![\"national_forecast\"](\"https:\/\/travels.wohu.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/st\/04\/national_forecast.jpg\" "\\"national_forecast\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe \u2018Southern Soaker\u2019, as compared to the \u2018Polar Vortex\u2019, continues to pummel the south. The good news, it is supposed to clear out of our area by 1:00pm today and be nice for the rest of the week. YIPPEE!!!<\/p>\n
Now, besides lots of rain, about 11:50am we felt several tremors that shook our house. It\u2019s standing on stilts to keep it out of the water. The big screen TV was the give away as it started shaking in it\u2019s stand while sitting on the credenza . . . FUN!!!<\/p>\n
Here is what the \u2018condominimums\u2019, I keep looking at out of my window, look like close up . . .<\/p>\n . . each pier has their own. Good Idea for a nice overnight stay before you head out on your yacht . . . right out the back door!!!<\/p>\n The sky miraculously cleared at 12:30pm . . . so, time to explore the island. Some went shelling, some went walking . . . I went biking around. Here is the main drag intersection . . . watch out for that car!!!<\/p>\n The green arrow shows the bridge to Dauphin Is, the red is our exit tomorrow off the island, using the ferry to Ft Morgan.<\/p>\n As I traveled around the island, I kept running into this Bing mapping car using the digital cameras mounted on it\u2019s roof tower to capture street scenes as it rolls by. Microsoft started this map service, similar to Google Maps, on their Bing browser. I thought they had thrown in the towel on this service but it looks like they are still driving around mapping areas . . . and today, Dauphin Island!!!<\/p>\n A small car ferry close to where we will be launching off the island tomorrow. The ferry is ready . . . just need to finish the approach way!!!<\/p>\n A couple of Pilot Boats that haul licensed captains out to the big ocean going freighters that come into Mobile Bay . . . interestingly, the bay averages only 10 feet deep!!!!<\/p>\n . . . at the east end of the island was this aquarium and an associated Alabama University Sea Research station . . .<\/p>\n . . . that had a manatee, dolphin and whale stranding trailer that will respond to emergency situations!!!<\/p>\n Interesting exhibit about how long waste created by human remains in the marine environment. For anyone who has spent any time around unimproved or non-tourist beaches you know the amount of \u2018plastic crap\u2019 that washes up on shore. Styrofoam cups . . . 100 years to break down. Glass bottles . . . 700 years!!!!<\/p>\n At the end of the island was Ft Gaines, constructed in the mid 1800\u2019s to protect the entrance of Mobile Bay. It\u2019s where Adm. Farragut evidently was quoted as saying, \u201cDamn the torpedoes, full speed ahead\u201d!!!! O\u2019re the ramparts we watched . . .<\/p>\n There are over 50 natural gas drill rigs’ in the Bay that bring the natural gas out of the sandstone, where it is sitting at 10,000-20,000 PSI, waiting to be tapped.<\/p>\n As I was biking along the eastern coast, I saw Flipper . . . swimming along and following me!!!!<\/p>\n The public beach at the end of the island with swimming and fishing . . . it\u2019s a beautiful Sunday afternoon!!!<\/p>\n . . . including an engaged couple getting their wedding announcement photos take. Note the blue picture frame around the photographers arm. The latest gimmick used in portrait photography. The couple holds it up to frame their faces . . . CORNY!!!<\/p>\n Another Sunday fishing crowd . . . you need a license!!!!<\/p>\n There’s that Bing car again . . .<\/p>\n This is hard to figure out. LOTS of homes are built on stilts, including the one on the right and the one we are renting, but right next to them is another built on a slab. What does one home owner know that another might not????<\/p>\n Look at this mailbox . . . we aren\u2019t in Kansas anymore!!!!!<\/p>\n I\u2019m smiling . . .<\/p>\n Location . . . location . . . location. On the beach . . . you are going to pay big money!!!!<\/p>\n There are evidently a lot of bird watchers on the island this weekend. All the hotels are booked. I \u2018snuck\u2019 up on these folks. They never saw me as I rolled by!!!<\/p>\n One last pass by the Bing car. With the number of times I have seen it, I am hoping to be in their photos of Dauphin Island when they put them on line.<\/p>\n A photo of our place . . . taken from the left gazebo of \u00a0a neighbor\u2019s new house being built around the bend.<\/p>\n I had to do a walk through inspection. Nice!!!!<\/p>\n Our happy group hits the pool . . . including our cannonball expert!!!!<\/p>\n Lots of rules when you stay in a condo , , , including this one, Not sure what it was all about. but we couldn’t use one of the four toilets for three days!!!!<\/p>\n Denver Tom and I were coking tonight. The last of the meat \u00a0options to cook, for our three day stay, was pork chops. I thought they might need a little ‘au jus’, so whipped up a mustard, shallot, cream sauce . . . YUM!!\u00a0 Let’s eat . . . we were exploring all day!!!!<\/p>\n Bed of basmati rice, topped with veggie gumbo, topped with a garlic grilled pork chop, topped with a mustard, shallot cream sauce, topped with caramelized onions . . . enough for seconds too!!!!<\/p>\n . . . and save room for a little ice cream too!!!!<\/p>\n Tomorrow it’s ‘back to work’, as we pedal, 65 miles to Pensacola, FL \u00a0with hopefully, beautiful weather.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Woke to the sound of HEAVY rain. We are glad to be tucked into our little yacht club hideaway. By 6:00am the usual suspects were sittin\u2019 on the covered deck watching the rain, talking smart and drinking coffee . . . 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