Alabama Gulf Coast

13 09, 2017

Use these tips to pack for your fall beach vacation

By |2017-12-20T04:33:14+00:00September 13th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

Planning a fall getaway to the Alabama coast? Knowing Leave Only Footprints regulations before you head our way can help you enjoy your beach vacation even more. Leaving gear like tents, chairs and umbrellas on the beach overnight is now prohibited in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Any items left overnight will get picked up and disposed of by crews. You don’t want that to happen, but you still want to make it easy to get your gear out and [...]

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6 09, 2017

Alabama Coastal Cleanup by the numbers with a list of zones

By |2017-12-20T04:33:14+00:00September 6th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

The Alabama Coastal Cleanup is just around the corner on Sept. 16. It’s the largest annual effort to keep those beautiful beaches clean, and you’re invited to help. Check out this list to get an idea of what the Cleanup accomplishes: 83,000:            Number of volunteers who have participated since 1989 1.5 million:     Pounds of trash removed from Alabama coastline and waterways 639,361:          Cigarette butts removed 189,610:          Plastic bottles picked up 102,981:          Plastic bags collected Want [...]

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16 08, 2017

Four things to know about sea turtle nesting season

By |2017-08-16T14:13:08+00:00August 16th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

If you are a regular visitor to the Alabama Gulf Coast, you’ve no doubt heard the phrase “sea turtle nesting season.” So, just what is it, and what does it mean for beachgoers? Here’s what you need to know. Each year from July to October, thousands of sea turtles make their way to our beaches where they lay eggs. Last year, 22,240 eggs were laid. However, only 14,105 of those hatchlings made their way to the warm gulf waters to [...]

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9 08, 2017

Learn to be Dolphin SMART

By |2017-08-09T13:01:58+00:00August 9th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

You love dolphins, right? We all do. They are beautiful, playful and graceful creatures that you can see from the beach or up close while boating. Visitors love watching dolphins rollicking in the waves. We need to be smart, however, in how we interact with dolphins in order to protect them. A program called Dolphin SMART provides guidelines for all of us to safely view dolphins and protect their habitat. The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits harassment, hunting, capturing, killing [...]

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2 08, 2017

The importance of sea oats and how to protect them

By |2017-08-02T13:28:56+00:00August 2nd, 2017|Blog|1 Comment

Those plants with the large plumes you see along the beach may look like weeds, but they are a vital part of the ecosystem. Sea oats play an important role in coastal conservation. That’s why signs are posted along the beach asking you to avoid areas where there is plant vegetation or a dunes restoration project. Sea oats are actually a miraculous little production plant, and there’s a whole lot more going on than those plumes you see on the [...]

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26 07, 2017

Be a conservationist this summer at the beach

By |2017-07-26T16:07:10+00:00July 26th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

Kids like keeping their planet healthy and clean. They love the beach and want to take care of it. You can help them do that during your visit to the Alabama coast this summer. Below are the basic Leave No Trace principles that kids can learn and implement. Know Before You Go. Learn the Leave Only Footprints rules that prohibit leaving items on the beach after sunset. Teach your kids this rule and let them help you tote the beach [...]

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19 07, 2017

What is the Leave Only Footprints policy?

By |2017-07-19T14:27:42+00:00July 19th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

Do you know the regulations in the Leave Only Footprints program in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach? It’s pretty basic: Any structures or equipment left on the beach an hour after sunset will be removed and disposed of by beach patrols. That includes chairs, tents and toys. Regulations also prohibit tents larger than 10 feet by 10 feet, as well as fireworks, pets and glass bottles. You can’t go wrong if you just leave the beach a little better than [...]

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28 06, 2017

Did you hear the sand squeak? Why does it?

By |2017-06-28T13:36:34+00:00June 28th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

Does it ever sound like the sand is squeaking when you take a walk on Alabama beaches? There’s a very scientific explanation for why that happens. Squeaking - or whistling - sand is heard when quartz sand is well-rounded and shaped in spheres, according to Scientific American magazine. “The frequency of the sound is related to the mean grain size and the amplitude is controlled by the surface texture of the grains,” according to the article. “The loudest squeaking observed [...]

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21 06, 2017

Please re-fill your holes in the sand

By |2017-06-22T11:41:46+00:00June 21st, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

Beach-goers, especially kids, love digging in the sand. They bring their buckets and plastic shovels and get to work. But the holes can cause problems. The most obvious one is that holes - of any size - left unattended can be a tripping hazard for anyone walking on the beach at night. For that reason, digging big holes (more than one-foot deep) is prohibited in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. In addition, metal shovels are not allowed on beaches in [...]

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14 06, 2017

Beach safety tips

By |2017-06-14T15:37:58+00:00June 14th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

We want everyone who visits our Alabama beaches to be safe and healthy. It’s not hard, but it does take planning ahead. Here is a rundown of safety concerns and how to prepare yourself and your family. Avoid heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Any time you have hot temperatures like we do on the Alabama coast, there is a potential for heatstroke. To avoid the risk at the beach, drink plenty of liquids that are not alcoholic, like water or juice. [...]

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