Matthew the Mighty Fisherman - and a Journey to Fairhope

Yesterday Frank, Jim, and Matthew headed out early on their much-anticipated deep sea fishing trip. Earlier in the week Jim had done some researching and comparing the different guide services, then made the call to set everything up and they were all looking forward to coming home with some real trophies. More about that excusion later...

The day before, unable to wait any longer to do SOME kind of fishing, the guys made a run into town and came back with heavy-duty poles and the appropriate bate to cast their lines into the surf in front of the condo. Frank and Jim caught and released a couple of mid-size bluefish but the action was definitely slow. I had already gotten my fill of the sun for the day so went inside to curl up on the couch with pooped pups Walker and Sophie for an afternoon nap. Phyllis snapped this shot and stretched out in the hammock for a snooze not long afterward.

After waking up from his own nap, Matthew joined his Dad and Uncle Jim for some surfside fishing. They said about five minutes after he got started he hooked a huge stingray with a wing span of about 4 or 5 feet!! He fought it for close to 45 minutes, traveling all the way down the beach before it finally broke the line. Did anyone get a picture? Of course not! Jim and Frank were too busy "coaching" Matthew's angler skills to run wake me or Phyllis up and grab a camera, and despite the fact that everyone along the beach had come down to check out the commotion none of them got a picture either. Guess it will remain just a Big Fish Story - but at least there were verifying witnesses - LOL! (Matthew recounts to his Dad how far down the beach he fought the Stingray that got away)

So, following the event of the previous day, when the Three Fishermen drove down to Orange Beach yesterday morning to meet the captain and crew of their guided fishing trip they were pumped up and ready! With the guys out on their own adventure Phyllis and I drove down the highway for lunch and a day of shopping at Fairhope. What a beautiful, picturesque little place! Darling shops in historic buildings, each one unique in architecture but all with a definite old Southern shore town aura, oversee each brick street from atop raised sidewalks. Masses of vibrant flowers are everywhere - not just filling Blossom Square but planted in dense rings around trees, in beds along streets and sidewalks, dripping from hanging baskets suspended from lamp posts, and gracing shop entrances. The drive from Fort Morgan to Fairhope was equally scenic. A breathtaking highlight was the enclave of fabulous houses, from fairytale cottages to expansive manors, tucked into the magnolias and moss-draped oaks around the bay at Point Clear. As that view eventually blended seamlessly into the town of Fairhope we found a parking place (everyone walks!) and did a bit of shopping before having lunch in the 107 year old house that holds Fairhope Inn & Restaurant. Phyllis enjoyed one of their famous large crab cakes top with a delicate deep-fried sweet potato "nest" and a side of fried green tomatoes drizzled with a rich mornay sauce. I dove into an incredibly delicious grilled tilapia served on a bed of wild rice and topped with a perfectly seasoned Creole tomato sauce - yum, YUM!! Afterward we walked around the corner for some dessert at Mr.Gene's Beans, a landmark stop for gourmet coffees and ice creams. Phyllis decided she was already full enough but dessert fiend that I am, I had to have a hot fudge sundae made with old-fashioned vanilla ice cream and topped with fresh strawberries and a mile-high swirl of whipped cream (I know, but vacation calories don't count.) Then, while finishing up our shopping we touched base with our fishermen only to find out that (for Frank and Jim at least) it had been a disaster of a day!! High seas with swells of 8 to 10 feet kept the brothers so sick they had to retreat to the cabin and weren't even able to stay up on board long enough to hold a fishing pole. Jim was deathly ill the whole time and despite having been on countless deep-sea fishing trips before, Frank was so green around the gills that all he could do was lay down and close his eyes for the duration. Up on deck, son Matthew wasn't the slightest bit sea sick and he proceeded to catch and release some 100+ fish including a huge red snapper over 6 feet long - when Frank couldn't get up off the cot to take a picture, someone else on the boat had to do the honors (hope to get that pic posted today - as of this posting Matthew is still sleeping the sleep of a weary warrior, and the "big guys" are both still recovering, so haven't been able to find out which camera was used!) Until then, here are some pictures from the perfectly lovely time Phyllis and I had in Fairhope - sorry guys!!

Phyllis admires one of the many flower groupings, this one packed with everything from Impatiens to Oriental Lilies.


Fairhope, AL is home to many talented artists whose work can be found in the shops and local galleries and also in murals on the sides of buildings like this one, serving as a colorful backdrop to a farmer selling fresh produce out of his truck.


One of the quaint homes found side-by-side with shops and businesses, all looking like something out of a storybook.


Art gallery cat, Matisse, takes her place on a hand-painted shore-themed chair in the shop's front window.


In typical Fairhope community style, condos or apartments on upper stories share buildings with shops and offices on street level.


And clustered around every entrance, still more bountiful blossoms!


The historic Fairhope Inn & Restaurant - a feast for the eyes and the tummy!


A final turn down the waterside drive that leads out of Fairhope and back toward our home-away-from-home.


A floral fairwell lines the entrance to the highway as we get Back on the Road Again - wanted SO badly to slow down enough (or even stop) to take pictures of some of the gorgeous Point Clear houses and churches but, alas, local drivers had no patience for looky-loo tourists - ha!