Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Vacation Photos
Went for a week to the steeped-in-virtually-unknown-history Amelia Island at the north east corner of Florida. It was a thriving slaving port after the 1809 federal suspension of the importation of foreign slaves, as it was Spanish territory and it was easy to smuggle in slaves from there. Also, previously, on just-to-the-north Cumberland Island, Georgia, the much sought after widow of Revolutionary War General Nathanial Green (Chris Cooper's character in Mel Gibson's The Patriot) helped Eli Whitney perfect the already existing cotton gin, which 'invention' increased the need for slaves at least twofold, thus making the smuggling all the more necessary. Lots of history there. Here are the shots:
Above the dune protecting walkway to the beach where, when conditions were right, it was lots of fun to body surf in the rather tame Atlantic swell.
To the left is one of our younger condo-mates. She beat me in chess, twice.
A boomer, a trident nuclear submarine, with its two contract escorts, waiting a change in either the blue or gold crew. (Perhaps both as three tugs came out in a hurry and then just as quickly went back in.)
A merchantman coming in for the pulp or paper products which are the island's main industries (besides tourism).
A totally useless brick fort circa the Civil War, named Fort Clinch. Robert E. Lee properly declared it indefensible during the war and suggested evacuation if the blue bellies ever came.
A fairly successful half day's catch. These are King Mackerel (aka Kingfish) which do not taste at all like mackerel in the Sushi Shop. I caught only inedible fish--horn bellies for bait, a Bonita and a spotted shark.
Another view of the Clinch. The northerners did invade and the townspeople left the island. The Yankees were so bored with their absolutely uneventful occupation they even improved on the useless fort with bricks imported from New York.
Wild horses on the former millionaires playground of Cumberland Island, now mainly park. The ill-fated John Kennedy Jr. married here to his shrew of a wife. I'm sure the maximum of inconvenience for pulling off such a wedding in a virtual middle of nowhere was a sign for the future that grown up John John missed to his detriment.Labels: Personal History: Amelia Island
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 6:18 AM 
