Dauphin Island

simtech

simtech

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Simtech
Took a 2 hour hop down to dauphin Island, AL yesterday. What a blast, the runway sticks out over the water which was cool. A short mile walk to the beach and all was good. Spent the day and flew back home in the evening. 4.3 hours on the hobbs and a day at the beach, couldn't have asked for a better day!! Driving would have taken 4 hours one way!!
 

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Hope you enjoyed your day. Could use a few more pics. Thanks
 
Thanks for the report. I've always wanted to make this flight, as it would be a pretty easy one for me and landing there looks like it would be like landing at Lakefront in New Orleans, which is really fun.
 
They have a shuttle bus that comes by on no particular schedule. It showed up but it wouldn't wait for us to get unloaded. Yeah a day trip and I swear we took half our house! It was a 10 to 15 minute walk to the water so it wasn't bad. We took food but they have a restaurant there at the public beach entrance. And watch out when you walk the board walk. The wood is rather old and crusty and the old nails are sticking up in spots. I about broke my toe when I ran into one!

On the way back I stopped in Meridian, MS and got some fuel. I might could have made it one trip but the thought of 5 gallons in each tank, even though its an hours worth of fuel, doesn't sit will with me. So we stopped and got some free soft serve ice cream and popcorn. They parked me next to a navy jet. Sure make my plane seem small!
 

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Here are some pictures of the beach. It is no white sands like Florida and the water is murky brown, again, unlike Florida. But it was a memorable trip and Ill will for sure be going back!!

I think next time we are going to try Jack Edwards. The good thing about Dauphin Island is there are no fees. Its is easy in and easy out, they have good tie down spots and ropes, and no fuel so plan accordingly.
 

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Another trip you might consider, KCQF, Sonny Callahan airport in Fairhope. It is just a couple of miles from The Grande Hotel at Point Clear. More of a weekend trip, but well worth it. Plenty of things to do at the resort, never have to leave till its time to go home.
 
Challenged said:
Thanks for the report. I've always wanted to make this flight, as it would be a pretty easy one for me and landing there looks like it would be like landing at Lakefront in New Orleans, which is really fun.
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I want to go to Lake Front! Flying in over ponchatrain looks like it would be cool!
 
mikeinbama said:
Another trip you might consider, KCQF, Sonny Callahan airport in Fairhope. It is just a couple of miles from The Grande Hotel at Point Clear. More of a weekend trip, but well worth it. Plenty of things to do at the resort, never have to leave till its time to go home.
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Looks like a real nice place, will have to check it out for sure!
 
Been thinking hard about making this trip since I saw it on AOPA's website recently. Was the sealife litter on the runway as bad as they make it out to be? Anything else you noticed of concern? We're thinking about doing a short weekend there. Prices to rent houses seem very reasonable!
 
BGF_Yankee said:
Been thinking hard about making this trip since I saw it on AOPA's website recently. Was the sealife litter on the runway as bad as they make it out to be? Anything else you noticed of concern? We're thinking about doing a short weekend there. Prices to rent houses seem very reasonable!
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Other than birds there was no litter that we saw that day. But we heard about the shells on the runway to watch for as well. All was good. Nothing else of concern that we saw. Oh well...there are no facilities. Just a runway and parking ramp. So if you need to use the restroom that will have to wait.

What an awesome day! Sure beat spending the day in north Mississippi!!! Next time I'd like to stay longer.
 
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Just out of curiosity, I'd heard that there was only a few parking spots. Was it a big deal? Were there plenty of spots the day you were there?
 
Strangely enough it was only my plane and my buddies there the whole day. There were 10 spots for tie downs. Now we're were there on Sunday so maybe that is why no traffic, or the fact it's too early in the season.
 
I've been to 4R9 when at least 5 planes were tied down but that leaves 5 spots. This past Sunday, just the two of us. Most tie downs had two ropes (one at each wing). A few had all three. I always carry my own tie down equipment just in case. OTOH, the ropes there at 4R9 were in very good condition. So much so that even my wife commented on them.

Great little day trip. Dauphin island has a shuttle. Shuttle service is a seasonal service running from April until August. The service runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM until Labor Day weekend. If the island shuttle is not running, you can call the local police. They will carry you to your destination on the island. Also several local island restaurants will pick you up at the airport.

We have stayed at a condo near 4R9 for a long weekend. Mostly beach combing, swimming in the condo pool... The shuttle ran us to the restaurants near the bridge. There was a small grocery near the bridge where we bought some supplies. Expensive but uber convenient.

No instrument approaches, no services, no AWOS, but 4R9 does have lights. Just be careful that sunset to sunrise there is no horizon whatsoever as you approach the mainland coast southbound. Don't ask me how I discovered this!
 
Awesome! Out of curiosity, what time did you depart? I'm pretty sure I watched you climb out from my boat on the peninsula just south of the island (in the top of your first pic).

I've got a couple dozen landings there and never noticed shells on the runway, not sure if that is really much of a concern. Also never seen more than a few airplanes on the ramp, it's a really sleepy airport. If you tried to fly in during the fishing rodeo that might be another story, but most weekends there is plenty of space.
 
Auburn2002 said:
Awesome! Out of curiosity, what time did you depart? I'm pretty sure I watched you climb out from my boat on the peninsula just south of the island (in the top of your first pic).

I've got a couple dozen landings there and never noticed shells on the runway, not sure if that is really much of a concern. Also never seen more than a few airplanes on the ramp, it's a really sleepy airport. If you tried to fly in during the fishing rodeo that might be another story, but most weekends there is plenty of space.
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We departed at 5:30 Sunday evening. My buddy (JWBruce) departed I believe an hour later.
 
This is my GOTO destination for taking folks on their first flight out of New Orleans. Fort Gaines on the east end is worth the hike on a pretty day. No great restaurants but Islander's just off the beach is cool for a snack.

Fairhope and lunch at the Grand is a close second. The wife and I spend one or two weekends per year there just relaxing...she's all about the spa.
 
simtech said:
We departed at 5:30 Sunday evening. My buddy (JWBruce) departed I believe an hour later.
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Ah, must have been another Cherokee coming or going, the one I saw was around 3 p.m. We also had a Lake amphib fly right down the beach in front of us. Got my daughter to give him a wave and got a wing rock in return. :yes:

Glad you enjoyed it. For living only 40 minutes away, I really don't spend nearly enough time down there. Hopefully that'll change this summer.
 
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