Gulf Coast Hurricane Preparation Guide | Meredith Amon

The Search The Gulf Coastal Homeowner's Guide

Before the Palms Begin to Bend

My practical Gulf Coast hurricane preparation guide for Orange Beach, Ono Island and Coastal Alabama homeowners, condo owners, boaters, buyers and sellers.

By Meredith Folger Amon  |  Gulf Coast Real Estate Advisor

There is a particular kind of stillness on the Gulf Coast before the weather changes. The water can look polished as pewter. The palms may barely stir. Boats rest quietly in their lifts, and porches are still arranged for morning coffee. It is beautiful—but those of us who call this coast home understand that a blue-sky day is precisely when hurricane preparation should begin.

I live here, and I never want hurricane preparation to…

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Ono Island & Orange Beach Tide Outlook | 2026 Boating Guide

Ono Island Boating Collection · 2026
ONO ISLAND BOATING COLLECTION · 2026

Ono Island and Orange Beach Tide Outlook

A practical, personal guide to higher and lower water from August through December 2026—and what those changing conditions may mean for waterfront homes, private docks and everyday boating.

I remember sitting with an Ono Island neighbor on her dock one afternoon, enjoying that soft coastal light as it shimmered across the water. She pointed toward the pilings and showed me how far the water had fallen since morning.

“Watch the waterline,” she told me. “It will tell you more than you think.”

That simple observation stayed with me. The tide affects much more than the appearance of the…

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Buying a Coastal Homesite on Ono Island or Orange Beach | Wetlands, Soil Testing & Due Diligence

The Coastal Homesite Guide

Before You Build: Wetlands, Soil Testing, Elevations & Coastal Due Diligence

What buyers and sellers should understand before purchasing a homesite on Ono Island, in Orange Beach or elsewhere along the Alabama Gulf Coast.

By Meredith  |  Gulf Coast Real Estate Advisor & Ono Island Homeowner

Purchasing vacant land along the Alabama Gulf Coast can be an extraordinary opportunity—but a beautiful homesite is not automatically a buildable homesite.

On Ono Island, in Orange Beach and throughout coastal Baldwin County, some of the most important parts of a property are the ones we cannot see from the road. Wetlands, soft soils, undocumented fill, high groundwater, flood-elevation…

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Geotechnical Soil Tests for Gulf Coast And Ono Island Homesites

Gulf Coast Homesite Due Diligence

What Is a Geotechnical Soil Test?

A buyer and seller’s guide to waterfront homesites on Ono Island, in Orange Beach and along the Gulf Coast.

When buyers begin looking at a beautiful waterfront homesite, it is perfectly natural to focus on what can be seen: the view, the shoreline, the boating access, the trees and the possibilities for a future home.

But one of the most important parts of the property may be the part no one can see.

The soil beneath a coastal lot can influence how a house must be supported, how deep foundation pilings may need to extend and, ultimately, how much the project may cost. That is why I often encourage buyers considering waterfront land—especially…

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Harbor Drive on Ono Harbour | Ono Island Real Estate

The Search the Gulf Ono Island Guide

Harbor Drive On Ono Harbour

Architecture, protected boat slips and the beauty of life beside the water on Ono Island

There are places on Ono Island that seem to reveal themselves slowly, and Ono Harbour is one of them.

Ono Harbour encompasses two streets—Harbor Drive and Peninsula Drive—each with its own relationship to the water. In this guide, I am focusing specifically on Harbor Drive: a distinctive stretch of Ono Island where substantial homesites, protected boating access, coastal architecture and long views across the marsh come together beautifully.

When I turn onto Harbor Drive, I immediately notice the openness. The sky seems broader here. Palms and pines frame the road,…

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Ono Island Variances vs. Permits: ACC Rules, Costs & Examples

 Search The Gulf Signature Guide

Ono Island Variances & Permits

A thoughtful guide to understanding the difference, navigating the ACC process and protecting your plans before purchasing, designing or building.

By Meredith  |  Search The Gulf

Owning property on Ono Island is a special privilege. It also comes with architectural standards designed to protect the island’s appearance, safety, neighboring properties and long-term value.

Two words that often arise when someone is considering a new home, addition, swimming pool, accessory structure, fence or waterfront improvement are …

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KUSH 370 Catamaran & Orange Beach Waterfront Living

Search The Gulf Signature Guide

The KUSH 370 Catamaran

Where luxury boating meets Orange Beach waterfront living

There is a particular kind of morning in Orange Beach when the water is smooth, the sky is beginning to blush and a beautiful boat slips quietly away from a private dock. The engines settle into their rhythm, the bow turns toward Perdido Pass and, almost instantly, the house and boat become part of the same story.

That is what I think about when I look at the KUSH 370 Catamaran.

This 37-foot luxury center-console catamaran feels especially well suited to the Alabama Gulf Coast because it can move comfortably between the many ways we enjoy the water here. It can be an offshore fishing boat before sunrise, an…

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How to Calculate Your Ono Island Boating Radius | Waterfront Homes

The Search the Gulf Dock-to-Gulf Series

How to Calculate Your Ono Island Boating Radius

A local framework for understanding how far—and how easily—you can travel from an Ono Island waterfront home by boat.

By Meredith | Ono Island Homeowner & Gulf Coast Real Estate Advisor

When buyers ask me how close an Ono Island home is to the Gulf, the most accurate answer is not always a number of miles. A property may look close to Perdido Pass on a map, yet its everyday boating experience can be influenced by canal navigation, no-wake areas, current, dock configuration, vessel type and the route required to reach open water.

That is why I encourage buyers to calculate what I call their Ono Island boating radius: the practical area…

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What People Get Wrong About Ono Island—and What It Is Really Like to Live Here

Living on Ono Island

What People Get Wrong About Ono Island—and What It Is Really Like to Live Here

A homeowner’s perspective on the gate, security, boating, community rules, waterfront living and the quiet rhythm of life beyond the bridge.

There is a moment I have experienced many times while showing property on Ono Island.

As we approach the bridge, a buyer may notice a line of work vehicles near the entrance. Builders, subcontractors, landscapers and other authorized professionals sometimes wait while Ono Island Security completes the required clearance process.

The buyer looks at me and says, “I would never want to sit in that traffic every day.”

I understand why it looks that way from the outside. As an Ono…

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Turquoise Place vs. The Oasis: Orange Beach Condo Investment Comparison

Orange Beach Condo Investment Guide

Turquoise Place vs. The Oasis: Which Orange Beach Condo Is the Better Investment?

A practical comparison of purchase prices, rental potential, association fees, property taxes, insurance assessments, utilities, management expenses, amenities, and potential return on investment.

Two Luxury Resorts—Two Very Different Investment Strategies

Turquoise Place and The Oasis at Orange Beach, formerly known as Phoenix West II, are two of the most recognizable Gulf-front condominium developments in Orange Beach, Alabama. Both offer direct beach access, expansive residences, resort-style amenities, indoor and outdoor pools, lazy rivers, fitness facilities, covered parking, and strong recognition among…

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