By now, most people know or have heard of Ben Raines. He’s made the news a lot, written books, and discovered things like the last slave ship, the Clotilda, and an underwater forest offshore of Gulf Shores.

I recently got on the horn with Bob Lepisto, President of SeaDream Yacht Club, which is based in Miami, Florida. I’ve known Bob for many years and had the pleasure of going on a SeaDream voyage several years ago with eight other couples. We had a blast, and it is still one of the best travel experiences I’ve had in my life.

Last week we made a quick trip to Grayton Beach, Florida with friends. It’s an easy two-and-a-half-hour drive from Fairhope. This time of year is our favorite time to visit and two days is never enough. The weather was perfect, and the crowds were easily managed. That first night's sunset was spectacular!

It was a glorious Wednesday last week when Linda and I decided it would be a good idea to take some old friends and newly minted Fairhopians on a day trip to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. We have been several times, but this was their first encounter. They were blown away!

So, it was with the trip billed as our “Last Hoorah,” the finale in a series of adventures that began 16 years ago with a trip to Florida and the Keys and included romps through the Northeast from Niagara Falls to Maine to the Statue of Liberty, a hair-raising climb through the Rockies including Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and fishing Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, a look at the Grand Canyon and Death Valley and a hot air balloon ride over Napa Valley with a trek up the West Coast into the great Northwest to a whale watching expedition in the San Juan Straits.

We have named Andrew Saunders Poet Laurette for Scenic 98 Coastal. Thanks, Andrew for your wonderful contributions to our newsletter, We look forward to many more.

Saturday, May 14, marked the 15th anniversary of Pensacola’s Palafox Market, and Scenic 98 Coastal decided to check it out.

This past Mother’s Day was perfect for a boat ride to one our favorite places, Magnolia River.