beachin’August 2019 LIFE ON THE ALABAMA GULF COAST LET YOUR STYLE ROAR With Disney’s The Lion King Collection by Pandora © 2019 Pandora Jewelry, LLC • All rights reserved • The Lion King © 2019 Disney DIAMOND JEWELERS GULF SHORES 251-967-4141 DIAMONDJEWELERS.NET 10583120 2 Beachin’ ● August 2019 August 2019 ● Beachin’ 3 4 Beachin’ ● August 2019 August 2019 ● Beachin’ 5 6 Beachin’ ● August 2019 August 2019 ● Beachin’ 7 beachin’ A specialty publication of Gulf Coast Media about the cover contents publisher Parks Rogers Blue skies and the bright summer sun greets Too Close for Comfort [email protected] visitors to Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Kick back and enjoy the beautiful view. Hurricane Barry August 2019 2019 August August beachin’2019 August LIFE ON THE ALABAMA GULF COAST managing editor Photo by Jack Swindle Allison Marlow [email protected] 16 design and layout Paige Marmolejo [email protected] Sands of Time advertising Charter boat fishing begins LouAnn Love [email protected] 251.943.2151 Frank Kustura [email protected] 24 251.923.8129 feature Bethany Randall [email protected] Beach Happenings 251.266.9982 story August events and activities Beachin’ magazine is published Bushwackers at the beach monthly by Gulf Coast Media, 901 N. McKenzie Street, Foley, AL 36535 251.943.2151 Try one or try them all, just don’t Distributed free by The Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitor’s Bureau and at other miss this “must do” summer drink 28 locations throughout Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. 10 Nature Gulf Coast Media accepts no responsibility in the guarantee of goods Green Sea Turtles visit Alabama and services advertised herein. beaches after 10 year hiatus 30 Find the e-edition by visiting issuu.com and searching for Food Beachin’ or Gulf Coast Media. Crawfish Cornbread You can also access our e-editions through GulfCoastNewsToday.com. Just click on the “Magazine” tab 34 and select “Special Publications.” Taste of the Gulf Where to eat at the beach 36 8 Beachin’ ● August 2019 August 2019 ● Beachin’ 9 BY ALLISON MARLOW When you visit the beaches of Baldwin County, there are several “must do’s” to add to your itinerary. At the top of that list should be to try a delicious, frothy, cool Bushwacker, the summer drink of choice for locals and visitors alike. Every beach side restaurant and bar worth its salt makes one, and each is different in taste, ingredients and presentation. We’ve picked a few to highlight and start you on your bushwacking journey through Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Taste just one, or taste them all. Wherever you choose to stop and enjoy this little sip of summer heaven, we promise you won’t be disappointed. PHOTO BY ALLISON MARLOW 10 Beachin’ ● August 2019 August 2019 ● Beachin’ 11 The secret to DeSoto’s Bushwacker is the real, vanilla ice DeSoto’s cream that is blended with a mix of rums and smooth Tacky chocolate syrup. The 16-ounce version includes a gen- erous splash of 151 while the 9-ounce drink skips the Seafood overproof rum topper. A dollop of whip cream and a Jacks cherry on top completes the delicious ensemble and is the picture perfect beachside cocktail. At Tacky Jacks the Kitchen bushwackers have a distinct flavor that will stick with you long after your beach vacation ends. The barkeeps here mix cream of coconut, Kahlua coffee liqueur, black rum, crème de cacao and vanilla ice cream into a smooth blend. During the summer rush the bar crafts nearly 200 a day. PHOTO BY ALLISON MARLOW Original Oyster House At the Original Oyster House the bushwacker is like an island breeze. The drink is a thick blend of Bacardi rum, crème de cacao, Kahlúa, Coco Lopez and ice cream. Rivers of chocolate are topped by mounds of whip cream and a cherry. PHOTO BY ALLISON MARLOW 12 Beachin’ ● August 2019 August 2019 ● Beachin’ 13 Cactus Cantina Pink The Tex-Mex grill swirls ice cream mix, Cream de Cacao and the house rum into 16 ounces of Pony Pub delightful goodness. The entire concoction is poured into a choc- Don’t let the unassuming, olate drizzled glass and topped by simple styrofoam cup fool you. a mountain of whip cream. Can’t The Pink Pony Pub serves its decide which delectable dish to bushwacker beachside and it’s order here? Start with a hailed by those sitting at the bar as bushwacker while you decide. one of the “best they’ve ever had.” Almost every ingredient is a secret. General Manager Jen confirmed that was in fact a puddle of 151 on top, but the rest, well, we’d just have to try it and guess for ourselves. Settle into a comfortable chair on the back porch and enjoy. PHOTOS BY ALLISON MARLOW 14 Beachin’ ● August 2019 August 2019 ● Beachin’ 15 Too close for comfort Hurricane Barry stumbles ashore as the first hurricane of 2019 BY ALLISON MARLOW Last month Gulf Coast residents moving or even large. At landfall it winds are not what kill. It’s the water and visitors alike watched as a tropical was deemed a Category 1 storm and and Barry dropped rain by the bucket depression took up residence just off winds were reported at 76 mph and loads over an already saturated region. the coast and sat there. gusts at 87 mph, a mere breeze when As Barry drifted west, Alabama The stormed seemed as confused compared to the likes of Hurricane dodged what could have been by its sudden existence as those Frederic, a Category 3 hurricane disastrous. Even as the strongest part watching it. It was disorganized and whose winds were still howling at of the storm moved out of our region, lumbering and stayed that way for 130 mph just before it made landfall Baldwin County was left with flash nearly a week. In the 24 hours before on Dauphin Island on Sept. 12, 1979, flooding and deadly rip currents, all it finally made landfall in Louisiana it according to the National Weather caused by the onset of 2019’s first creeped as slowly as 3 mph. Service. hurricane. PHOTOS BY ALLISON MARLOW Hurricane Barry was not fast Still, hurricane experts say the Double red flags rippled furiously in 16 Beachin’ ● August 2019 August 2019 ● Beachin’ 17 Lifeguards beg beachgoers to get out of the surf as Hurricane Barry approaches. Just because the hurricane is not a direct impact doesn’t mean that high surf isn’t coming our way. We have dangerous rip currents. The wind starts “to pick up. It’s very dangerous.” – Lt. Phillips the wind at the beach. Waves surged to visitors from inland areas, have a hard as high as 10 feet tall. Officials closed time understanding the enormous the waters and issued dire warnings. impact a storm has on the entire Still, first responders were left trying region, not just where it makes to explain to visitors and residents landfall. why they should take the storm “Just because the hurricane is not a RECENT ALABAMA warnings seriously. direct impact doesn’t mean that high “They don’t understand. They say surf isn’t coming our way,” he said. HURRICANES they paid money to come down and “We have dangerous rip currents. they want to get in the water,” said Lt. The wind starts to pick up. It’s very » Hurricane Frederic - category 3, Joethan Phillips, of Gulf Shores Beach dangerous.” winds at 130 mph, landfall on Dauphin Rescue. “They don’t understand that Phillips said adults who say they are Island on Sept. 12, 1979 we’re trying to keep them safe.” good swimmers and can handle the Just one day before Barry made larger waves need to consider who » Hurricane Opal – category 3, landfall landfall, life guards drove up and else on the shore. on Pensacola Beach Oct. 4, 1995 down the beach in four-wheelers, “Little kids are looking at you,” he begging beachgoers to leave the said. “If you are in the water, they want » Hurricane Danny – category 1, winds dangerous surf. to be in the water too.” at 80 mph, landfall near Mullet Point, One visitor said she saw no need to Phillips said the rescue crews were dropped 36.71 inches of rain, 26 inches leave the water. able to remove swimmers before the of that in seven hours on July 19, 1997. “But there’s a hurricane,” she was worst of the storm hit. There were no told. rescues made during Hurricane Barry. » Hurricane Ivan - category 3 with She responded, “well, not right now,” “The visitors are very angry with us winds of 120 mph, landfall just west of and skipped back into the pounding for getting them out of water but we Gulf Shores on Sept. 16, 2004 surf. are here to keep them safe, that’s what Phillips said beach goers, especially we did,” Phillips said. 18 Beachin’ ● August 2019 August 2019 ● Beachin’ 19 Welcome to the Beach FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BEACH FLAG 1. Tents (no larger than a 10x10 ft.) are allowed on the beach, but they have to be placed WARNING SYSTEM behind (North of) the designated sign marker post and should be removed before night. Tents cannot be placed between the sign post and the Gulf of Mexico. This is for designated Medium Hazard emergency and safety access. (light surf and or currents) 2. Pets are not allowed on the beach on the Gulf of Mexico or surrounding islands (Robinson, YELLOW Bird, Walker). However they are allowed at the designated city Dog Park on Canal Rd.