Why We Still Watch the Sunset
on Alabama's Beaches
If I were to inventory the photos on my phone, in the cloud, or framed in my house, I’d count dozens featuring sunsets along Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan. They reflect every season and color palette, capturing moments in time that I’m able to revisit often. There’s magic in the sunsets on our beaches, and if I’m honest, my photo collection doesn’t do them justice.
Reasons to Watch the Sunset
Sunsets Offer Year-Long Delight
Sunsets Offer Year-Long Delight
Sunsets on the Alabama Gulf Coast are one of the benefits of living here that we can enjoy throughout the year, even when we’re at peak summer occupancy. There are days when it doesn’t appear there’s a sliver of sand left unclaimed by our out-of-town guests. But when the sky begins to darken, and the sandy masses return to their rentals to rinse off for evening activities, we locals can reclaim our favorite – and sometimes secret – spots to catch the best time of the day.
Some of my preferred places to post up for golden hour are the deck at Sea-N-Suds, West Beach Pass, Mo’s Landing on Little Lagoon, Mobile Street Beach, Perdido Pass, Wolf Bay, and the back of our little 17-foot bass boat (when she’s up and running). This is by no means a comprehensive list.
No Two Sunsets Are Alike
No Two Sunsets Are Alike
Some say that once you’ve seen a Gulf sunset, you’ve seen them all. But that, my friends, couldn’t be farther from the truth. One of the features I find most fascinating about our sunsets is that each one is unique. Some evenings, the sun looks like it’s on fire, sizzling into the Gulf in deep oranges, reds, and yellows. Other times, it appears to slowly submerge into the saltwater, showcasing soft pastels in every color of the rainbow.
Sunsets Are for Everyone
Sunsets Are for Everyone
You can pair just about any activity with a sunset. Family photos? Sunset. Glass of wine with a friend? Sunset. Late afternoon surf fishing? Sunset. A relaxing walk with your partner or a solo stroll to decompress? You guessed it–sunset. The experience is free, and it doesn’t require anything other than your presence.
Always Chasing Sunsets
You’d think that after vacationing here as a child and living here full-time for years, I would take our sunsets for granted. And, full disclosure, sometimes I do. But when I drive over the W.C. Holmes Bridge in the afternoon heading home from work, a glance to the west reminds me of what a gift it is to live in this coastal community and to be able to experience the beauty of our sunsets as often as I want.
Ashley Andrews
Ashley Rainer Andrews is a Gulf Coast local who writes from the perspective of someone who has experienced Alabama’s Beaches both as a visitor and as a place to call home. She is the Marketing Manager at Saunders Yachtworks in Gulf Shores and serves on the Junior Board of the Baldwin County Child Advocacy Center and the Session at First Presbyterian Church of Gulf Shores. She enjoys time with her family, reading, staying involved in the community, and never getting tired of a good sunset over the water.