GULF SHORES, ALABAMA, USA -- It's easy to understand the main attraction of Alabama's Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area. It stretches for 32 miles - sugar white sand beaches, bordered by gently lapping warm (in the spring, summer and fall anyway) crystal blue water. No wonder folks from all over the South flock here for fun in the sun. But did you know that in addition to those famous beaches there are bays and bayous - secluded little inlets -- along with the expansive intra-coastal waterway in and around Gulf Shores.

Water is everywhere and there's so much more to the waters of Gulf Shore than those that lap at the white beaches. Naturally visitors will find no shortage of ways to enjoy the water in this southern vacation hot spot.

Waverunners and Parasailing
To get a good view of Gulf Shore's sugar sand beaches, head to Perdido Key Parasail and Waverunners for a speedy adventure in a jet ski, or to fly over the beach in a gentle parasail.

Adventurous family members will love the exhilarating experience of jetting over the water's surface, water splashing in their faces and wind whipping by. Perdido Key Waverunners allow renters a wide expanse of beach to cover in their time on board, and adults and older kids alike will have an unforgettable fast time in the water.

While parasailing may look adventurous, it's actually a gentle experience. Riders start the trip sitting in a harness at the back of a boat. At the proper time, a line, much like a people-sized fishing line, is let out and the rider simply floats along behind the boat. It's about as close as most of us are ever going to get to flying. You'll enjoy memorable panoramic bird's eye views of all the Gulf Shores fun below. When your ride is over, the folks from Perdido Parasails simply reel you back in where you'll gently land on the boat deck before being ferried to shore.

Sailaway Charters
As fun as floating over the water may be, there's no substitute for getting out there on the sea, and Captain Skip Beebe of Sailaway Charters is a fabulous guide to get you there.

Skip's cruises, generally available February through November are a wonderful way for the entire family to connect with Gulf Shore's unique ecosystems and ecology. The cruise starts in Long's Bayou, (bayou being French for little bay). After a thorough review of safety instructions you'll be entertained by Skip's inexhaustible knowledge of history and local lore, along with the wildlife and natural phenomena unique to the area.

Skip includes a "My Nature Tour Mark-It" list so visitors can keep track of, and later remember all the wildlife they've seen. Here's what we checked off on our list when we visited: Florida Laughing Seagulls, Great Blue Herons, Brown Pelicans, Royal Terns, Vultures, Osprey, Bottle Nosed Dolphins, American Oysters, Barnacles, Blue Crabs, Pink Shrimp (also known as Hoppers), Brown Shrimp, Croakers, Spots, Bighead, Sea Robins, Pinfish, Mud Flounders, Squid, Jellyfish and a Sting Ray.

Along the way we learned everything we could possible want to k now about oysters, but didn't know who to ask. Oystering in Alabama is done by "cooning" or picking the shellfish up at low tide (just like raccoons), or by tonging, which is used both commercially and individually. An oyster filters about 20 gallons of water per hour and grows at a rate of about an inch per year. With a lifespan of about 12 years, oysters are born hermaphrodites -- when they are less than 3 inches, they are male, after about 3 years they become female. Skip even teaches you how to tell of you're restaurant of choice is giving you real oysters on the half shell or cheating by putting pre shucked oysters on shells.

Getting Crabby and Shrimping
After touring the bayou you'll progress to Wolf's Bay for crabbing and later shrimping. You can catch blue or stone crabs in and around Gulf Shores. Skip explained that stone crab fishermen will pull off one claw - the edible part of the stone crab -- as it will regenerate. While it may sound cruel, the practice is actually ecologically sound, helping to keep Stone Crab populations stable.

Skip also explained how the area's Blue Crabs molt every 3 months. Fishermen have a 36 to 48 hour window of opportunity to catch "soft shell crabs," a much sought after delicacy.

Depending on the time of year, you will find white, pink shrimp and/or brown shrimp in waters around Gulf Shores. Participants in Skip's cruises get a first hand look at how shrimp nets work and will watch as Skip hauls up a catch. You never know what kind of creatures will also show up in the nets but one thing is sure, Skip Beebe will know the details about all of them.

Skip's trips are surprisingly affordable, making them an economical value-filled choice for memorable fun for the entire family, from small kids to grandparents.

Sailing Away on the Corsair
There is no more picturesque way to get out on the waters of Gulf Shores than on the Corsair, a 65-foot hand built classic Biloxi schooner. It took Captain Mike Broussard over 11,000 man hours and five years to build the ship. By the time he undertook the project in 1976, he had lots of practice, as Captain Mike built his first boat at age nine. The spacious, wooden Corsair historically represents the original charter and shrimping vessels of coastal Alabama and Mississippi.

When asked about the ups and downs of life as a charter boat captain, Mike says he wouldn't have it any other way. "You get out on the bay and get the wind in your face and the blues are all gone," he laughs.

The Freshest Seafood - Ever!
Boat charters on the Corsair include some of the freshest seafood you will ever eat. Why? Because Captain Mike and crew pull up the crab traps and shrimp nets right before your eyes, before carting the contents off to the galley to be prepared for your dinner!

Steamed shrimp and crabs cannot possible get any fresher and more flavorful than this, and you'll eat your dinner surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery the gulf coast has to offer.

Corsair cruises are perfect for wildlife watching and nature photography. Families of wild dolphins frequently follow the Corsair, swimming right up to the boat for scraps and treats from the ship's trawling shrimp nets. Pelicans, egrets, gulls, herons, ospreys, and other coastal birds fly overhead, while the bayou waters lap against moss laden tree lined shorelines.

Groups aboard the Corsair are limited to six passengers, so expect lots of personal attention from the friendly and knowledgeable captain and crew. Captain Mike is also happy to arrange special group charters to meet your guests' needs.

Practicalities
Contact Perdido Key Waverunners and Parasail at 251-948-7433 or visit their website at www.PerdidoKeyParasail.com.

Contact Captain Skip Beebe of Sailaway Charters at 251-974-5055 or click to www.geocities.com/sailorskip.

Contact Captain Mike Broussard at Corsair Charters by calling 251-986-8088 or visit his website at www.CorsairCharters.com.

For more information about visiting the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area, visit the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau website at www.GulfShores.com or call toll free 800-745-SAND or phone 251-968-7511.