Chapter 10: The Southern Coastlands: On the Subtropical Margin
Yes, Mobile is located in the Southern region, but its microregion is the Southern Coastlands, the area discussed in Chapter 10. I have addressed Mobile's subtropical, humid climate that is very different from the rest of our country in previous posts. This climate not only extends the growing season, it also attracts new residents and visitors. Unlike its neighboring state of Florida, Mobile does not have a large retirement age group. In fact, the median age is only 34.3. If you take a short trip across Mobile Bay however, you will find one of the nicest and most unusual retirement communities in the US in Fairhope, AL. Although it is located in another county (Baldwin), it is only a half hour drive from downtown Mobile. Retirees are attracted to this little city because of the temperate climate and low crime rate. With a population of 14,000, retirees make up over 35% of the population. I spent much time going “across the Bay” to visit my grandfather (PawPaw) and strolling the downtown streets for beignets and shopping in the quaint stores. If you drive a little further down to Gulf Shores, AL, located on the Gulf of Mexico, they even have a term for their retired visitors – “Snowbirds.” These retired Baby Boomers hail from the northern and Midwestern states as well as Canada. Usually arriving in October, they escape the harsh winter conditions of the north to enjoy a mild winter along the Gulf Coast in condos, RVs or retirement communities. Hard numbers on how many Snowbirds winter on the Gulf Coast are impossible to find, some estimate more than 100,000 winter along the northern Gulf Coast and numbers are expected to increase over the next decade.
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| Delicious beignets from Fairhope I enjoyed over the Christmas holidays! |
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| A retirement community in Fairhope, AL |
While the weather, especially in winter months, is very enjoyable, there is a downside to all of that hot, humid air along the Gulf Coast – hurricanes. When discussing the damage done by Hurricane Katrina, most of the talk covers New Orleans and some about Mississippi, but Alabama suffered greatly from this storm. Alabama suffered widespread, moderate to heavy damage caused by hurricane-force winds, flooding by a storm tide of 14–18 feet, and tornadoes. Massive damage occurred along coastal areas, pushing small ships and oil rigs ashore, flooding fishing areas with dozens of shrimp boats, destroying marinas plus hundreds of boardwalks, and swamping beachfront homes or hotels, with widespread tree damage and roofs or shingles torn off. Afterward, 22 counties in Alabama were declared disaster areas for Federal assistance, spanning a 400-mile region. Mobile Bay spilled into downtown Mobile to the depth of 2–6 feet. A flotel (floating habitat used by oil platform crews) broke loose of its moorings and slammed into the Cochrane-Africatown USA Bridge, the bridge damage was later found not to be critical but in the meantime its traffic was reduced from four lanes to two. There was cause for concern because the bridge, in conjunction with underwater tunnels, is a part of the I-10 Hazardous Materials route across the Mobile River. The Battleship Parkway crossing Mobile Bay was also closed before the storm and was completely submerged during the hurricane. Many coastal homes south of the Point Clear area were severely damaged, flooded, or swept away. Damage was quite heavy in coastal Alabama, including significant structural damage to buildings. Bayou La Batre, a fishing town 15 minutes from my house in Mobile, sustained significant damage to its infrastructure and fishing fleet. It was the focal point of public attention given to Alabama in the aftermath of the storm. On Sunday, September 4, 2005, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited a community center in Bayou La Batre and surveyed storm damage with Alabama Governor Bob Riley. My grandmother’s (Nannie) house in the Bayou was blown away from this powerful hurricane. I was not a resident of Mobile when Katrina hit, but I did visit the Bayou in October of 2005. The devastation was unlike anything I’ve ever seen in person. Hundreds of shrimp boats were stacked up on top of each other, 50 yards offshore. It was such a surreal experience that I didn’t even think to take a picture. The picture below is one I found on the web, but it does no justice to what I saw a month after the disaster.
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| Hurricane Katrina as a Category 5 |
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| Shrimp boats in Bayou La Batre, AL after Hurricane Katrina |
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