Light Houses, Third System Forts, Museums and Sailing Plans

 1917 France

Our time is up here in Pensacola and it is time to sail on.  We finally visited the Naval Aviation Museum on base at Pensacola.  It is always a treat to be aboard or on post with this nation's finest.  Perhaps it is a view of that which made this nation so great.   The day started at the museum which is a must see if ever in the area.  The static displays are extensive and there are many displays that allow children, both young and old, to sit in the aircraft.  Having never been to the Smithsonian, this is the best we have ever seen.  There were Bristol examples of aircraft from the actual first multi-engine craft to cross the Atlantic, to ligther-than-air displays and a most impressive section on WWII.  They had an Apollo and Mercury capsule and two very fine shows on the IMAX.  I cannot believe that this stuff kept Bear's attention but it did.

We decided to hit Wally World, a place I intentionally do not patronize, for re-provisioning.  We made a quick run there and got the car turned in a full day early.  Back at the boat, we stowed our goods and decided to enjoy our last afternoon in Pensacola.  We are starting to feel some pressure to get north on the East coast before the active hurricane season as El Nino is breaking up and we are expecting an active season.

Tommorrow, we sail on the morning tide for Destin.  There are limited marinas in the harbor outside the bridge that keeps us from getting into the sound.  If we cannot find anchorage in the Destin Harbor, we will sail on to Panama City.  That will make it an overnighter.  We are definitely looking to getting offshore.  Dodging stumps, bridges and tows are not as much fun as the ocean swell.

 My Favorite Colors on the Rampart at Fort Barracas

There are two other things at the NAS Pensacola, Fort Barracas and the Pensacola Light House.  After leaving the Naval Aviation Museum with a mission to get some lunch, we were distracted by these two places.  The fort is part of the Third System and the light house has shown mariners the way since the nineteenth century.  I walked in places that soldiers of the Republic occupied almost 200 years ago.  They were present an I knew they were there.  

The view through a rifle port at Fort Barraccas of the Perdido Key

We received our mail from Paul today.  That is the first time we have gotten mail addressed to S/V Why Knot, c/o some marina.  I am reminded of the eighteenth century ships that exchanged mail bags at sea when passing each other.  This is land but to receive mail in such a way is to recognize a vessel versus a person. Has Why Knot become us?  Methinks it has.