Voyage of the Fog Cutter
November 3-8, 2017 voyage of the fog cutter. Pensacola bound. 6:06 am Captain Bill and Navigator Carol follow in the footsteps of Hernando De Soto on the way to visit the Florida Caverns and Water Falls State Parks, National Naval Aviation Museum, Historic Pensacola Village, Old Christ Church, and Fort Barrancas.
We made the 364 mile trip to our first destination in 4 hours and 50 minutes through dense potato soup, ok, fog. We were aided by the elimination of daylight savings time and entry into the central time zone. This was mitigated somewhat by having to drive 30 miles an hour through thick fog. Visibility was 30 to 100 feet. After about an hour our Honda aka the fog cutter emerged into the morning sunlight.
Florida Caverns State Park
The guided cave tour takes about one hour. Groups are restricted to about 20 people. Ours was reduced to 18 because one of the children began screaming and clawing at the door. I know the feeling.
Statue honoring the CCC workers who chipped and dug a pathway through the caverns in the 1930s. They earned a dollar a day. Of the $30 they received each month $25 was sent home and they were permitted five dollars for spending.
This is not a Hobbit home. If my memory is up and running I think we only descended 50 feet below ground. 65 degrees and humid. Dark. Be prepared to do the chicken dance from time to time or bang your head on the tunnel ceiling. Your choice. Yes, I walloped my head once.
A litter of Infant stalactites. 190,000 years to grow an inch.
Adult elderly stalagmites. If you’re stand on your head they become stalactites. Maybe not. You know what it is called when a stalagmite and stalactite meet? A column.
Wedding cake. Well maybe. If you look at this long enough you could have a Rorschach moment.
The devil was not in residence during our visit. Well worth the visit. Two thumbs up.
Falling Waters State Park
In short...
This is a neat state park where you can walk among the pines, journey up to a small lake and safely view deep sink holes along the way. You can hike a 15 or 20 minute trail OR you can do the whole shebang in 45 minutes. We did the whole shebang.
Into the tall Pines…
In and or around 100 foot deep sink holes. We went around.
73 foot dripfall today. Deepest in Florida.
At the top a small lake where you can take a cool dip. No thank you. Warning: Alligators! Two thumbs up for this park. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the surroundings.
Pensacola Lighthouse
177 steps to the top.
Great view! 150 feet tall. This tower was lit in 1859. Still used today. Ship navigators can see the light 20 plus miles out to sea. No, I didn’t make the climb.
No Bill! You may not climb the lighthouse stairs and slide down the bannister. Carol always wanted to be a lighthouse keeper.
Fort Barrancas
Miniature version of the fort. A Fort of many flags including Spanish, French, British, American, and Confederate. Alabama and Florida state militias occupied fort Barancas on January 12, 1861. In March 1861 General Braxton Bragg took command of the fort. He was a strict disciplinarian and banned alcohol within 5 miles of the camps. He required his officers to devote themselves to the “...acquirements of knowledge so essential to the success of the glorious cause on which we are engaged.” Confederates abandoned Pensacola in May 1862. The fort saw no further combat.
Parade grounds. Sally Port on the left and entry into the counterscarp on the right:
Yep, dark. Some visitors report the ghostly image of a Confederate soldier in the counterscarp. Nope! Not us. Too dark to see much.
Two sides were very dark. Carol thought I was off my rocker walking along the dark corridors asking Confederate soldiers for directions. This one was bathed in bright sunlight.
24 pounder canon. Some of the cannons were placed so heated cannonballs could be skipped over the surface of the bay to hit ships at their waterline. This was the lone cannon on duty at the fort. Where have all the cannons gone?
This is one brave hearing impaired flower.
Dry moat between the scarp and counterscarp.
National Naval Aviation Museum
So many planes. Visit this museum and pick your own favorites. Well worth the visit. Our GPS tried to get us arrested by taking us to the main gate. The West Gate is for tourists. Good luck.
Marine 1. Who is inside?
Correct.
Test pilot for Ford Motor Company. I had a dickens of a time getting out of the cockpit. They had to use the jaws of life.
Alternate thought: Joined the Navy to see the world, what did I see, I saw the sea...sung by Fred Astair in 1936. Once upon a time the word liberal wasn’t a bad word… Maybe.
Pensacola historical village
Interesting place to visit if there aren’t too many school children.
Several old houses circa 1800’s and a museum in the village. The Old Christ Church is outside of the village one house down from this picture.
Old Christ Church. Built in 1832 as an Episcopal church. It has also served as a library and public meeting hall. Great place to hold a wedding, no?
Hop on hop off bus. 50 minute tour taking people to the major tourist sites. Operates from 10 AM to 4 PM. Great way to see many of the sites and avoid parking. The driver gave us her cell phone number and we called when we were ready to be picked up. Highly recommend you give this a try. $20 a person. The bus gets 4 miles per gallon.
Waiting for the bus I played 13 games of checkers against myself. I won all of the games handily. Your move!
Wentworth museum
Pelicans change the guard every two hours.
Built in 1907 as the City Hall it is now a museum housing the eclectic collection of curiosities of TT Wentworth Jr. His motto was, I never threw nothin’ away. The three floors resemble a cabinet of curiosities. A few of the items in the museum follow.
In 1850 this now mummified cat became trapped in the walls of a house. Torn down in the 1980’s the cat was added to Mr. Wentworth’s curiosities. Carol says this is sick.
An artist who remembers seeing Geronimo, the one who yawns, at fort Pickens in 1887, painted this picture from memory. He was a prisoner and unlikely to be carrying a gun. His demeanor is characteristic of the desperado stereotype often published prior to his captures. Notice the horns? At one point he sold post cards of himself at the words fair. I worked with his great great great granddaughter in New Mexico. Not sure on the number of greats.
This was acquired from the junkyard. It is a practice bomb. OK, I will finish this up with a slideshow of some of the items in the museum.
Have a nice day! Courtesy of the National Navy Aviation Museum.