Welcome! Nice sunrise this morning? I'm just a few miles north of you. Ya'll picked a nice time to visit. If you want to see the widest selection of available seafood, ease on over to Joe Patti's in P'cola. It's not far at all from where you are. They will have Gulf oysters from Texas and possibly Louisiana. If it swims in the Gulf, they have it.
The oil spill sucked and still does in ways. Our area of the gulf got hammered pretty hard, but is not dead or dying, imo. Last year was the first time ever that we didn't have an oyster season. It's hard to say what the root cause is. The spill definitely contributed, but run-off and sewage overflows are problems as well. Flounder and crab numbers still seem way down. Finfish and shrimp seem to be doing fine. One of the biggest unknowns is the long term effects of the Corexit dispersant used during the spill. It mixed with the oil and went to the bottom, for how long we don't know.
The spill has really transformed our community however. A lot of the imported cleanup workers never left. I can't really blame them though. Why leave? BP also engaged in a massive campaign across North America to re-ignite the tourism industry here. It worked in more ways than one. The clientele has changed dramatically. Folks move here and want it to be like where they came from.
If ya'll have the time, I recommend a trip down Fort Morgan Rd (HWY 180 W). There is a large National Wildlife Refuge as well as the fort. Some of the best oysters on the planet still live down that way. Maybe one day we can eat them again.
Last edited by Bama_Rick; 02/03/20. Reason: Fort Morgan
