Great Loop: Lulu's

Beth celebrates our crossing of Mobile Bay

November 21st, 2021

Lulu's

Jimmy Buffet's sister, Lulu, has a place on the Gulf Intra-Coastal Waterway (GICW) that is a wonderful stop to reward yourself for having completed the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and successfully made the transition from fresh to salt water.  She has thoughtfully provide guest dockage so you can tie up just outside.  It is easy to find on the north side  of the channel in Gulf Shores Alabama.  The timing is great too.  We arrived just after the lunch crowd departed, around 2pm.  We could see other Loopers were already in the attached Homeport Marina.  So overnight berthing is available too.  We recognized the names of boats whose crews we meet while travelling the inland waters.

I'm a happy camper

So what do you have to eat?  The menu had many good items, including lots of seafood choices.  In my mind though, the choice was obvious.   I didn't even need a menu - a cheeseburger of course!  Yep, I was a happy camper for many reasons.  Chief among them was we had enjoyed perfect weather for the crossing of Mobile Bay.  It's weather conditions are similar to San Pablo Bay back home.  It is shallow with a long wind fetch.  This makes for nasty, close together, and tall waves that are very uncomfortable.  Also, the weather was warm and sunny.  Much nicer than the cool fall inland weather.  We were on the Gulf!

Vignette

A group of three men sat down next to us in Lulu's.  We were at the bar.  Never being shy, we struck up a conversation.  Beth's guess was that it was two sons (in their 50s) that were taking their dad (in his 80s) out to lunch.  She was right.  The dad was a retired naval aviator.  He had taken his flight training in Pensacola in the mid-50s.  Flew jets in Vietnam and was now retired.  He had a large bandage on his cheek.  Beth guessed skin cancer removal.  The pilot had been very active over his life, had a cabin in Truckee, was on ski patrol, and had boated with his sons.  Today the sons, who lived nearby, were on a boat taking their dad bar hoping.  Just like old times.  We thanked him for his service.  He brightened and smiled. His eyes shined.  He had hearing aids and couldn't hear well with the background noise.  It was great to visit and see the sons out with their dad.  The last bar they were planning to visit was less than a mile from their home dock.  They figured if they paced themselves, they could just make it home.   Living proof you can make memories at any age.  Well done gents!

Lulu's Playground

The adult playground at Lulu's

It's time for some beach volleyball

After lunch we walked the grounds.  Lulu's had great outside areas, including adult and child rope courses, a gift shop and play areas for kids.  We visited HomePort Marina, at Lulu's, and talked with some Looper friends.  Too soon, we had to return to Amy Marie and continue on to our destination, The Wharf Marina, also in Gulf Shores.

Amy Marie at LuLu's

An aerial view of Lulu's

HomePort Marina on the left and the restaurant on the right