Gulf Shore Getaway

Archaeological Relic Left to Rot on Dauphin Island

Quite a story brewing over on Dauphin Island today. The wreckage of what is generally believed to be the Robert H. Dixey, a 19th century clipper cargo ship which sank near the mouth of Mobile Bay after striking a sand bar, has been left to decay in the elements beside the road.

According to Glenn Forest, an amateur marine archaeologist, the ship fragment must be kept moist and out of direct sunlight in order to properly preserve the relic. A central issue, however, is just what to do with it. The fragment is 40 feet long and weighs approximately seven tons.

Various plans to store and preserve the relic seem to have been abandoned. Now what's left of the Robert H. Dixey sits exposed and unprotected by the road, like so much rubbish awaiting pick up.

Massive wreckage of wooden vessel draws concern at Dauphin Island

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. (AP) - The massive remains of a shipwrecked wooden vessel, tossed into beach homes by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, lay beside a road. Its location worries the archaeologist who saved it from being torn apart by a home repair crew.

Glenn Forest, who noted the possible historical value of the wreckage in February, said the wood could decay dramatically if it remains in the sun much longer. It had been dragged to the roadside from under a storm-damaged home. Read more

Dauphin Island tops for Mobile area spring breakers

The Mobile Register leads with Dauphin Island as its top recommendation for Mobile area vacationers looking to get away for a quick and accessible spring break vacation.

Along with touring Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island there's all that warm sunshine and fresh ocean breezes on the beach, the Dauphin Island Fishing Pier, Bellingrath Gardens, the shell mounds... the list goes on and on.

It's spring break time

So you don't want to load the kids into the car, drive for eight hours to your destination and plop down hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars, for your spring break vacation?

Then just stay home. You don't have to leave the area to have fun and still feel like you've spent quality time with your kids and family during spring break.

There are plenty of fun and interesting things to do and see in this area to fill a week.

Drive to Dauphin Island and tour Fort Gaines at the east end of the island. Then drive your car onto the Mobile Bay Ferry for a trip to Fort Morgan.

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Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge reopens to birders on Monday

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge reopens to the public beginning Monday, just in time for peak birding season. The park has been closed since September 2004 except for limited beach access.

FORT MORGAN, Ala. - Wild birds returning from Mexico this month take rest stops at Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan Peninsula, where birdwatchers with cameras and binoculars await their arrival.

For the first time since Hurricane Ivan struck the Alabama coast in September 2004, birders and other visitors will be allowed into the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge beginning Monday. Walking trails have been repaired in this favorite forested area for migratory birds, nesting sea turtles and the federally protected Alabama beach mouse.

The refuge had about 100,000 visitors annually before the hurricane, according to federal wildlife officials. There is no entry fee.

The refuge's reopening coincides with the work of a study group banding hummingbirds at Fort Morgan until April 15, said John Porter, volunteer director of the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary.

Dauphin Island last year was named "birdiest coastal" small city based on its April count of 185 species, said Philip Pryde, a professor emeritus at San Diego State University who teaches birding identification courses. Pryde coordinates the national bird counts reported by teams of birdwatchers in 40 cities and counties.

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Bill Gates to build on Dauphin Island, help build berm

Microsoft founder Bill Gates announced today he intends to purchase a significant portion of Dauphin Island's West End and turn it into a private vacation resort for his family. Gates' plans are to construct a sprawling vacation getaway villa for himself and his wife, Melinda, on West End Dauphin Island properties cleared by hurricanes last year.

Katrina did most of the clearing off work for us already, saving us that cost, which we're passing along to the sellers. Plus we're offering more than FEMA. We've got lots of money to burn, so it's kind of a no-brainer.

Gates' plans also include a 45-foot high berm which will completely surround his property.

A 45-footer is more than twice as much protection as the experts say we need; but we want to be absolutely sure.

It won't look like a 45 foot berm from the inside, however.

We'll probably raise the entire compound 25 feet or so. We don't want to lose the view. We're still waiting for the architects and engineers to finish their study, but I don't think it will be a problem.

Experts close to the project estimate it will take approximately 3.4 million cubic yards of sand to raise his tract of land 25 feet, at a cost of nearly $22 million.

The Town of Dauphin Island and the Dauphin Island Property Owners' Association are falling all over themselves welcoming Dauphin Island's newest owners. It's estimated the property taxes alone on Mr. and Mrs. Gates' villa will be more than enough to pay for a berm for the rest of the island.

When asked whether they intended to contribute to the Dauphin Island berm fund, Mr. Gates replied that it sounded like a decent enough idea and that once he and his wife were property owners he'd certainly consider it.

Spring break a bust for Dauphin Island

Dauphin Island is the place where the Ocean Warwick washed ashore last August. It's where Katrina tore a hole clear through the thin barrier island from south to north, separating most of Dauphin Island's undeveloped western territory from the more developed east.

Dauphin Island is the barrier island which lost a third of its vacation rental houses to last year's storms.

And as if that weren't enough, now the tourists and vacationers who migrate in as the snowbirds migrate north - the spring breakers - are not coming back. Talk about adding insult to injury.

Come to think of it Dauphin Island might become something like Florida's Forgotten Coastline - a refuge for smart vacationers looking to get away from the crowds and the noise you find on the more developed beach front areas like Gulfport and Orange beach.

Oh, wait, that's exactly what Dauphin Island is today.

Dauphin Island Lighthouse to be Assessed

Dauphin Island's lighthouse, known as the Sand Island Lighthouse, is about to undergo a full assessment to learn the extent of damage, wear and tear from time and the elements. Hard as it might be to believe, no one has checked up on the lighthouse since Hurricane Katrina tore through the area.

Local officials and the Alabama Lighthouse Association, who share ownership and stewardship of the lighthouse, have plans to renovate the structure and turn it into a tourist destination.

Beginning next month a safety crew will inspect the lighthouse to ensure it's safe for future crews of workers who will perform repairs. Their primary concern will be access - the stairs and walkways workers will need to use extensively to do any work on the 134 year old structure.

The Town of Dauphin Island and the Alabama Lighthouse Association believe it may cost as much as $2 million to renovate and restore the Sand Island Lighthouse. The full extent of the work required is unknown, but they believe the lighthouse is in very poor shape. The walls have extensive cracks, the roof is heavily damaged and little protective foundation remains. Their renovation plan would provide for shoring up the foundation and affecting all repairs and renovations needed in order to make the Sand Island Lighthouse into an attraction for tourists and vacationers.