Flying Machines and more

I am always looking for FREE things for us to do on my days off. It gets expensive if everything you do cost you some money. So FREE is always a huge plus! One of the things I found in Pensacola was the National Museum of Naval Aviation located in the Naval Air Station Pensacola. David and I spent hours there looking at all the Navy and Coast Guard exhibits. If you are ever close by, I highly recommend  you visit. This will be a post of pictures from our visit, just a small sampling.

Can't believe this thing actually flew

Not much cover on this one

Would have hated to be a gunner

His plane in the picture above this one

Happy little boy

Blue Angels

Why yes that is Richard Nixon

They had some really cool exhibits that showed what it was like during different war times. 

5 cent candy!

This motorcycle was donated by the soldier who rode it.

POW exhibit

G.W. Bush

A nod to space travel

We got a picture with Kennedy!

"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind." ~~ JFK

Destination Destin

A quick trip to Destin. Fun afternoon walking around the harbor walk and doing a little window shopping.

Looking over at the Harbor Walk area

Harbor Walk

SHARK!

Nice way to display your catch

Nice looking sailors

Famous Magnolia tree memorial

This beautiful tree sculpture is a memorial to a century old Magnolia tree. The sculpture is actually carved from some of the old Magnolia tree. The tree was dying and all attempts to save it were in vain. The owner of the Harbor Walk area wanted to save the tree and this was the best way to preserve its memory. Many residents talked about how the tree was like a beacon that you could see from out in harbor. Very beautiful tribute.

This was the coolest thing to see. All these boats that gather out in the harbor. There are even floating places to eat and drink. Pull up in your boat, throw out your anchor and jump out of the boat and party or play.

An afternoon out in the sea air makes you a little hungry. We are always up to try different BBQ places. We ran across Jim 'N Nicks BBQ and decided to give it a try, Well let me just say that those little bread things....yeah those over there, they are like crack! We had to tell the waiter to not bring anymore!! David got BBQ nachos that were awesome. I got the ribs you see below. They were so hot that I could not even taste the meat. Yes I am a wimp, David said they were pretty tasty. But then again he eats jalapenos on everything.

Destin is a great place to vacation or visit if in the area.

"On the beach, you can live in bliss" ~~ Dennis Wilson

Fort Pickens

Our first adventure out was a visit to Fort Pickens National Park. Fort Pickens was one of four military forts built to protect the Pensacola Bay. The fort was constructed between 1829 - 1834 and was the largest of the four built. The forts were built to protect from any enemy approaching from the Gulf of Mexico, little did they know at the time that the first attack would come from the mainland. In 1861 Union and Confederate troops began to fight over the four forts protecting the bay. After several bloody battles the Confederates evacuated the area in May 1862 and the Union held onto Fort Pickens. After the Civil War Fort Pickens was used as a prison for Apache Indians, the most famous being Geronimo. Fort Pickens remained an active military post until 1947.

Now that you have the history lesson, lets take a look at some of our pictures!
IT'S GONNA BE A LONG POST.

Driving between the fort and the sea wall.
This side has the gun holes that were armed with rifle soldiers to protect from soldiers approaching from the sea.

The bay side was protected by cannons 

One of the guns that can be rotated. Can't imagine how many it took to move it.

One of the many hallways that lead to other smaller passages as you see below.

These smaller passages were used to place explosive to blow up the fort if capture was foreseen. 

Soldiers sure were shorter in 1829!

There would be one of those big guns where you see the half circles. Can you imagine how loud
it was in there when they were firing them? 

One of many ammunition spots

Geronimo and others

One of the types of guns on the top of the fort.

There were spots for about ten of these guns in this area that points toward the entrance to
Pensacola Bay

They rotate by a crank handle you see in the center.

New gun a coming

The new gun would rise out of this hole, shoot and then go back into the hole for reloading.
There was a whole big fort built in the center area of the original fort for two of these guns and their ammunition. 

In 1899 a fire broke out near an ammunition storage area which set off an explosion
that took out a corner of the fort. They say that bricks were thrown across the bay to the Navy yard.

One of the bay protection guns on top of fort

These were fixed and pointed toward the east side (land side) of the fort.

Bay entrance gun

Battery Van Swearingen was built in 1898 on the coast line in front of Fort Pickens. The battery was the
lookout point for the approaching enemy.  

Men and guns were located on the tops of the buildings as lookouts. Not a job I would want.

One of the many guns located about a mile or so from the fort. They were shielded to protect
the gun men and could rotate as well. There was a small window cut out on the left for them to see out. 

Front part of the gun. These guns were part of the front line of protection and also
protected bunkers you see below.

Hidden bunker that is covered with dirt and vegetation.

Unfortunately they have these bunkers locked but we got a few pictures through the cracks in the doors.
Looks to be octagon shaped with big room in the center. These bunkers were thought to be where
radar type activity occurred. They would message the fort of any activity they picked up or saw.

One of the "shoot and duck" guns. These are really cool guns. Once loaded they are raised up and
are pushed forward. After they shooting the force pushes the guns backwards and it lowers down. 

David standing on one. Gives you an idea of how big they are.

Another hidden bunker being protected by the Cooper Battery with the shoot and duck guns.

The fort is still a bloody place even today...clumsy me fell and busted up my knees and hurt my hand. Overall we had a great day!

                                                                        Lane


“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” ~~ Dr. Seuss