. Thursday is Opening Day and referred to as Local's Day because the crowds show up BIG time on the weekend. Due to its location among the restaurants, stores, and condos, people are encouraged to use the shuttles. It worked pretty well.



No admission charge just all the vendors and food booths and music you could ask for (four stages for music scattered about with bands all operating hours). We walked around and started to explore:



More in the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Continuing on ...

The public beach was beautiful (forgive my fingers in the pic):



An experienced sand castle sculptor was working on the first piece of sand art for the weekend.



And the music stages were rocking but thankfully crowds were light.



I was REALLY glad to be there when it was not so busy.

We got some festival fried food and ate an early dinner while listening to the band in the pic.

After roaming up and down every aisle (skin care booths for ladies seemed very popular) we headed back to the shuttle pick up location. Many more people were walking into the festival carrying folding chairs so the action level was about to pick up (16oz Coors/Bud Lite is $6). And I did take a tipple at the Captain Morgan's Rum tent.

There was no Shrimp Festival in 2020 (nor 2021 that I can find-both due to the 'Rona) so I expect pent up demand this weekend. They claim 250,000 in average attendance over the 4-day festival.



I like this year's festival poster. But let me back up. Since this is the 49th year, they have a well established trademarked symbol for the Shrimp Festival:



And the graphic is worked into a logo annually that only updates the date in an outer circle.



But each year they commission an artist to come up with new poster art that is splashed on t-shirts and merch (along with the previous two symbols). And I like this year's poster:



From AL.com: "Gulf Shores' Shrimp Festival gets off to a strong start...".

https://www.al.com/life/2022/10/gul...-after-2-year-hiatus-we-really-missed-it.html

Another destination is on tomorrow's itinerary. If anyone followed my TR from January of this year, you won't be surprised.

Bama Ed

PS - dates for next year's Shrimp Festival is Thurs-Sun October 12-15, 2023. Book that GSP campsite NOW (can make a 14 day reservation-book arrival before the 12th, then later drop the early unwanted days).

 

[bama_ed]

Three parts to today's posts, DISbuds:

A) sunrise
B) lighthouse
C) griddle

Let's DO this!

So for decades I have been supplying pictures of the sunrise over Middle Lake from the Live Oak Road campsites where I like to stay. But the sun comes up behind the condos these days (although the ocean is back there some where). This morning we went to the ocean to see the sunrise there for ourselves.

Actually, the sunrise from the campsite this morning was not that bad.



But we drove over to the camper beach closest to the campground. A different perspective but with mist and fog in the pic.



The prior pic had yellow clouds but the red was not far behind.



I love pics with the sea oats in the foreground.



DW was on the beach with me to soak up the view.



Actually, the sea oats were not that far away from us this morning.



It's coming.



Zoom in.



Wait for it.





Roll to the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Finishing the beach sunrise:



and



Our destination later that morning was the Pensacola Lighthouse on Pensacola Naval Air Station. Used to be you could get on base to visit the Lighthouse or Naval Aviation Museum. But in these security times, that isn't currently possible. But the Lighthouse drives a bus off base to a nearby CVS, we pile on, and it drives us in the gate and the PROMISE not to stop anywhere but the lighthouse. The total cost is $15 per person (see the website) which is not bad.

Look for the bus in the CVS parking lot.



The old Lighthouse Keeper's Residence (and his Assitant's residence) is attached to the lighthouse and we got a tour of both.



It's 177 steps up the spiral stairway to the top, I must warn you.



Here is a look from the top towards the Naval Air Museum (visited on a recent Gulf DIS trip).



The neat thing about Pensacola Bay is it is deep water guarded by two barrier islands on either side of the channel. You can see both ends from the lighthouse.



But we can look further right:



And further left:



Right in front of the lighthouse is a great view.



I'm trying to keep up with my pix.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

A tip of the helmet to @JETS70 with a panorama view towards the Gulf of Mexico:



The lens up there at the top is a first class Fresnel lens, one of a handful in the US of the biggest/best French lighthouse lenses made at the time.





The lens turns even in the daytime now (still used for navigation) and the lens' refraction characteristics throws prisms of light all around the top room as it rotates even with the light off.









Coming down I forgot to mention that each of the 177 steps were dedicated (funded) by someone. I should have taken a pic of the top step but thought of it after over halfway down. An example:



The windows of the lighthouse offer some great views.





Let's continue in the next post. Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Time was running short for the return bus ride but we got a few more pix back on the ground and hit the gift shop.









Love those big old southern oaks on the property.



At the gift shop I did get a new puzzle and a lighthouse magnet to go with my collection on our fridge back home.





The font on the magnet reminds me of the similar font on some Tabasco playing cards we keep in the Aliner.



We got back to the campsite, had some lunch, went and got some seafood for the next three dinners, hit the grocery to accessorize, and then crashed mid-afternoon at the camper. I did finish my easy 1,000 piece puzzle.



Let's wind today down in the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

As I said previously, I got three night's seafood for dinners that remain. Tonight I cooked some fish on the Blackstone griddle.

I broke out the ingredients about 5pm (flounder was the dinner protein).



The menu was Flounder Almondine which is panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese covered with slivered almonds and with some sauteed green and orange peppers and cheesy microwave rice.



Hot and wind-proof, the griddle was.



In no time, it was all cooked and ready.



Very good tonight. I'm still learning on the griddle.



Nearly a full moon tonight.



Tomorrow morning is some fun then we will settle in for a recovery day with some football games.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

This can't be. I ran it three times, each one faster than the previous. Gulf SP isn't this fast. 3rd test. ED

 

[bama_ed]

4th try.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

All that speed means you're just going to have to upload a heck of a lot more pictures.

 

[garneska]

I see that wine glass with dinner Ed. Good job.

 

[bama_ed]

All that speed means you're just going to have to upload a heck of a lot more pictures.

Heck, Jack, I'm streaming college football games and the AL WC game (my Tribe) on YTTV. It's working pretty well.

Ed

PS - and more pix to come

 

[bama_ed]

One word: BACON. Bama Ed

 

[JETS70]

Really enjoyed the lighthouse pics. We went to Duck NC this summer and Teresa and I visited 3 lighthouses of the Outer Banks. It was my first time seeing a lighthouse up close and it was well worth the time. The grounds of the Bodie lighthouse were immaculate.
Enjoying the TR Ed,

Steve

 

[bama_ed]

One word: BACON. Bama Ed

Finally, a day that was not CHOCK FULL of stuff!

Well, the morning was, kinda. But let's reviewl

This morning was the Shrimp Fest 5k/10k race at the Orange Beach Sports Complex which is literally "right behind" Gulf State Park. Getting up to get ready this morning, I would be repeating myself to say it was a beautiful rising sun over Middle Lake.



The 3 miles went through the Backcountry Trails between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Plenty of Spanish Moss on old oaks, flowers, birds, wildlife, and nature views.



5k after (what we refer to as a t-shirt race), got some sides at the grocers and back to the campsite by 10am to crash, relax, stream, hydrate, and enjoy the day. I worked on the puzzle I bought yesterday at Pcola LH.



This was my view during most of the afternoon.



Tonight's dinner was bacon-wrapped scallops for dinner. About 5pm it was time to lay out the ingredients.



Note the bamboo skewers.

Skewers were loaded up and ready to put on the griddle.



Put those babies on HOT sizzle!



We paired it with some pasta salad from the grocers and a microwaved veggie/sauce frozen bag.

Bacon makes ANYTHING taste better.



I've been watching the evening sun while streaming YTTV for the football games and admiring the view.



After dinner, waiting for the Bama - aTm game to come on.



A wonderful night.

Tomorrow is a classic seafood dinner on our last night here.

Bama Ed

PS - supposed to get down to 57F tonight and tomorrow night. A little cooler than nights this week which had been in the 60s. Was high 80s t.oday

 

[4077]

on our last night here.

Man that seemed to fly by… enjoy the last bits!!

 

[bama_ed]

Feeling a little sad today. This was our last full day here and we head home tomorrow. It's been a great trip with several "firsts" which keeps this trip fresh for us. I've been coming here since 1980-ish and nearly twice a year for the last 3 decades. A trip in the spring and one in the fall each year. I'm going to keep coming.

Being Sunday, we went to church today in late morning but that gave us time to sleep in and me time to work on my new puzzle that I got at Pensacola Lighthouse. Being only 550 pieces (larger pieces than those from the 1,000 piece puzzles of a similar size), it's easy to make progress. Here was my progress before we went to church.



After church, I cooked a brunch on the griddle of fried eggs, bacon, and biscuits. Yes, I found a YT video of doing biscuits. Here was what I needed for biscuits:



Butter, biscuits, and a small oven rack.

Basics are melt some butter, brown biscuits on each side, put on a rack and close the lid and let baking take place.



I'm a guy who likes my biscuits with breakfast.



Add bacon.



Remove the biscuit rack and add the eggs.



I overdid the bacon slightly (griddle too hot) so live and learn. But it was good.



DW took a nap after cleanup. So I continued work on the puzzle and got it done in about 2 hours.



I've been to most of these lighthouses over the last two years. We would like to make it to more Florida lighthouses (most in the Florida panhandle areas).

Went for a bike ride again before preparing dinner. (We turn in the bikes tomorrow before we leave). One update is that the camper/rv storage yard to the right side of the checkin building (as you drive in) is now completely empty except for one abandoned vehicle.



I asked what that was about and was told that the state of Alabama has decided to get out of the camper storage business at ALL state parks. So who knows what Gulf SP will do with this big piece of pavement. Not a bad decision here, though, since the storage yard had 4 feet of storm surge during the last hurricane through Gulf Shores.

Next post about dinner and nightfall.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

I bring a lot of "basics" from home when I camp. Condiments, spices, seasonings, etc. Tonight's dinner was the classic "Blackened Red Snapper" and I brought all my blackening spice mixes to Gulf SP.



I make blackened tilapia at home about every two weeks with one of these spice mixes. Tonight, though, I chose the middle Old Bay mix because it did NOT have salt as its first ingredient. Olive oil and butter on the griddle, season the filet side of the snapper and lay it down.



It was a thick filet so after a few minutes I gave them a flip.



With sides of microwaved mac/cheese and a side salad (with ranch dressing of course because DW is a southern girl who INSISTS everything/anything tastes better with Ranch).



As we cleaned up the sun was going down behind us which cast a glow on the condos in front of us.



They have mowed away/removed all the cattails along the lakeside sites so folks can easily fish off the bank. This young fella was giving it a try.



A full moon was beginning to rise in the evening sky.





The sunset behind us in the campground was a backlit silhouette special.



We don't have to get away tomorrow at the crack of dawn but about 9-10am. So maybe one post tomorrow before we hit the road. This trip had a number of new adventures and activities so if you want to visit a campground on the Gulf Coast, consider Gulf SP in the shoulder seasons (spring or fall).

Bama Ed

PS - we will be booking a return trip next year for early November (rather than October as we are this year).

 

[jbrostek]

Nice job stepping up your griddle game! Looks like you had a great week!

 

[friendofeeyore]

Loved your trip report very much! I remember when Arnold & myself was able to camp with the Dismeet one Memorial week. Our stay ended pretty quickly when a hurricane was to hit GS. Instead it hit Florida's panhandle.