Fairhope parks

There are some nice little parks with beaches in the Fairhope area. Is the water in Mobile Bay good for swimming?

Fairhope parks

I just returned from Point Clear (just a few minutes from Fairhope). People seemed to be enjoying swimming in the bay. It was fairly dark looking though - not like the white sandy beaches in Gulf Shores or Destin.

Fairhope parks

I live in Fairhope and grew up swimming in the bay. My son swims in it now! Even though it is brown and doesn%26#39;t look very clean, it is fine.

Sure you can swim, Get you a cane pole and some shrimp from wally world and you can catch a few fish. This is the first year and some time that they have not had to close the beach for a week or two due to poor water quality.

I like the ones above swim fish and let my children do the same in the water.

Enjoy your stay.

There are color coded postings regarding swim water quality all along the Eastern Shore. If it%26#39;s green, swim, If it%26#39;s not, don%26#39;t. If it%26#39;s red, it is usually because of a high concentration of e-coli bacteria.

Regardless of the color coding, unless you have an open wound or have a weak immune system, don%26#39;t worry about the water.

I think it is pretty irresponsible to tell people to ';not worry about the water, no matter what the color coding unless you have an open wound or a weak immune system';. For one thing you could get an open wound while you are in the water on a rock or a shell. You could accidently have water splashed in your mouth or your eyes. Also some people may not be aware that they have a weak immune system and even people with normal immune systems can get sick although maybe not as sick as someone with a weak one. The bottom line is an e coli infection can be life threatening, especially to children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.. Why chance it? IF THERE ARE WARNINGS OF HIGH BACTERIAL CONTENT, DO NOT SWIM OR FISH IN THE WATER.

are there sharks or allegators that you have to worry about in the bay?

There are sharks and alligators in the bay but it is nothing to really worry about. I have never heard about anyone being attacked by one in the Fairhope area.

Other than the bay is there any lakes that are safe to swim in? How far is it to the ocean? Doesnt it scare you that an alligator could get you or your kids while they are swimming?

I don%26#39;t know of any lakes that are safe to swim in that are close by. There is a lake in my neighborhood but there is a sign posted there that warns people about alligators and snakes. It is about a 30 to 45 minute drive to the Gulf Shores, Alabama beach. This is a real touristy type beach, lots of condos, restaurants etc. I don%26#39;t worry about an alligator getting me or my child because we don%26#39;t swim anywhere they are. :)

We grew up in Fairhope and all of my family still lives there, raising their children. We%26#39;ve all survived swimming, skiing, boating and fishing in the Bay and surrounding waters. My cousin was injured in a boating accident when he was young, got lots of bay water in his chest where a chunk of ribs got slashed out by a propeller and is living to tell about it. My nieces and nephews continue to swim there and in Fish River, where my brother has a house. Sure, there are gators in the rivers, ponds, lakes and swampy/brackish areas; yes, there are sharks in the bay and around the waters off Gulf Shores, especially around Fort Morgan. But in the 100+ years my family has lived in that area, haven%26#39;t heard of anyone really being injured by one of them.