The Friendship Oak, shrimp boats and an excursion to Pass Christian.

Today's primary mission was to locate the Friendship Oak on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi in Long Beach (the next town towards New Orleans). It's right off Beach Rd, or US 90, and was so worth the trip.

It is a Live Oak (as are all the other magnificent trees the grace the lawns and line the beach boulevard), and is 500 years old--imagine! It's now 50' high with a spread of 156 feet and provides 16,000 sf of shelter. It's a favorite place to get married, and legend has it it that those who walk under the limbs will be friends forever.

A signpost puts everything in perspective.

The stairs are no longer there (washed away by Katrina?), but it still is something to behold.

Next on our list was to find Pass Christian Harbor, and a restaurant called Shaggy's . Since there is really only one road along the beach, it was easy to spot.

Rumor has it they have great food, great music and also allow dogs.  We'll see! On the other side of the harbor, shrimp boats sat idle--we will have to find out more about the shrimping season.  We hear there's a shrimp boat in Biloxi that takes on passengers for day trips--that would be very cool!



Just at the end of the harbor there is a an extensive fishing pier, complete with benches, shaded canopies and containers for fishing line and other used fishing gear. Maggie enjoyed exploring.

Just beyond the pier there was all kinds of activity...fellows in shallow boats with rakes and another fellow who seemed to be collecting or processing the catch.  Bud's guess is oysters...but we will have to find out.

The drive along Beach Road is interesting. Parts are still lined with the Live Oaks, but often you see empty lots with forlorn-looking foundations--houses destroyed by Katrina and never rebuilt.  But some houses  (clearly many which have been around for many decades) are beautifully maintained--what we would call southern mansions.  Very Tara-esque.  I stopped to take a photo of one and was greeted by an immense  Great Dane.  I took my shot and hopped back in the car!

From there we stopped into the Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis, just beyond Pass Christian click here for link (great keno machines and an $800 win for me).  Another stop at the Sliver Slipper Casino click here for link netted Bud $100.

Fun!!