We got up early yesterday morning to get some sunrise shots. I was hoping for lots of color, this wasn't too bad.
After I took the one above the fog started to roll in...
And quick!
We went back to the National Naval Aviation Museum to finish up what we missed the first day. This time we took a tour given by a Navy Vet.
We still didn't see it all and could have easily spent another full day.
This is for my dad... He was an Aerographer's Mate (weatherman) in the Navy. Stu put the quarter there, since he didn't see one displayed with the other weather guessing "instruments".
I wonder if the people that put this mannequin fixing a propeller meant to have his hand cut off??
Our guide told us these Blue Angel jets are mounted in the actual position they fly in formation. Amazing, they are so close!
This is the type of plane Amelia Earhart was flying when she disappeared.
We had to leave the museum early to get to the tour of Fort Barrancas, it is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. It sits on a bluff overlooking the entrance to Pensacola Bay. The natural advantages of this location have inspired engineers of three nations to build forts. The British built the Royal Navy Redoubt here in 1763 of earth and logs. The Spanish built two forts here around 1797. Above it was the earth and log Fort San Carlos de Barrancas.
Bateria de San Antonio was a masonry water battery at the foot of the bluff. American engineers remodeled the Water Battery in 1840 and built a masonry fort on the bluff between 1839 and 1844, connected by a tunnel to the Water Battery.
The Drawbridge: Operated by a counter weight and winch, it pivoted at the center. It could be raised to prevent a surprise attack. A harmless shot fried by a guard on this drawbridge on the night of January 8, 1861 is sometimes considered the first shot in the American Civil War.
The Ditch: A dry moat covered two sides of the fort. Assaulting infantry entering the ditch would suffer heavy casualties from muskets and cannon fire through windows in the walls.
Scarp Gallery: A series of arches supported the sand fill and allowed access to the loopholes for muskets.
Vents at the top allowed smoke from the guns to escape.
Parade: The center of the fort held a hot shot furnace where cannonballs were heated for firing at wooden sailing ships.
Our "Traveling Bird" checking out the beach.
We landed in Gulfport, Mississippi this morning, stay tuned...
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