Fort Pickens Campground, Santa Rosa Island

Wednesday, April 23, 2014:

It was another warm day with that cool breeze off of the Gulf of Mexico.  We started our day with a pancake breakfast and an exploration of the area around the campground on our bikes where we spotted our first snake sunning itself on the trail....guess we were too scared to remember to take a picture.....and it wasn't anxious to move off the trail.  After returning, it was grooming day for Skipper.  Then, after lunch, we biked to the museum on the island to learn about its inhabitants and a bit more history.  We also stopped on the pier to watch the fishermen.  One man caught a large red snapper.  It was a beautiful fish and not in season so he returned it to the water where it struggled before finally swimming away.....getting cheers from all the onlookers.  We ended our day with a sunset hike on the white sand beach, which, we discovered, is 90% quartz. 

Thursday, April 24, 2014:  This was our last full day at this location.  After doing the laundry, visiting with some campers who were interested in our motorhome, and lunch, we hiked on the beach.  We have enjoyed our stay here.  Amongst the many species of birds that amazed us were the nesting ospreys and the pelicans swooping over us on the beach.  Tomorrow we leave for Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. 

Time for a Little History!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014:  Today we explored Fort Pickens, watched the Blue Angels practice out over the bay (impressive), and relaxed on the beach.  Pelicans and a variety of other birds were busy along the shore. The sand here is like unrefined sugar.  

Skipper news:  He had an armadillo sighting on his afternoon walk. 

Our Day at Fort Pickens

We started the day with a fifteen mile bike ride the length of the island.  The family camping next to us told us about a great local fish market called Joe Patti not far from here.  We miss Falatic's in Sawyer, Michigan, where we bought fish, meat, and cheese so we were happy to find a good place here to purchase fresh fish.  We made a trip to the nearby town for fish and groceries, came back and cooked our salmon over a fire, followed by a sunset walk on the beach.  Sunny and 70's on this white sand island helped to make this a great day!

Thinking of friends and family back home.....we miss you....remembering you in our prayers every day.

Gulf Islands National Seashore

April 20, 2014:  We arrived at the Fort Pickens Campground this afternoon.  After setting up we had time for a bicycle ride out to the end of the island where the fort is located.  We are looking forward to exploring the island history and walking on the beaches.  Currently, sea turtles are nesting on the shore.  We had a visitor to our campsite shortly after arriving.  He was quite busy digging holes here and there.  

It has been such a blessing to meet other campers.  Today we met Martin and Karin who are traveling in their motorhome they brought over from their homeland, Germany.  A few we have met are Paul and Jan from Florida, Bob and Jan from Knoxville, Gary and Sheryl from Michigan, and many others.

We are also thankful today for the Lutheran Hour Ministries.  We were able to listen to an Easter service via that website today.  We celebrate today and every day that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has risen! 

More pictures to come, but here is our little visitor.

First Day at Cotton Hill

Our first full day at Cotton Hill started out quite chilly, 37 degrees, but sunny, warming up to the mid 60's.  We can see the sunrise over the lake.  The wildlife around our campsite kept us entertained today.  There are three goose couples.  Number one couple has four goslings, number two couple has two goslings, and number three couple is childless.  So when number three couple gets too close to the babies they get chased away, but they follow them around seeming to act like body guards.....honking loudly and often.  They didn't approve of Skipper's presence.  Our crane left late morning, then returned late afternoon.  We were surprised that it perched at the top of a tree before coming into the water. Then a white crane flew in late afternoon.  Midday, we heard crows making a loud commotion in a nearby tree.  They chased an owl into a tree on the small island near us.  After looking with the binoculars, it was confirmed....a great horned owl.  Some small birds came to its rescue and chased the crows away.  On our walk this afternoon, we spotted a bald eagle.  We have not seen an alligator!  (Well, on our walk through the forests this morning we came to a sunny, sandy area along a swampy area and something slithered into the water.....so I'm speculating that it might have been a small alligator....Chuck is doubtful.). A boater said he saw two large ones sunning themselves on an island. We've biked around the campground checking all the sites and have determined that our site, number 12, is one of the best!  God bless!

Cotton Hill Campground

April 15, 2014:  We arrived in Fort Gaines, Georgia this afternoon.  This is an Army Corp of Engineers National Campground.  If you have the senior pass camping fees are 50% off.  This is a full hook-up site for $13 a night.  We will be here until Sunday.  Our site is on the lake and is teeming with wildlife.  The pictures show proud parents of four goslings, a crane, and busy ducks.  We settled in, took a walk, and had a dinner of quesadillas. We are looking forward to exploring the area.

Walter F. George Lake, sometimes called Lake Eufaula, stretches 85 miles up the Chattahoochee River.

View From The Dam Bridge

Standing on the bridge above the dam you see the Savannah River below the dam and Lake Thurmond above the dam.  We did a short hike today on a trail following the peninsulas around the lake.  It was 83 degrees, but the breeze off the lake made it feel comfortable hiking.  We are discovering that the trail maps are a bit less than accurate.