Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

A 54 s o u t h e r n b re e z e . c o m Admit it. You’ve done it, too. Lured by reflected dock lights, the whiff of grill marinade, and soft jazz spilling across darkened water, you’ve wandered from a seaside eatery just to mosey around an adjacent upscale marina. That after-dinner hour is a perfect time to stroll the dock, marveling at the variety—from sleek sailboat to sports cruiser to professionally crewed yacht anchored just offshore. As a flag rustles and an occasional rope moans against its cleat, these waterborne RVs bob in their slips, nodding in collective agreement that this is, indeed, The Good Life. What would it be like, you wonder, to travel aboard one of these craft? By this hour the day-trippers have skedaddled. The charter captains’ scrubbed decks are empty. All that’s left is the breeze rustle, lights flickering in portholes, and occasional laughter filtering from a 50-footer’s deck, where it appears a party has lingered after sunset cocktails. Jimmy Beason knows the scene well. As harbor master of Alabama’s Orange Beach Marina, he knows each vessel and its owner, whether hailing from the Bahamas, Galveston, or beyond. Some guests are locals on their regular weekend getaway. Others are here for another season, escaping snowencrusted driveways and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Still others dock only for this evening, leaving before dawn for another harbor, where they’ll bike, see the sights, and savor a maritime journey without itinerary along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). Jim and Cyndi McKay have done all of the above. The McKays and their craft, MAILA (Messin’ Around In Lower Alabama), have frequented the upper Gulf ICW for years, staying for months to enjoy warm temperatures and even warmer welcomes. But they’ve also cruised the entire ICW in a year-long trip from their home at Watts Bar Lake on the Tennessee River. They followed the Tombigbee to the Gulf ICW, which stretches from Texas through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to the Florida west coast as far as Ft. Myers. That’s where smaller craft can cross the peninsula through the Okeechobee Waterway. Craft that can handle open water often loop around Key West, rejoining the ICW as it winds its way to Virginia. “You can go all the way up to Maine,” says Jim. But he and Cyndi hung a left in New York, winding up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal. On their way home they saw Chicago, Missouri, and Ohio before rejoining the Tennessee. Luxurious surroundings are the norm in today’s watercraft interiors, perfect for spending a leisurely day cruising the ICW (top). Along your journey from Alabama to Florida, you’ll see condo developments that cater to the maritime crowd (center) as well as pristine estuaries teeming with wildlife (bottom). http://southernbreeze.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Seen & Heard Coastal Calendar Storefronts - Keepin' it Reel Sweet Dreams - Grand Hotel Art of Living - Marking Time Fixtures - A Fitting End Our Backyard - Reasonable Drought Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life The Southern Breeze Hot List Unexpected Destin-ation Visual Zydeco We're an American Band The Good Life From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops Reader Services Cheers - Lazy Libations Dish - Mississippi Yearning Chef's Table - Welcome to The Doll House Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations Last Bite

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