Fog, Forts, Florabama & Fossil Fuels

It’s not always sunny on the sunny Gulf Coast. In fact, we have had dense fog, frigid nights, and more than our fair share of gusty wind. Breezy is a gross understatement. We’ve had the “hang on to your hats” stuff but it is tolerable when the temperatures climb into the 60’s.

It’s not all fun and games, living the fulltime RV life. I’ve been doing some remote work for my former employer, and we still have to cook, clean, do laundry, go to the grocery store, etc. I needed a haircut. Gypsy (the princess pup) needed a manicure. Life doesn’t stop, it just looks a little different when you live on wheels.

Still, despite the workload and weather woes, we took advantage of intermittent, pleasant days to the hit some tourist traps.

I’m a bit of a nerdy, history buff and the Mobile Bay area is rife with historical landmarks. We visited Fort Morgan, which began construction in 1819 and was not completed until 1834. Sadly, it was enslaved men, women and children who labored for fifteen years, to manufacture and lay the 30,000,000 bricks that were used to erect this garrison.

In 1861 Fort Morgan was seized from the US Government by the Confederacy and became a safe haven for the stockade runners who were supplying the South with much needed supplies. Fort Morgan was also active during WWI and WWII. As you walk through the various archways, you feel the presence of ethereal beings; ghostly guards in tattered uniforms from past conflicts.

We also ferried to Dauphin Island, which was the capitol of The Louisiana Territory during colonial times. It was in this area that the Battle of Mobile Bay was fought. It was near Dauphin Island that Union admiral, David Farragut, ran his entire fleet directly through a minefield in order to claim Fort Morgan. Thus:

“Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead,”
David Farragut

Mardi Gras is kind of a big deal along the Gulf Shore. February, prior to Ash Wednesday, is considered Mardi Gras season. It’s not just about going crazy on Fat Tuesday. It’s several weeks of drunken debauchery, and masks, and purple and green beads. Because life is not a spectator sport, we joined the festivities at the world famous Flora-Bama Lounge, where live music and licentiousness are legendary.

As a side note, although I do understand our current dependence on fossil fuels, I hope for a day when we can economically rely on energy sources that are less detrimental to the environment. There is such natural beauty in this region, but the presence of oil production definitely decimates the landscape.