January 31, 2026

Fly Creek to Undergo $1Million Upgrades to Boost Fairhope’s Boating and Tourism

By Isabella Gomez
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News

January 31, 2026

FAIRHOPE, Ala. A familiar sight for visitors and locals to take pictures of sunrises and sunsets or have dinner is at the Fairhope Fly Creek.

Now, the area is getting $1 million in improvements that city leaders say will help boost local boating and tourism.

Fairhope’s Mayor, Mayor Sherry Sullivan, said that the area attracts thousands of visitors annually and “Tourism and the bay is such a huge part of what we enjoy here along the Eastern Shore and the quality of life that we have,”
Access to the bay and area waters is a big draw here in Fairhope and contributes to tourism and ecotourism, the mayor said.

The City of Fairhope has secured federal funds with the help of Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville from the Energy and Water Development Appropriations measure to improve one of their busiest waterways connecting to the bay, the Fly Creek Channel.

“Fly Creek Marina is one of the only safe harbors in this area for boaters in the event of a storm,” Sullivan said. “We see a lot of loopers … there. People who loop the United States. It’s also one of the only fuel docks along that area.”

The Fly Creek Channel is made up of the Fairhope Yacht Club, Fly Creek Marina and the Fairhope Docks. From this federal funding, at least $1 million will soon be used to dredge and deepen this waterway, a project Sullivan said is much needed.

“What happens is there’s a lot of sediment and siltation that gets in that area,” Sullivan said. “So that’s why you have to dredge the channel because it gets too shallow for boaters to be able to enter and exit.”

City leaders explained that it’s still early in the planning process and they must work with both federal and local partners to finalize a plan.

“We’re still six months to a year out on anything,” Sullivan said. “We’re still working through that scope of work to see what it’s going to be and making sure we use this money to the best of our abilities.”