On Tuesday, July 18, a big announcement was made at a press conference held at Julep Point at the Grand Hotel, regarding The Eagle Reef Project. You may recall the story of John Shell, who took on the task of placing manufactured mini-reefs under wharves and piers around the Scenic 98 Coastal area, to help facilitate the growth of oysters and barnacles that, in turn, would filter water and attract fish and crabs.

Oyster farming has always fascinated me. I remember as a boy going fishing out of Dauphin Island and seeing small skiffs with men with long tongs pulling up wild-grown oysters from the oyster beds and piling them up on the decks of their boats. It looked like hard work, which it was. They would take their harvest to Coden or Bayou La Batre for processing, whether sold by the bag or shucked in pints, quarts, or gallon containers.

As a lifelong resident of Mobile who spent my summers, from Memorial Day through Labor Day, in Point Clear, Alabama, I’ve seen much change in my lifetime in the waters surrounding the Scenic 98 Coastal area. These changes are a cause for concern, and I’ve tried to gain a better understanding of what has happened and what can be done to preserve and protect these waters that we all enjoy.

God drove Man out of the Garden of Eden and into a life of toil. He loves us, so He created the northern Gulf Coast. He brought forth wild beasts of the forest, birds of the air, and Red Snapper. In fact, there are so many fish, beasts, and birds along our coast that some men hardly toil at all.

One of Scenic 98 Coastal’s missions is to raise awareness for the conservation groups that are working hard to preserve and protect our coastal lands and waters. South Alabama Land Trust (SALT) is one of those important organizations. I sat down with Katherine Kuhn, Outreach and Communications Manager for SALT to learn more about what they do.

There is nothing like being on the open water as the sun is setting and feeling cool breezes on your face. That’s when the sky’s colors begin to paint a magnificent masterpiece that is as brilliant on Mobile Bay as any place in the world. Middle Bay Sailing Charters helps you do just that in style.

Years ago, my friend, Harris Brown, and I fished around Dauphin Island in high school and college in a 16’ Stauter. He has always been a much better fisherman than I am, and it was his boat. Since I had a summer construction job, we would drive to the island and fish late afternoons. The deal was I would buy the gas and he would charge a pair of flip-flops at Ben Burgers for both of us to avoid the sand spurs when launching and retrieving the boat. Well worth it.

Richard Rutland has been fishing the waters around Dauphin Island for as long as he can remember. Literally. He makes his living at it.