Saturday, August 15, 2009

Day Trippin'

Yesterday, the Finman and I loaded up and headed to Gulfport to catch the noon ferry to Ship Island and Fort Massachusettes.

During our trip across and due to Fin's extraordinary abilities (charm), we found ourselves in the midst of the action chatting with Captain Buck about having a wheelhouse for an office, whether or not he watched Deadliest Catch, learning the history of the particular ferry boat on which we traveled, and looking at the more-impressive-than-ours GPS. Most of the time, it is very good to be a passive southerner in the wake of a more determined "New Yorker". (Don't tell Fin I called him a New Yorker. He has a very concise answer for why he is not one in actuality.)

Once on Ship Island, we took a quick ramble around the Fort and then in an unusual role reversal, Fin stayed for the actual tour while I headed down to the water for a quick dip in the Gulf of Mexico. Generally, I'm the one waiting around for the tour while Fin either finds something else to do or trails along humoring me.
As we weren't interested in a toasty sun soaked afternoon we soon gathered everything up and headed back for the 2:30 ferry ride back home. It turned out to be the perfect mix (for us) of water and history without sunburn. This trip definitely adds Ship Island to our recommended visiting sites on the Gulf Coast.
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8 comments:

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  2. Fin was born 2 blocks from the Mississippi River and has very little in common with most native New Yorkers, including having much [if any] affection for "The City".

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  3. Fort Massachusetts was really quite interesting in some ways. It had millions of bricks in it, but they were different colors, since they came from different states at different times during the construction. It collected drinking water via an elaborate network of pipes which still work, and had a large barbeque type oven for heating cannon balls.

    It saw about twenty minutes of actual combat during the War Between the States. Both sides claimed victory.

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  4. That is a very enjoyable trip. I stayed the whole day last time I went.

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  5. Do you know that I lived on the coast my entire life an I've NEVER been to Ship Island.

    Do you know if the trips are in the winter months as well or just in the summer? I'm going to add it to our 'to do' next trip as I've always wanted to go.

    I'd also love to find someone with a boat who is willing to take us out to Horn Island. I haven't been there in many many years and I'd love to go out and see how it's changed.

    I'm glad y'all had a good time. Hope you are having a fantastic weekend *hugs*

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  6. Interesting place & history! The fort looks not unlike the 19th-century shore forts on the English south coast at Portsmouth.

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  7. The Concise Fin - I won't argue with that.
    It looks like a most enjoyable trip, thanks for sharing.
    ben

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  8. Fin, I'm so glad you attended (most of) the lecture and could fill me in.

    Elisa, I thought about you and Bob while we were there.

    Wiz, I'm not sure about the ferry schedule for the off season. I know they cut it back significantly but I think they still go out on weekends. I haven't made it out to Horn Island yet but I really want to go!

    tea, it was actually very attractive inside. I'm not sure how it would have been with back in the day with smelly, bored soldiers but the brick was beautiful.

    Yes Ben, sometimes concise to the point of terseness. :)

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Please play nicely.