Monday, March 5, 2012

GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE - MISSISSIPPI & ALABAMA



brown pelican

black skimmers








We drove from New Orleans into Mississippi then Alabama and  discovered the Gulf Islands National Seashore - a National Parks area covering about 160 miles of coast from Mississippi to Florida. We stopped in Biloxi and saw the famous lighthouse in the middle of a 4 lane road and their stunning Visitor Center set in a reproduction antebellum house, funded by money after Katrina destroyed the original. Seven years on from Katrina and we still saw derelict houses, empty plots of land but they seem to rebuild quickly where the money exists. In Biloxi the Beau Rivage Casino was destroyed and a year later it was rebuilt.

We did not see the barrier islands, they are about 10 miles out but learnt of their importance as barrier islands for the dreaded hurricanes. The coast road was a wonderland of numerous birds, white sands, pretty dunes, oil rigs, alligators, jellyfish and the odd glimpses of dolphins.
As we drove through hurricane alley country it's always in the back of my mind how it must feel to be there when a hurricane hits - not an experience I want to have.
We arrived on Dauphin Island in Alabama and camped for one night, explored the seashore and Fort Gaines. Packed up this morning, rang the campground at For Perkins to get a site - full - booked for Tuesday & Wednesday. Drove back into site we had just left. Remember next time to phone first!




"The Birds!"


Biloxi lighthouse

not so long ago!

Biloxi lighthouse & Visitor center

Biloxi lighthouse

Roy playing lord of the manor

Biloxi Visitor center



Fiddler crab

Cardinal bird

Fort Gaines

Jelly fish washed ashore

coming back to life on the incoming tide

No comments:

Post a Comment