Pensacola, National Naval Aviation Museum, Gulf Islands National Seashore

May 29 we moved to Pensacola. I was trying to set up some diving out to the USS Oriskany but that fell through due to the weather that was rolling around the area making offshore waves pretty high. But we were there to see the Naval Aviation Museum and Gulf Islands National Seashore so we had plenty to keep us busy. We settled at Avalon Landing RV Park. To get there we crossed a bridge on FL 281 it was a toll bridge and the cost was $11.25 for for us. Ouch! $3.75 per vehicle plus another $3.75 per axle.

Backed up to the water and Patrick had to climb the mimosa tree.

 June 1

Sopwith Camel

Papa Boyington's Corsair

Becky hangs out with Nixon!

F4 Phantom

We went to space on aluminum foil, baling wire and duct tape

The Museum is located on NAS Pensacola. After we looked at the planes, I took Becky and Patrick for a tour and showed them where I went to Aviation Electronic Technician (AT) School, the barracks I stayed in and where we hung out and caused trouble. Lots of good memories of friends that I wouldn't mind seeing again. I remember standing on the beach sharing a bottle of something or other with Roland Jenkins watching the Blue Angels do flyovers of the base. Made you feel damn patriotic.
 I don't always take pictures on the bases because of Operational Security (OpSec) plus I don't like talking to base security. So no pics of the barracks and school house.

May 31 We drove out to Gulf Islands National Seashore. First we stopped at Camping World to buy a new map to replace the one that Iris destroyed back in Koreshan. Then we took the scenic route to Fort Pickens.

 We stopped at Navarre Beach State Park to look at the beach.

 Then we headed west along the 399 towards Pensacola Beach and Fort Pickens. This area is the Gulf Islands National Seashore. It was 30mph along the way. Beautiful beaches and dunes.

 In Pensacola Beach we stopped at Red Fish Blue Fish and had lunch.

 Fort Pickens guarded the harbor and the navy base in Pensacola. There were three forts and all saw action in the Civil was as the Union held Pickens and the Confederates held the other two. They fired upon each other and eventually the Confederates gave up and moved their men to other areas. The Union held much of Florida.

 There is a massive hole here in the fort because a powder magazine blew up and the bricks rained for miles around. after that it wasn't really useful as a fort as it was outdated and the modern guns could punch holes in the brick walls. A second concrete fort was constructed inside the brick walls. Larger caliber guns were installed. Eventually the fort was discontinued and concrete bunkers were built on the island to house larger guns to protect the straight and the Navy base during WWI and WWII. 

The punk

The driver