Two Families Share a Lifetime of Memories on Dauphin Island

They say tall fences make good neighbors, but in some cases, constant exposure works better. Bobbie and Tommy Lightcap and Kathy and Ramsey Stuart have gotten used to living no more than just a block or two away. The couples are next-door neighbors in the Spring Hill area of Mobile and also live a few houses away from each other on Dauphin Island, a situation they say is more of a coincidence than anything else. “We were friends before this happened,” says Tommy. The Lightcaps and Stuarts met through mutual friends before they lived in the same neighborhood, and a shared love of the same activities and having kids around the same ages, as well as proximity, has kept them close for years. “We’ve had great times together, and it’s lasted for a long time,” says Bobbie.

Many of their most vibrant memories have been made on Dauphin Island. It’s a place that several of them visited regularly when they were growing up as well. When Ramsey was a boy, he and his family spent years vacationing on Dauphin Island, staying at the Holiday Inn when they were on the island. They eventually saw the need for a more permanent vacation spot, prompting his parents to buy a house on the island.

“At that time, it was one of the really few on Dauphin Island,” says Ramsey. “After they bought the house, we would all go down there for a number of years.” High school hangouts on the island led to more stories than they could ever recount. They would sometimes take an old Jeep out on the sands, back when that was allowed on the island. “Back then, you could just drive it down the beach,” says Ramsey. “Sometimes we’d ride down, stop, go fishing and then keep going, all the way down to the west end.” At other times, the Jeep would serve as a vehicle for a makeshift skiing experience. Participants would tie a rope to the back, trying their hardest not to fall as the Jeep drove as close to the water as it could get without getting stuck. “It wasn’t very smart,” says Tommy with a laugh. “Not recommended.”

Beach parties and bonfires were also common occurrences with their school friends. “One time, we had a cheerleading end-of-the-year party for McGill,” says Bobbie. “And Jimmy Buffett was a cheerleader with us. I can remember lighting a fire and Buffett strumming his guitar. Those were good days.” The good days stretched on after both the Stuarts and Lightcaps got married, spending weekends and any weekday evenings that they could swing together on the shore. “I remember many weekends sitting with Ramsey’s mother under the umbrella on the sand,” says Kathy. “She had her bathing suit on and, if you could imagine, I, of course, had my bikini on. We would sip bloody marys and wait until the men came back from fishing.” 

Eventually, Ramsey and Kathy bought a house on a lot in Lafitte Bay on Dauphin Island, and the hangouts continued there. “We used to love to go stay with them when they would invite us down,” says Bobbie. “Their house came much before we owned ours. All of us worked at the time, so we found some peace and tranquility when we went down there and could just lie back.” The unwinding began once they hit the Dauphin Island Bridge, the spot where they said the stress melted away. There was nothing that concluded a long, tough week better than spending a Friday night sitting on the porch with good friends and listening to the waves, knowing there was a beach weekend ahead of them.

“It was a dream of mine and Tommy’s to have a house on the island one day, too,” says Bobbie. Eventually, that dream came true. Upon seeing an ad for a house available, the Lightcaps immediately called and bought it. They had no idea it was in Lafitte Bay near the Stuarts. “So, we ended up being Bay neighbors and next-door neighbors in Mobile,” laughs Bobbie.

Their proximity in both locations meant that their children had built-in playmates hardly a stone’s throw away growing up. “It was so nice and fun for them to play together down there,” says Bobbie. “They were just best friends, on and off the island.” They enjoyed kayaking, tubing, fishing and exploring. Although they might not have realized it at the time, spending summer days and weekends on Dauphin Island created memories that only became more precious with time.

“Kathy and Ramsey’s son, Law Stuart, and our son, Tom Lightcap, were one month apart in age and just blossomed together through life,” says Bobbie. “They enjoyed the water together, and doing all the guy things and the sports.” She pauses, then laughs. “And even some things we didn’t know about and are glad not to have known about! They were the best of friends. Those were big, happy times.” It was those memories they were glad they made when, just a few years ago, Law passed away from brain cancer. Suddenly, those colorful days spent on Dauphin Island, running wild, enjoying the sand and growing up together, became even more valuable.

The Dauphin Island houses are as much of an escape as they are a staple for the families. The Lightcaps and Stuarts, most of whom are fully retired, are in Mobile a majority of the time, driving off to the island for a few days at a time when they are able. While the visits slow down when Ramsey and Tommy go out for hunting season, in the summer, their trips are more frequent.

“These guys,” says Bobbie, pointing at Ramsey and Tommy, “their story is fishing.” The men enjoy casting a line for speckled trout, redfish and flounder. “If you think back to early on, you could catch it all,” says Bobbie. “Yes, before it got crowded,” says Ramsey. “Dauphin Island has changed tremendously.” They all remember back to when they were in grammar school and high school, spending time on the island long before the word had spread about what a local treasure it was and when the commercialization of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach hadn’t yet reached its sands. “Now, when people come to Dauphin Island from Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, our motto is, ‘Oh no, we’re not!’” says Kathy. “We aren’t Gulf Shores or Orange Beach. Dauphin Island is so different from those areas.”

Tommy’s parents bought property on the island in the mid-60s in a landscape that was a far cry from what it looks like today. “Lord have mercy, I remember going down there, and you go to the west end and there were hardly any houses there,” he says. “And what houses were there were mostly in the trees. Now, on the west end, there’s hardly a place to build on both sides of the road.”

Traffic has gotten noticeably busier and big events, like the Fourth of July and the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, always draw a crowd, as well as some out-of-the-box moments. “On the weekend of the rodeo one year, I rode down on a Friday, and on our lot next to the house, there was a camper,” says Kathy. “They had put electricity from the electric pole to their camper, and they were just living there. Ramsey walked back, and he said, ‘Who are you? Who gave you permission to camp here?’ And they said, ‘The owner.’ Well, it wasn’t long before they were packing up and out of there!”

Despite development and larger crowds from time to time, both families still feel a sense of peace and relaxation on the island that has been maintained. “It is what it is,” says Ramsey. “It’s still fun, and we still enjoy it.”

Lately, they’ve taken to watching the pair of ospreys that come by every once in a while, or the martins circling their house in the afternoons. Tommy has even set up martin gourds and birdfeeders, coaxing them to stay a while. “At our age, they really do bring a lot of enjoyment,” says Bobbie. “When we sit out on the porch, we watch them, and Tommy and I always play a little gin tournament.”

The men usually go out on an early-morning fishing expedition, which is a much more convenient activity than it used to be. “I actually pulled my boat from Mobile to Dauphin Island for years and, no matter what the weather was like, I went fishing,” says Tommy. “I did that for a long time, and having to make the drive, I had so many problems with the weather, with breakdowns, you name it. Now, since we have a boat lift and a place on the island, it doesn’t take us five minutes to put the boat in the water. Lafitte Bay, in my opinion, is one of the best places to keep a boat on the west end. It’s such a blessing to have a place where you can do things on the spur of the moment.” He smiles. “I’m a fair-weather fisherman now.”

While their husbands are off fishing, Kathy and Bobbie have a different tradition. “If you come by, you might find Bobbie and me floating,” says Kathy. “We’re old, but we still play as we have for years. It’s been kind of a tradition that we get our tubes and float.” Sometimes, the couples go cruising on a sunset boat ride, drinks in hand. Some nights, the neighbors are out in the their boats as well, and a small fleet bobs in the water to watch the sun go down.

While the Stuarts’ and Lightcaps’ kids are grown now with children of their own, they still come to the island when they can. Now, the grandchildren are making some of the same memories that their grandparents and parents had on the island. “One of the things we did a long time ago was we did a scavenger hunt,” says Tommy. “That was fun. They had to go all over the island and had to actually dig like they were digging for treasure. And I remember the treasure chest — I actually had one — was behind the TV in our den,” he laughs. “Ultimately, they ran all over the island, and the treasure wound up back in the den. They had a great time with the treasure hunt. That was a big thing.” The kids like to go to the Audubon Bird Sanctuary and the aquarium.

One time, after hearing the grandkids say there was nothing to do on the island, Tommy printed out a list, aptly titled “Fun Things To Do At Dauphin Island.” It had suggestions like “fish from the boat,” “go bird watching,” “eat some fish, shrimp or crabs” and “go tubing.” The kids succeeded in checking off every item, circling them as they accomplished each task.

“I made a list, too,” says Bobbie. Hers was titled “Bebe’s Wonderful Fun Things To Do!” and included items like “clean up,” “help Bebe set the table or clear the dishes” and “show your brothers how much you love them by not fussing.” “Nobody would circle my stuff,” she laughs.

During the Fourth of July, they always watch Dauphin Island’s fireworks display, which they say is one of the best in the area. At any time of year, there’s never a bad time for a trip to the island. “It’s our happy place, for sure,” says Bobbie.