DISPATCH #39
Good morning Crew,
Summer is making its last big push along the coast, with folks from all over sneaking in one more round of sand and sun before the school year begins. Locals, take heart — quieter roads and walk-in dinner tables are just over the horizon. Here’s your weekly rundown on what’s happening around the coast, served easy and breezy.
TODAY’S CATCH
There’s a lot more to the coast than sugar-white sand. Southern Living recently highlighted the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail as one of the South’s must-visit outdoor experiences, praising its miles of scenic trails winding through forests, wetlands, and lakes. Whether you're walking, biking, or birding, it's one of those places that reminds you just how much natural beauty is tucked away beyond the beach. take the trail
Things are about to get heavy at The Hangout — literally. Alabama’s Strongest Man XIV rolls into Gulf Shores on August 15, bringing some seriously strong men, women, and teams to the beach for the 14th annual competition. Contestants will tackle everything from massive deadlifts and axle presses to sandbag tosses and obstacle carries, all in the name of strength, bragging rights, and probably making the rest of us feel a little guilty about struggling with the grocery bags. feel the burn
Downtown Foley is getting a little more colorful, creative, and lively — and now locals can help keep that momentum going. Foley Main Street has launched Friends of Downtown Foley, a new community-supported effort that will help fund murals, artistic crosswalks, public gathering spaces, live music, and other projects aimed at making the historic downtown an even better place to wander around and stay awhile. With all the changes already happening downtown, this is basically an invitation to help shape what comes next. keep it colorful
LOCAL SNAPSHOT
Captured by Julie Butler at Bear Point
Capture any sunsets, wildlife or cool shots around town?
ON THE MARKET
Presented by REMAX on the Coast
Professionally Decorated Condo w/ Top Rent $
Gulf Shores | 3 beds | 3 baths | 1,817 sq ft | look inside
Mediterranean Style on Fish River
Foley | 4 beds | 5 baths | 3,362 sq ft | take a peek
Fully Furnished Home + 39 ft Covered Boat Slip
Orange Beach | 5 beds | 5 bath | 2,555 sq ft | island life
3 Bedrooms Under $300K!
Foley | 3 beds | 2 baths | 1,676 sq ft | move-in ready
CREW POLL
What is your ideal place to stay at the beach?
TURTLE TALES
Every summer, while the rest of us are dragging chairs, coolers and entirely too much stuff across the sand, some much older beachgoers are quietly making their way ashore.
Alabama’s sea turtle season runs from May through October, beginning with nesting females and continuing until the last nests have hatched. Loggerheads are overwhelmingly the most common nesters on our beaches. In one 12-year stretch, 1,325 of 1,350 documented Alabama nests belonged to loggerheads.
They aren’t exactly small, either. Adult loggerheads can weigh between 200 and 350 pounds and grow up to about 3½ feet long. That’s a pretty substantial animal to be dragging itself across the soft sand in the middle of the night.
Here’s one of the stranger facts: the temperature of the nest helps determine whether the hatchlings are male or female. Generally speaking, warmer sand produces more females, while cooler sand produces more males. Loggerhead eggs usually incubate for roughly two months before hatching.
Green sea turtles and the much rarer Kemp’s ridley have also nested along Alabama’s beaches. Kemp’s ridleys are especially interesting because they’re the smallest sea turtle species in the world, generally topping out around 100 pounds, and they’re the only sea turtles that routinely nest during daylight hours.
Once hatchlings emerge, they use natural visual cues to find the Gulf, generally moving toward the brighter, lower seaward horizon and away from the darker dunes behind them. Bright beachfront lights can overpower those cues and send them in the wrong direction.
So the next time you stroll by a marked nest on the beach, you’ll know there’s a pretty remarkable little story unfolding beneath the sand. watch them hatch
SEA & SKY REPORT
CURRENT CONDITIONS |
|---|
SUNRISE 6:15 am |
SUNSET 7:35 pm |
UV INDEX Very High |
MOON Waning Crescent |
LOW TIDE 6:44 pm |
HIGH TIDE 8:07 am |
GULF TEMP 87ºF |
TROPICAL TRACKER All clear |
*Tides are at Gulf State Park Pier. Gulf temp at Perdido Pass.
ADOPTABLE FRIENDS
Adopt local, love forever. Meet a pet looking for their people.
Howie the dog
A handsome, gentle hound with a heart for people, ready to trade kennel life for a forever home with plenty of room to explore, a job to do, and someone to love.
Faith the dog
An adorable little survivor with giant ears, a gentle heart, and an eagerness to please, ready to blossom into a loyal, loving companion in a new home of her own.
Lucky the dog
A big-hearted boy who’s left a difficult beginning behind and discovered just how good kind people and belly rubs can be—now he’s ready for the forever family he’s been waiting for.
HAPPENINGS
Tuesday 11th
Afternoon Big Cat Chat | Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo | Gulf Shores | 2pm
Brandon Styles Variety Show | Brandon Styles Theater | Foley | 7pm
Music Bingo | Gulf Babe Wine Boutique | Orange Beach | 7pm
Wednesday 12th
Alligator Adventures | Gulf State Park Nature Center | Gulf Shores | 10am
Public Open House | Swift Coles Historic Home | Bon Secour | 12pm
Pop In or Pop By: First Day of School Popsicles | Foley Public Library | 3pm
Thursday 13th
Guided Bike Ride | Gulf Oak Ridge Trailhead West | Orange Beach | 8:30am
Angler Academy | Gulf State Park Pier- Outside Tackle Shop | Gulf Shores | 9:30am
Karaoke Thursdays | Tacky Jacks | Gulf Shores | 5pm
Friday 14th
Guided Pier Walk | Gulf State Park Saltwater Pier | Gulf Shores | 9am
Organic Gardening & Composting | Learning Campus at Gulf State Park | Gulf Shores | 9:30am
Family Bingo | Foley Public Library | 5:30pm
White Tie Rock Ensemble Presents: A Night of Southern Rock Legends | OWA Parks & Resort | Foley | 7pm
Saturday 15th
Alabama's Strongest Man Challenge | The Hangout | Gulf Shores | 8:30am
CAFFM Market Day | Coastal AL Farmers and Fishermens Market | Foley | 9am
Adult Art | Foley Public Library | 10am
Saturday Songwriters Series | The Red Haven Live | Orange Beach | 1pm
Haunted History Ghost Walking Tour | Foley Welcome Center | 7pm
Live Music: Red Door Band | The Hangout | Gulf Shores | 7pm
Sunday 16th
Sunday Funday | Gulf Babe Wine Boutique | Orange Beach | All day
Goat Agility Training | Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo | Gulf Shores | 10am
Monday 17th
Kids Board Games | Foley Public Library | 4pm
*Event details are subject to change.
UNTIL NEXT TIME…
I hope something in here nudges you to get out there and explore. Until next week—may God bless you and your crew!
-Shawn Swisher
P.S. The sound of waves fixes things you didn’t even know were broken.