Days 271-276 - Pensacola and Back to the boat

We sadly left New Orleans with still more that we would have liked to see and do, but it was time to get to Pensacola to meet with friends of friends that have been through the Panama Canal.  We checked in to the Navy Lodge and drove over to meet Bob and Marie.  They have cruised extensively and have been through the Panama Canal several times.  We picked their brains throughout a lovely dinner together.

We spent two days going through the Naval Aviation Museum on base just across the street from where we stayed at the Navy Lodge.  It was an excellent museum staffed by volunteers who have flown or worked on the planes for the Navy during their careers.  It is entirely funded through donations including a very generous one from the owner of Enterprise Car Rentals who was a Navy pilot on the Enterprise!  We learned so much my mind is still on overload.  Here are SOME of my favorites!

Outside is the "boneyard" = the planes that are waiting for the funds to be refurbished.  They find these shells all over the world.

One of the helicopters flown in Vietnam - he's watching you!

A stealth bomber

One of the first unmanned drones.  Doesn't it look like a little submarine with helicopter blades attached?

Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear

Inside was crammed with planes on the floor and suspended from the ceiling as well as displays, interactive exhibits, and videos.

A fascinating piece of history was the aircraft carrier.  When the Navy needed planes with a longer range, they hired a designer to build them a plane that would land on a ship.  He built the plane and a platform out of wood that would fit on the bow of a ship.  Incredible!

Can you believe this plane could land on the platform above?  It is amazing to me how fast the airplane industry advanced.

It is especially amazing to think that they were still using messenger pigeons in this evolving era.

We also learned all kinds of interesting facts and inventions that took place during the World Wars.

World War I saw huge improvements/changes and inventions in motor vehicles, the zeppelin, the first blood bank, cosmetic surgery, prosthetics, zippers, tea bags, and stainless steel.  We also learned that the Spanish Flu killed more people world wide than the Great War.  Estimated 50-100 million people died from the virus.

Back to the airplanes - we saw training "planes" that would do loops and rolls and "crashes" without injuring the pilot - although many came out quite ill!  They don't look all that impressive, but I wouldn't want to try it!

I did try out a real cockpit though :)

The most surprising part of the day was in a small exhibit that simulates being on the deck of an aircraft carrier.  While we were waiting for the film to start we hear "Gail!" and turn to see our friends Andy and Evonne.  We met them first nearly 40 years ago in Misawa, Japan where Andy and Bob were stationed.  We have kept in touch, although in person only a few times here and there.  We knew they lived near Tampa and had planned on seeing them when we got there, but were blessed to have a sneak preview!  The staff at the museum took full credit for "planning" the reunion :)

After seeing all those marvelous man-made "birds", we exit the museum to see God's beautiful version.

We headed back to Orange Beach to see how the boat was getting along.

This is a NEAT roller coaster along the way!

We really didn't expect them to have it all done by the estimated day of Friday.   There was still a lot to do but they were still saying it would be done.  We could have stayed on the boat that night but as it was below freezing and we had no heat while it was out of the water, we opted for one more night in the hotel.

She looks so pretty after her bottom job and her "mustache" removed.

Here's her new zincs and refurbished propellers.

We had dinner at Lulu's - Jimmy Buffet sister's restaurant.  We had live music and wonderful shrimp and grits - who ever thought that I'd eat (and like) grits!!

Friday those poor guys worked in the freezing rain to get our boat back in the water.  I made the guys some brownies fresh out of the oven to warm up their spirits.  We got back in the water and into a slip so they could keep an eye on us overnight.  Leaks on a boat are not good!  We had a minor leak that turned out to be a bad water hose - nothing to do with the work they did!  They didn't even charge us labor to fix it - just the parts :) . Since it was soooo cold and we were going to be anchoring out we decided to spend one last night in the marina with heat before heading out.

Docked at Orange Beach Marina - Dec. 8th and 9th

Back on the journey tomorrow!