We spent the morning touring Fort Morgan in southern Alabama. It's a neat old fort on the coast that is very well preserved. Walking through all the underground tunnels and rooms,you could get a good feel of how things were here during the civil war. The fort was involved in a Civil War battle with Admiral Farragut that resulted in the Admiral shouting the famous quote "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead". With the view you get from the gun placements you can imagine how spectacular the naval battle must have looked back then.
After a mandatory nap (hey when you're retired at least one nap per day is mandatory), we took off for a last visit to the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. They are spectacular and we certainly enjoyed our time playing on the Gulf. The fishing and kayaking this winter have provided us with hours and hours of entertainment and we watched a lot of gorgeous sunsets. This was also a good time to get in a little practice with the kite. Before we left Mexico Beach Rosie gave me a few tips on stunt kite flying (she is very good at it and seems to know a little bit about everything), so I have been practicing my maneuvers. I'm looking forward to letting Dustin and Kelsey try some of the new tricks I've learned when we get to Michigan.
We are heading out tomorrow for Mammoth Caves National Park and are really looking forward to that experience. Should be able to take some great pictures there.
Awesome!! All of it! :o) (there are NO cooties . . . remember that!)
ReplyDeleteIt's about time your broke out your kite! The photo of the sky looked a little menacing... we're glad you didn't try a lil "Ben Franklin action" while the South was having all their storms...
ReplyDeleteFort Morgan was constructed from 1819-1834 as part of the defenses of Mobile Bay. Fort Morgan, like Fort Pickens at Pensacola, was designed by the French military engineer Simon Bernard, who had been hired by the United States as a consultant and appointed to the board of engineers.
ReplyDeleteThe early Third System fortifications show the influence of the French school of design, whose most notable member was Vauban. However, the primary mission of defending a harbor, rather than their own location, led to characteristics which make them a uniquely American type of fortification.
Fort Morgan became well known during the Civil War, when Union Admiral D.G. Farragut lead a fleet to close the bay. During the attack, the U.S.S. Tecumseh struck a mine, and in the confusion, the fleet hesitated under the guns of Fort Morgan, prompting Farragut to order "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!". The fort continued as a coast artillery post until after World War II.