Longest Pier on the Gulf of Mexico
Officially Opens to the Public
July 25, 2009 - Gulf Shores, AL (OBA) - It's official... the
longest fishing and sightseeing pier on the Gulf of Mexico has opened
for business. Hundreds of pier fans were on hand this past Thursday as
Alabama Governor Bob Riley, along with state and local officials, cut
the ribbon on the Alabama Gulf State Park Pier. While the Pier
opened on Monday, July 20, 2009, the grand opening and ribbon cutting
ceremony took place on Thursday July 23rd.
According to park officials, the pier already had 4,500 visitors prior
to the grand opening.
Gov. Riley, State & Local Officials, cut the
ribbon
on the longest pier on the entire Gulf of Mexico
"We have the largest, the best, the most modern, probably as
structurally sound as any pier that has ever been built, we have the
best on the gulf coast." said Governor Riley. For the last few years, the Alabama Parks Department has received
thousands of phone calls asking when the new pier would be finished.
Now questions have turned to prices, rules and types of fish caught. This past week,the excitement
level seen in so many people fishing and sightseeing on the new pier was
contagious. As happy anglers lined the rails, sightseers gathered
with wide-eyed amazement to watch large king mackerel, Spanish mackerel,
bluefish, flounder and other fish being reeled in. The children on the pier were getting a real-life education about
the marine life that lives beneath the surface of the northern Gulf
waters. Enthusiastic anglers are more than willing to share their
knowledge with anyone who wants to hear their stories. And it's not just
a marine biology lesson... it's a lesson on how to interact with others.
New friends will be made as strangers share their love of fishing and
the beauty of the gulf coast. "This is the type of educational
experience that will stick with a child for the rest of their lives,"
says noted local author Andy Andrews, who made a brief presentation at
the opening ceremony. He also told about his experience of living under
the old pier for two years, a theme that is used in his newest best
selling book The Noticer. The 1,540 foot walk south into the Gulf is the most scenic walk
on the Alabama Gulf Coast, with Gulf Shores to the west, Orange Beach to
the east and an impressive ecosystem teaming with abundant marine life
under your feet. Alabama's Gulf State Park, under the supervision of Park Director Hugh
S. Branyon, is a 6,150 acre state park located on the Gulf of Mexico. It
boasts an 18 hole championship-style golf course, 500 campsites, 900 acres
of fresh water lakes, about three miles of sugar sand beaches and is now
home to the longest pier on the entire Gulf of Mexico. The new pier is managed by Mike Guinn, who managed the old pier
that was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan on Sept. 16, 2004.
Click the play button below to watch the amature video that shows
Governor Riley talking about the Mariculture Center in Gulf Shores, as a
school of bluefish tear up the water over his left shoulder.
Click the Play Button below to watch a photo slideshow of
the Grand Opening Ceremony.
Longest Pier on the Gulf of Mexico Officially Opens to Public
