The Wharf - Orange Beach, AL

It was a quick trip to The Wharf Marina in Orange Beach, AL.  It’s a beautiful marina with great amenities.  We stayed Tuesday – Friday this last week and took in all The Wharf had to offer!  I say this in almost every post, but it’s so true….every day on the Loop is different.  The Wharf couldn’t be any more different than the bayou on the Mobile River.  In addition to the great facility, there were shops, restaurants, movie theater, gym, yacht sales and a plethora of gorgeous boats to look at!

The main drag at The Wharf

Night view down The Wharf strip. Lighted palm trees and ferris wheel were beautiful

After we arrived Tuesday we walked the property, had a great lunch at Ginny Lanes and went to A Star Is Born (which was awesome) at the theater (got my popcorn fix too).   Wednesday, Tom was all about getting maintenance done on the boat and I headed to Moxie’s gym for a spinning workout and a salon for a haircut and little of my own maintenance 😊. 
We totally enjoyed the hot, humid weather this last week.  It got up to 81 and we soaked it all in, especially when we got calls from Sam back home in MN and Griff in CO telling us it was snowing in both locations!  The birds and wild life are abundant and I even caught a pic of little crab scuttling around at low tide in the marina.  

Crabs at low tide

Docks at The Wharf

​The Wharf was hosting the World Food Championships 2018.  It was so cool and being the foodies that we are, we attended Thursday afternoon with the Petersons.  The round that we sampled was seafood.  It was fantastic!  After the entries were judged, they were divided up and brought out to the crowd.  They were all incredible.  We indulged in lobster, crab, shrimp and other seafood that was prepared and presented beautifully.   We enjoyed seeing all the chefs at work slaving in the heat to wow the judges.  The competition ran from Wednesday – Sunday and the categories varied from sandwiches, bacon, dessert, burgers, BBQ, chicken, steak, seafood, etc.  Below are a couple pics from the seafood round.  Delicious!

The main prep floor at the World Food Competition

Tom with the Peterson's enjoying a libation and the view of the chefs hard at work at the World Food Competition

One of many seafood entries

A scallop dish on the left and lobster mac & cheese on the right

After the food competition, we all made our way down the Wharf strip and I tried my first, and probably last boiled peanut.  Not sure if I got a dud, but I wasn't impressed with this southern specialty.  Sorry Jimmy Carter!
​We've met some great folks in our travels so far.  While visiting the Peterson's boat Thursday night a beer and music, we met another couple from MN.  They did the Loop in 2015 and shared some Loop wisdom with us.  So fun to make those Minnesota connections and hear their stories and advice.  Ironically, they are friends with the Aherns (Jealous Mistress) who we met on our way down in Lock 8, way back 7 weeks ago!
The last shot is a night picture of a barge making it's way down the ICW.  It's a little fuzzy, but we thought is was kind of a cool view of the waterway at work at night.
​More later~