When the bells ring across Mobile Bay, signaling a jubilee, one family rushes to the water to harvest the sea’s bounty. But beneath the wonder of nature’s miracle lurks something darker. Jodie Cain Smith’s Jubilee captures both the magic and menace of coastal Alabama life in this powerful CURRENTS short story.
In this poignant reflection, Jodie Cain Smith recounts her childhood experience of Hurricane Elena and the day she truly became a “bay rat” — someone deeply connected to Mobile Bay’s rugged beauty and resilient spirit.
From childhood days on Mon Louis Island to decades in Mobile’s marine industry, 93-year-old Will Haas has witnessed a century of life along the Alabama coast. His story preserves the region’s rich heritage of family, work, and water.