Bama Ed's Retirement Camping Thread For Spring 2021

Enjoying your lighthouse pics Ed. Being a born and raised Atlantic Canadian I feel a love of the Coast, the sea and associated landmarks. Approximately 20 years ago the government offered for sale several decommissioned lighthouses in our province. In some cases the lighthouses had to be moved. I’m not sure how many lighthouses were sold but I remember thinking a lighthouse would make an incredible cottage.
 
We are back from the golf course and dinner tonight and there is some good news and bad news.

The good news is I played better today.

The bad news is I had to put a jacket on tonight because it's going down to 59F tonight. ☃

After breakfast today (another glorious morning) I got out the puzzle and went back to work on it. We are on the down-side hill of the hard work here. There was a single horn blast that occurred - and that had also happened when the Disney Fantasy cruise ship came in yesterday. So I hustled out to the channel to see what was going on and at 920am the Disney Wonder cruise ship came in.

20210319_091941.jpg


20210319_092004.jpg


20210319_092023.jpg


20210319_092204.jpg


20210319_092220.jpg


Not long after I took my kite to the beach to give it a try.

And I had it tangled up less than five minutes on the first try when, an hour after it arrived, the Disney Wonder was sailing back down the channel and out to sea.

20210319_101752.jpg


20210319_101759.jpg


20210319_101923.jpg


20210319_102018.jpg


They must have just taken on fuel. In NASCAR terms, I believe the phrase is "splash and go".

But let's revisit the whole kite/golf/puzzle angles in the next post.

Bama Ed
 
The Disney Wonder and Fantasy have taken up there positions again just off shore of Port Canaveral.

Screenshot 2021-03-19 at 8.43.11 PM (1).png

You can see the ship positions in the lower right and my position is in the upper left where the "3" is in "Pilot Boat 3". But back to kites, golf, and puzzles.

My wife LAUGHED at me when I got my kite tangled up. :guilty:

With her offer of assistance, together we got the tail(s) untangled from the string and I set off again to be like a bird.

20210319_102509.jpg


20210319_102537.jpg


I had to break off after a while because the prevailing wind was blowing the tent right into the bright sun which made it less than enjoyable. There will have to be another attempt made soon.

We had three generations of family golfers today which was nice. The setting was beautiful on Spessard Holland golf course in Melbourne Beach. It is just across the highway A1A from the ocean and backs up to the Banana River on the other side so plenty of water hazards.

It's a little cooler now as I said.

Puzzle is nearing completion - should get it done before we head for home.

20210319_112918.jpg


Gonna sleep good tonight.

Bama Ed
 
Today is Saturday and our time here is winding down.

But there was plenty of fun in store because today was the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse tour. The CCL is on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (an Air Force Station is like an Air Force Base but has no aircraft assigned to it). Because it is active military, you just can't simply drive in and take the tour. There is one tour operator permitted to take people but you have to provide a SSN so a background check can be run before your tour. It is a 4-hr tour that visits several NASA/AF launch complexes and a two nice museums but it's not cheap. It's $59 per adult and lesser rates for children and teenagers.

https://canaverallighthouse.tours/

Be forewarned in covid times the seating capacity of the bus used is slightly limited - 10 seats and only 8 are allowed (plus a driver and talking tourguide). And it only runs 3 days a week so in other words: book early to ensure availability.

But CCL is attractive - unique in the sense it has an iron plate exterior with a tight iron spiral staircase going up in the center (like Jupiter two days ago).

20210320_093646.jpg


20210320_093746.jpg


Here is a close up of the oil house and lighthouse.

20210320_093914.jpg


The recreated Lighthouse Keeper's home (and gift shop) were finished just a year ago and still smelled of fresh paint on the inside.

(By now you may have picked up on the fact that each lighthouse in Florida has a unique exterior color/paint design. In addition, at night each lighthouse also blinks its lights in a known, unique pattern so that ships off-shore can see the pattern and know where they are.)

The reason a lighthouse was built here at Cape Canaveral in the 1800s was, as this panel from the Lighthouse Keeper's museum showed, there were shoals up to 13 miles off the coast here which was unusual.

20210320_094628.jpg


The first lighthouse in the area was too short to be seen from that distance so a taller one was built that COULD be seen next to the first. Then due to erosion concerns it was later disassembled and moved back off the coastline and reassembled.

As I said it's a tight center set of iron steps up the centerline. Here is a landing on the interior.

20210320_101319.jpg


Due to the decreasing interior space as it goes higher, tour guests are only permitted to the fifth level/landing which is not quite halfway to the top so that was a little disappointing. Here is the view looking up into the off-limit floors.

20210320_101837.jpg


On the fifth level here is the only window view in the direction of the beach.

20210320_101822.jpg


Of course, I got my magnet for CCL at this stop.

20210320_104159.jpg


Let's talk about the non-CCL stops and sights in the next post.

Bama Ed
 
So in addition to the Lighthouse, the tour took us to several historic sites related to the early days of the American manned space program. Not going to take you to every overgrown, abandoned, junked site blow-by-blow, but will focus on a few and mention other in passing.

First in order of the space race, it's interesting to include the Lighthouse angle. Which is ..... when it was relocated to its present location in the late 1800s, the federal government also acquired over 800 acres of land around it. That federal holding was a key reason why this position in Florida was chosen for space launches as opposed to other Florida locations or in Georgia. So the Lighthouse is why the rockets launch from the Cape area.

Next to the Lighthouse property is a hangar that houses several restored missles from the 1950s that were the first efforts by the Army and Air Force toward flight in space. Too many to name or distinguish between. But we did also, at the end of the tour, visit the block house (command center) and launch pads that launched the first two Mercury astronauts, Alan Sheppard on Mercury 3 and Gus Grissom on Mercury 4 (1 &2 were unmanned). There was a replica of Mercury Redstone rocket with their single seat command module on top of one of the pads and it is NOT big at all. The blockhouse is a museum too (1950s technology that helped run the program).

A second stop was at the launch complex where the rest of the Mercury missions (using the Atlas rocket) and Gemini missions launched from (John Glenn launched from here as the astronaut on Mercury 6). It is also where the pretty Mercury 7 Memorial is.

20210320_110640.jpg


Tour guide joke while at the launch complex Glenn launched from: "You know how up in the northeast there are spots known for famous people like 'George Washington slept here?' Well, she said, pointing to the single stall bathroom outside door at the launch complex, 'John Glenn went in there'". :sad2:

One poignant time was at Launch Complex 34 which was the site of Apollo 1's tragic accident. Astronauts Grissom, Chaffee, and White died during a pressurization test inside the command module as a spark lit the pure oxygen atmosphere on fire. Family and friends return to the site annually for a remembrance.

20210320_113423.jpg


20210320_113847.jpg


20210320_113559.jpg


Of course, the Apollo program shut down for a year and half to review procedures, make changes, and adopt new manufacturing methods. The next Apollo mission actually launched in space from this same site with Apollo 7 (missions 2-6 were scrubbed during the review period). After that all the Apollo missions launched from the new civilian side of Cape Canaveral as did the shuttle after that: from the Kennedy Space Center.

One last interesting note: there is a sign on the AFS side of the Apollo astronauts with their missions, and dates. Neil Armstrong is the only name listed as "Mr." on the sign while the other names carry their miliatary rank "LtCmdr" or such. Armstrong had been in the AF but had retired to work for NASA as a civilian. He then applied to the astronaut program for Gemini and was accepted. It was important that NASA was seen as a civilian space agency and that a civilian was the first to walk on the moon.

Gusty and windy (20 mph) tonight. I noticed that our SpaceX launch previously scheduled for tonight has been pushed off to Tuesday. Oh well.,

Got some shrimp at the seafood market to cook for dinner. :thumbsup2

Tick tock - time is running out on our stay. :hourglass

Bama Ed
 
I got the puzzle finished tonight! Yes!

giphy.gif


It's a good one. Would do it again.

20210320_201042.jpg


Weather has changed again and the 30-35% chance of rain this weekend drifted away and in its place we got a windy day (so windy you couldn't enjoy sitting outside tonight) and it's going down to 59F again.

59F? Again? :cold: I don't know what to say ...

giphy.gif


Still haven't put on long pants of any kind on this trip. Still no AC or heater in the camper needed. Did wear a jacket to cook the shrimp outside tonight though. Put up anything I didn't want to blow away.

Tomorrow? I hear Willie Nelson singing, "On the Road Again ....." :music:

Bama Ed

PS - I needed a jacket when cooking the shrimp because, with the wind factored in, the 67F air with wind chill plummeted down to 64F. Not kidding. :sad2: And it wasn't even dark yet.
 
Last edited:
After church this morning we hit the road again under a solid slate of light gray clouds and headed north to the Port Orange exit on I95 to see the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse which is just south of Daytona Beach Shores. It's basically an hour and fifteen minutes from Jetty Park.

However it was still cool under the clouds and about 10 minutes before our exit a misty light rain started to fall (wasn't raining at JP). We did climb PDLIL but didn't linger over the Lighthouse Keeper's houses and gift shop (which was the most extensive one of this trip).

It was pretty crowded with lots of visitors trying to get up and down the inside of the lighthouse.

20210321_122958.jpg


20210321_122917.jpg


Ponce is the tallest lighthouse in the state of Florida at 175 feet tall with 203 stairs. Luckily, though, the base is 32 feet wide at the base tapering to 12 feet wide just below the platform level and the stairs hug the interior walls. So climbing it is not overly difficult - just a little bit longer climb than most others.

20210321_121832.jpg


Here is the view from the platform looking toward the inlet and beyond that the ocean.

20210321_120646.jpg


And here is a panorama view looking in the same general direction.

20210321_120707.jpg


Here is the opposite view looking northwest back up the Halifax River.

20210321_120832.jpg


And the panorama in that general direction.

20210321_120747.jpg


Closeup from the courtyard of the Lightkeeper's House.

20210321_115910.jpg


As I mentioned the gift shop was extensive but I got in and out with what I wanted.

20210321_125749.jpg


On the drive back to Jetty Park, the mist gave way to clearing and blue skies by the time we got back. It feels good in the sun but the air temp said 70F.

I'll post one more time tonight but we are finally heading for home tomorrow (one day drive).

Bama Ed
 
All good things eventually come to an end. :sad:

We've eaten up some of the leftovers and are taking home mostly dry goods and coke/diet/water.

I liked this campsite at JP #116.

20210321_154235.jpg


On the end of a section (no neighbor to look at just outside your door.
Huge tree for shade over outdoor/picnic table area.
Tree behind me provides late afternoon shade.
Had concrete driveway (short) for trailer but not long enough for YukonXL too.

Took stock of my souvenirs from this trip. First was some shells from the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse tour. They stopped at the fishing/shell beach available to on-base personnel which doesn't get visited much. Nice big shells which I got in only a few minutes.

20210321_153733.jpg


20210321_153822.jpg


Here is the set of fridge magnets going home with us from this trip.

20210321_144950.jpg


Finally today we made one last visit this afternoon to the beach walking from our campsite. It was a lovely day in the sun.

20210321_161137.jpg


There were some surfers with boards out among the waves in wetsuits (may be hard to see).

20210321_161149.jpg


Finally this big kid did get his Buzz Lightyear kite in the air and out to the full length of available string.

20210321_160145.jpg


Next post will be from home tomorrow night from my living room. Hopefully with a Domino's pizza, a Cabernet, and some NCAA hoops on the telly. :happytv:

Go visit a lighthouse while you're in Florida.

Bama Ed
 
I have kite envy ed. I'm like Charlie brown with those things. Best intentions, good kites and nada. I did get a dollar store one to fly once. I dont ahve a picture so it probably didn't happen.

And nice lighthouse tour. I learned a lot and got to see the pictures. You should take one of those pictures and see if they can make a puzzle out of it. That would be cool!
 
Bravo sir!

Being a history need myself these types of TRs are always something I'm into.

A welcome experience for those of us who didn't get to adventure for spring break. Safe travels homeward.
 
I love Light Houses. In our previous home, the 3rd bedroom was my LH room. When we retired & decided to go full time camping, I gave all my LH pictures, status etc. away. Even had a bedspread with a beautiful LH on it with matching rugs on each side of the bed. We painted two diff. walls 2 diff. shades of blue with the bottom half of the walls red. Thank you for such great info on the LH's. Our last trip to The Fort, we drove over to NASA & took the tour, bus ride etc. I have lots of great pictures we took. Can't wait to hear of you & Mrs. Ed next adventure. Stay Safe!
 
I have kite envy ed. I'm like Charlie brown with those things. Best intentions, good kites and nada. I did get a dollar store one to fly once. I dont ahve a picture so it probably didn't happen.

And nice lighthouse tour. I learned a lot and got to see the pictures. You should take one of those pictures and see if they can make a puzzle out of it. That would be cool!

We are home finally and it FEELS SO GOOD! :cloud9:

Assistant Chief, my kite this trip was a $3 Wal-Mart special. And there were several crashes/loss of wind but I did get it up to full string once and got the pic.

We had a smooth 10.5 hour drive along the Turnpike, I75, I10, Hwy 231 up through Dothan to Montgomery, and Hwy 82 into Title town. Google estimates that route as 9hr 40min but that's not a towing time so I've learned to add 5 minutes for every hour and that works out pretty accurate for me (in other words, I tow 5 mph slower than I drive normally).

Got the cold foods and clothes put away tonight and will do the rest tomorrow. We did do Domino's with a White Merlot and currently watching the LSU-Michigan game (Bama-Maryland starts momentarily).

Jetty Park was a great trip but I don't want to go back to the same place at the same time year after year. We need a LITTLE variety.

The magnets took their place on our kitchen fridge next to the first one, Key West.

20210322_183927.jpg


We'll have fun adding on to these but we aren't obsessed. It will happen over time.

That's all for now.

Bama Ed
 
Thanks for the TR Ed. Really enjoyed all the pics and especially the KSC pics and history lessons. We were able to take the kids to KSC several years ago and really enjoyed our time there. One of the things that my kids got excited about was the "Meet a real astronaut" program. They were able to shake his hand (don't remember his name) and also get his autograph after the program. I am sure that program is buried somewhere in our vacation artifacts. Would love to go back again.

Thanks again for the TR and pics and glad you had safe travels home.

Steve

PS....A little side note. Several years ago while on a Disney bus and decked out in our UK gear, a young man started a conversation with us inspired by our UK attire. After just a minute or 2 he informed us that he was the coach of Buffalo that had been beaten by UK in the NCAA tourney earlier that year. He was enjoying off season time with his young family. You have probably figured out that that young coach was Nate Oats. Alabama has not only got a top shelf coach but a top shelf person. Prayers for his wife and her recovery.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!











facebook twitter
Top