Mirella Street on Bayou Garcon: A Waterfront Legacy in the Making



There’s something quietly reverent about a piece of land that still feels untouched — where the water meets the marsh in a slow, steady rhythm, and the only sound you hear is the rustle of the bay breeze through the pines. Along Mirella Street in Pensacola, Florida, that kind of rare coastal serenity still exists.

Set on the tranquil curve of Bayou Garcon, this exclusive collection of six waterfront tracts spans nearly twenty acres of pristine Gulf Coast landscape, offering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create something extraordinary.

The Setting: Where the South Meets the Sea

This stretch of Innerarity Heights and Perdido Key has long been one of Pensacola’s…

5 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post


Luxury Living in Gulf Breeze and Navarre, Florida: Where Southern Charm Meets Coastal Sophistication



Every once in a while, you come across a stretch of coastline that seems to understand balance — where refinement meets relaxation, and where every porch, marina, and palm-lined street whispers the promise of an unhurried life. Gulf Breeze and Navarre, Florida, offer that kind of rare equilibrium — a luxurious, coastal lifestyle rooted in Southern grace and guided by water.

When I tour these communities with clients, I always tell them: “Luxury here isn’t about excess — it’s about ease.” It’s the way a home feels when the sunlight hits the bay through a wall of windows, or how the air seems to carry both salt and stillness.

The Elegant…

6 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post


Homes and Waterfront Properties on Old River, Ono Island

Old River Homes and Vacant Land For Sale on Ono Island

Life Along Old River: The Southern Edge of Ono Island

As a homeowner and real estate advisor on Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/, I’ve always been drawn to the quiet rhythm of Old River, the southern edge of the island where the light shifts like silk across the water. The river bends gracefully between Alabama and Florida, a ribbon of calm that catches the morning tide and the afternoon breeze. It’s a place where the days feel longer — not because of time, but because of how gently life moves here.

Homes and vacant lots along Old River line Ono Boulevard and River Road, tracing the waterfront with private docks, shaded porches, and long, open views. Here,…

12 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post


Building a Waterfront Home in Orange Beach, Alabama: Where Architecture Meets Southern Salt Air


Ono Island Waterfront Home Marlin Key Drive with Boathouse

There’s a quiet poetry to homebuilding along the Alabama Gulf Coast. The light here bends differently — softer in the morning, golden by late afternoon, when the sun slips low over Bayou St. John and the air carries just a trace of salt. In Orange Beach, where architecture meets water and hospitality meets heritage, building a home isn’t just construction — it’s an act of devotion.

As someone who has spent years walking job sites with builders and homeowners, I’ve come to believe that coastal architecture here is less about square footage and more about soul. A waterfront home in Orange Beach should feel like it’s always belonged — rooted in…

24 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post


Stem Wall vs. Monolithic Slab Foundations on the Gulf Coast


When you’re building along the Gulf Coast, the foundation is one of the most important structural choices you’ll make. Conditions vary from lot to lot — from the higher elevations of Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/ to the flatter areas of Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/ and Gulf Shores — https://www.searchthegulf.com/gulf-shores/.

Two primary foundation types dominate new construction here: the stem wall and the monolithic slab. Both provide excellent strength when engineered for local soils and elevations, and both can be used successfully across the region.

Stem Wall Foundation

A stem wall foundation begins with poured…

23 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post


The Hidden Shield: Why I Recommend VPN Protection for Every Gulf Coast Home


By Meredith Folger Amon, Licensed in Alabama and Florida
Guided by Integrity. Backed by Experience. Search the Gulf with Meredith Folger Amon.

VPN Gulf Coast Orange Beach Perdido Key Gulf Coast Virtual Protection

Living on Ono Island, Orange Beach, and throughout the Gulf Coast, we spend so much of our time connected—streaming SEC football, checking radar before a boat day, or helping a neighbor troubleshoot a dock camera. But what most homeowners don’t realize is that every one of those moments creates a digital trail. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, acts like a digital cloak, wrapping your online life in protection and privacy.

What a VPN Really Does

Think of a VPN as disguising your return address and sending it through a…

22 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Top 10 Offshore Center Consoles (33–36 ft) for Orange Beach, Alabama


By Meredith Folger Amon — Licensed in Alabama and Florida

On a good Orange Beach day, you can idle out of Terry Cove, slide past the markers to Perdido Pass, and decide—bluewater dash or Robinson Island raft-up. In this size class, a deep-V center console with triple power gives you the flexibility to do both. The hull softens the afternoon chop, a second-station tower helps thread crowded anchorages, and the range is there when the Gulf window opens. If you’re pairing a boat like this with a home, plan for a 20k–25k lb lift, double-check beam and piling spacing, and think through fuel and shore-power access at the dock.

Orange Beach —…

64 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post


AUTUMN REFLECTIONS ON ONO ISLAND AND THE GULF COAST

By Meredith Folger Amon, Licensed in Alabama and Florida
"Guided by Integrity. Backed by Experience. Search the Gulf with Meredith Folger Amon."

Ono Island Homes For Sale

Autumn on the Gulf Coast

Autumn on the Gulf Coast feels different than anywhere else. Here in Orange Beach and on Ono Island, the season shows up in subtler ways—bronze marsh grass lining Ole River, fiery sunsets stretching across Perdido Bay, and calm waters that invite longer boating days. Neighbors are still out on their docks, tying up boats after an afternoon cruise, or gathering at marinas for live music.

For me, autumn is both a time of gratitude and forward vision. It’s harvest season—a moment to reflect on what has been built and to…

26 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Coastal Blue Crab Claws in White Wine Butter

By Meredith Folger Amon — Licensed in Alabama and Florida
Guided by Integrity. Backed by Experience. Search the Gulf with Meredith Folger Amon

Crab Claws Recipe


I love simple coastal dishes that let the seafood speak. This is the sauté I order after a day on the water and the one I make at home when friends stop by. It’s fast, elegant, and perfect with warm bread for dipping.

Yield and Timing

  • Serves: 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a light supper

  • Time: 20 minutes, start to finish

Ingredients

For the sauce

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

  • 1 small shallot, minced

  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper…

81 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

I wrote this the way I shop boats with clients: by how we actually use them here—running from Old River past the Flora-Bama, sliding into the anchorage at Fort McRee, hopping over to Pensacola Beach, or easing into a slip for dinner and a show at The Wharf in Orange Beach. On practice days, we idle just off the shoreline to watch the Blue Angels carve blue arcs across the sky. That’s the rhythm. These boats fit it.

Quick note on pricing: I’m listing 2025 MSRP or current dealer asking ranges where publicly available; exact numbers move with power, options, freight, and dealer adds.

Boating on the Gulf Coast

Best Day Boats for Perdido Key (2025)

Best Value for Price — Sea Hunt Ultra 265 SE

Typical 2025 pricing: starts around $148,250 MSRP; many dealer listings run …

91 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post