Our Last Day at Fort Clinch Has A Surprising Send Off

Tuesday December 2, 2014
Fort Clinch State Park Campground
Fernandina Beach, Florida

 

It’s our last day here at the campground on Cumberland Sound right around the corner from the Atlantic Ocean. So it’s my last chance for a while to see the sun rise over the Atlantic.   Here are my favorite of my pictures starting with the first thing I see coming from Winnona over the boardwalk to the beach.

 

 

There is not another soul out.  Mine were the only footprints as far as I could see.

 

 

I get around to the ocean where the clouds are pink, the sun is golden between the clouds and the birds are on the move.

 

 

I’m walking beyond the sunrise into the pink clouds to the south.  You can see the birds lined up at the edge of the water all down the beach.

 

 

 

Today the sun is again dueling with the clouds for control.  The birds are flying all around. 

 

 

 

As the sun gets stronger the camera closes down the light in response.  I like the result.

 

 

I’ve begun to look forward to seeing my friend who has been here every day on the beach when I come down for sunrise.  This is our last meeting.

 

 

Walking back to the rig, the view is just wonderful.  It’s like a perfect picture. I’m going to take it back and make it my desktop.  I can see from the blue sky and puffy clouds that it is going to be a great day.

 

 

When a group of pelicans flies by, they bring a smile to my face and reinforce the good feelings.

 

 

I make us a scrambled breakfast with oven “fried” potatoes, clean up the kitchen and start working on our summer plans which will be definitely written in jello but have to be made since winging it during the summer in the places we like to be just doesn’t work out.

 

David has a couple of chores he wants to attend to today.  One of which is to repair an awning tear with some Eternabond.  Now if we could just figure out how to put a bleach solution up there without getting it on the person doing the application.

Love that telescoping ladder.

 

 

Doesn’t he look happy?  He actually loves to do this stuff.  Well a lot of it.

 

They say eternabond is forever.  That would be nice since replacing the awning for the SECOND time is not on our list.

 

 

Second project is to finish the clearance lights repair. 

Sometime on our spring/summer western adventure we noticed a few drips of water coming down the windshield inside the coach on the driver’s side after heavy rains.  Subsequent investigation showed that there are only two sources for water and both of them as it turned out were in need of attention.

Removing the overhead clearance lights revealed gaskets that had dry rotted and were turning to powder.  Behind them, the metal brackets in the recesses were heavily rusted.  

First step done previously was to get rid of the rust.  This was difficult because it was such a tight space.  David used scrapers, wire brush and then put a coat of Rustoleum’s  rust reformer on the metal to arrest the rust.

Winnebago recommended replacing the gaskets and sealing with a urethane sealant.  Although this was a PITA because urethane sealants do not clean up nicely, it does insure a more permanent water proof seal.   Unfortunately one of the lens covers had a crack and needed to be replaced. So today was the final step in this series of repairs. 

 

 

 

 

 

The other water source was behind the seal strip across the top of the windshield.  Removing that strip, exposed a heavily rusted cavity running from one side of the windshield to the other side.  Winnebago recommended cleaning out the rust, filling  the cavity with a black windshield sealant (also extremely nasty to work with and clean up)  and then pressing the seal back in place.  Easier said than done.   But look how great it all looks now.  Winnona is VERY happy.   No more tears!

 

 

 

 

After my chores, my main goal for today is to be able to sit down by the water and read and not have it be too cold or too windy.  I head out about noon when I’m pretty sure it’s nearly as warm as it’s going to get. 

But I still find that for me long sleeves and long pants and shoes not sandals are in order.   Other folks seem to find it fine for short pants and short sleeves even riding bicycles into the wind. 

Always nice to have a beach towel for covering up if you under dress.

 

 

 

 

So this is how David finds me on my last beach afternoon for a week.   I know big tears for me.

 

David sits down in his chair next to me and promptly falls asleep to the lulling of the tide.  After about an hour I need to get a bit warmer so we set out for a walk around the corner to the Atlantic. 

 

The fishing pier looks  lovely as we approach the end of the sound where it meets the Atlantic. The water looks calm.   But it’s a different story when we go around the end. 

 

 

 

I love the power of the waves!
Maybe this should be my desktop.
Life sure is full of difficult decisions.

 

 

 

David goes on back to the rig.  I stay for a while but as the afternoon wanes, it starts getting too cold for me.  I’m packed up and am starting back up to the rig to begin the ‘day before’ take down routine.  And then I hear something. 

I turn around and here comes the biggest ship I have seen anywhere near the shores of this sound.   I stay and watch.  This is what unfolds.   I’m betting Paul Dahl can write a blog comment longer than this post to explain all this to us.

 

 

 

 

 

There are 6 ships escorting this sub out to sea.   The the two big ones are named  Westwind and Black Powder.

 

 

 

 

 

The 4 smaller boats are arranged two in front of the big 3-some and two behind.  The sub is encircled.   These two are in front.

 

 

These two are behind. 

 

 

Whoa - I don’t’ think he’s Duck Hunting

 

 

Paul who’s the guy with the gun? What’s the threat he’s watching for?  He sure could be the proverbial sitting duck if there was trouble.

I’ve heard of HMS Blackpowder for His/Her Majesty’s service but what is HOS Blackpowder?

 

That was sure the excitement for the day, our tax dollars at work.  Certainly was nice of them to arrange this extraordinary send off for us near the end of our final day at Fort Clinch.

 

 

 

I watch them head out over the horizon.  After that I go back and finish up the day before moving pack up.
We’ll be on our way to Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest tomorrow.
Don’t think the Coast Guard will be there, but who knows.