Leaving Ft. Pickens after the great Blue Angels show, we worked our way back up to I-10 and continued east. We overnighted at a Rest Area along the way and Mary Lou actually drove the RV from there all the way through downtown Jacksonville!! She's getting more comfortable with that now. About the rest area: This is the first time to do that, but they advertized overnight security, and there were lots of other trucks and RVs staying there. All was good until a semi pulled in next to us about 3 am and left that big diesel engine running right outside our door. I was ready to get up anyway and worked on the blog. We got to Jacksonville around noon Thursday and settled into the campground which is heavily treed with palms and oak trees. There are around 400 sites here, but all are rather secluded in this 'jungle'. It is on the beach, which is hard sand much like our Texas beaches. ML took a walk around the camp and almost couldn't find her way back. Friday afternoon we took the short ferry ride across the St. Johns River and drove up to Amelia Island. Quoting from the guidebook, 'Amelia Island is long known as an unspoiled barrier island getaway'. Thirteen miles long and 2 miles wide, it has beaches, the state's oldest lighthouse and a 'charming waterfront town'- old houses and streets for walking and shopping. As usual, click pictures for larger view. Now for the reason we came to this place. I saved this for last for emotional impact. We were invited to the decommissioning of the Guided Missle Frigate, the USS Taylor (FFG-50). This is because I served on the USS Taylor (DD-468). Photos below, old and new. My ship served in WWII and was decommissioned in 1969. This new Taylor was commissioned in 1985 with a projected 30 year usefulness. Well here we are, 30 years later. This ship has been sold to Taiwan, and I hear it will be towed there!! A word about the Commissioning Pennant. This is a small banner hoisted when a ship is commissioned and hauled down upon decommissioning. I missed getting a picture, but here is a sample. Thursday afternoon, we could board the ship for a very abbreviated tour. Friday morning at precisely 10 am the decommissioning began with the pomp and ceremony expected of a military event. Here are the five 'old Taylor sailors' in attendance. We did not serve on board at the same time, except for two who served together. In the photo below, the remaining crew are in white uniforms on the upper decks. The group of men in civilian clothes in the middle are the 'plankowners'. They are the first crew to man the ship when it was commissioned. (In the days of wooden ships, the first crewmembers were given a piece of the ships planking.) Posting of the colors After all the speeches, the plankowners were ordered to leave the ship. Then the crew left the ship to a standing ovation. Then the Commissioning Pennant was hauled down The colors were lowered. And it was over.
Stay tuned.
6 Comments
|
Who are we?Chuck and Mary Lou have been traveling in their RV since 2002 and have lately been taking longer, extended trips. This is our way to share our experiences. Trip Reports
All
|