Flat Stanley Hits the Beach

The beach at Gulf Shores

Hi Adeline,

I'm sorry it has been so long since I wrote to you. I have been traveling, and I did not have internet most of the time I was on the road. But I have a lot to tell you.

I spent a few weeks at Gulf Shores, Alabama, on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. Gulf Shores has a wide, white beach that is lined with condominiums and hotels. When I was there, the beach was nearly empty and we could walk for miles along the water without seeing very many people.

Sometimes the beach fills up with people, especially during festivals like the National Shrimp Festival in October and the Hangout Music Festival in May. And, of course, the beach is jam-packed all summer with people tanning, swimming, boating, fishing and flying kites.

I saw a big fishing boat in Pensacola, Fla.

Lots of kinds of seafood are caught here — oysters, shrimp, crabs, crawfish and many kinds of fish. Sea turtles nest in protected areas on the beach. Sometimes you can see porpoises and sometimes sharks.

Many kinds of sea birds are here, too — seagulls, brown pelicans, terns, blue herons,white ibises and more. It is a popular place for birdwatchers.

I try my hand a picking cotton. 

The land leading down to the beach is flat and sandy, and it is very fertile. I was surprised how many crops are grown here. The beach is just a skinny line where the ocean meets the land, but farms spread out over miles and miles of south Alabama. I got to see peanuts, corn, soybeans, pecans, sweet potatoes, satsumas, azaleas and cotton.

The cotton was my favorite, even though you can't eat it. It is used to make cloth. T-shirts, blue jeans, sheets and handkerchiefs are some of the things you may have that are made of cotton.

Around the end of November, the weather began to be chilly and rainy, so we decided it was time to go farther south. I will tell you about the trip next time.

Hugs and Kisses,
Flat Stan