Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park

     When we arrived at the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, which is in the Bahamas, I knew we were going to have a great time by looking at the crystal clear water and the tropical looking island.  We got the dinghy ready and started over the sand bank to  Powerful Beach.  On the beach was a skeleton of a Sperm Whale, which had, sadly, been killed by a horrible plastic bag.         
              

    The current through the anchorage was very strong, but my mom and I could swim during slack tide.  We swam over one of the reefs but the current became too strong because we were swimming after slack tide.  My dad had to motor over in the dinghy to retrieve us.  We decided that when we swam in deeper water, we would swim together.     
                                         
    On the first day, I saw an eagle ray.  It was about 4 feet long, had white spots over its body, and had a snout-like face.  Over the days, we would see many of these beautiful creatures. 

    One day we decided to take a hike to BooBoo Hill. It got its name because of a schooner that sank off of its coast. Tragically, it was lost, along with all of the sailors and not one of them was found for a burial.  The legend tells that the lost souls sing hymns on top of BooBoo hill at the bloom of the full moon.

    In the park, there are these adorable little black, white and yellow birds, called Bananaquits.  All of these birds are about the size of a sparrow, with black beaks.  They love sugar and will hop onto your hand if you hold it out.  They are just one of the many creatures in the park.      

             
    There are many different things to do here, such as walking trails,  swimming, and looking at wildlife.  The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park should be kept the way it is,  without too much pollution and people.  It is indeed a treasured and special paradise.   

   


 
 

The Lost Colony of Roanoke Island

We sailed into Roanoke Island and visited the colony site.  Since we were here, the photos are from our stay on Roanoke.

This is what I learned about the lost colony:

Sir Richard Grenville, the cousin of Sir Walter Raleigh, tried and failed to reach America in 1578.  In 1583, he tried again and made it as far as Newfoundland, but one of his ships sank and his supplies were ruined, so he was forced to go home, but on the way back to England his ship capsized and he was drowned.

Blacksmith shop

After the death of his cousin, Sir Walter Raleigh became interested in colonizing America in 1583.  When his two ships reached America, Sir Walter thought he had landed on the mainland, but in fact it was on a tiny island.  There they met friendly Native Americans and after a time returned to England with two Native Americans, Manteo and Wanchese.  Later, they were returned home.

Dressed for battle.

When the Englishmen return, they sail to Roanoke and start a colony made up of 116 colonists, in 1585.  There they meet friendly Native Americans, but there were stories about the English burning the village of Aquascogoc, and soon the they were enemies.  Since the colonists could no longer trade with the Native Americans, John White, a famous artist and also the Governor of Roanoke, decided to sail back to England to gather supplies for the hungry colonists.

Elizabeth II - the ship that brought the colonists.

When John White finally returned to the colony almost 3 years later, he found the colony abandoned and all the colonists had disappeared.  He never knew what became of them, but he found the word "Croatan" carved in a fence post.  White thought that meant the colonists had moved to the island of Croatan, but on the way there, a storm whipped up and he was forced to return to England.  Today, the most probable explanation is that they were killed by the Native Americans, and the survivors joined different tribes.  Although this is likely, we will probably never know what became of the lost colony of Roanoke Island.    

Dory of the Elizabeth II

Liberty Ships of World War ll

Approaching liberty ships

As we came into Chesapeake Bay, VA, we passed under the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge and behind some old, scuttled, liberty ships.  We would be anchoring for the first time after three overnight passages from Rhode Island.

The liberty ships were built because the Germans in World War ll were sinking all the ally ships that were trying to get to Britain to bring supplies.  President Roosevelt started the liberty ship campaign to solve the problem.  He opened up forty-nine new seaports, and began immediate construction on hundreds of liberty ships.  The liberty ships were built out of ferro concrete and had  metal rebar supporting it. The object was simple: build ships faster than the Germans could sink them.  By 1943, three liberty ships were completed each day. 

Rebar showing through

After the war, in 1970, liberty ships were still being used, even though they were only supposed to last 5 years.  Now the liberty ships are used for a breakwater for boats to anchor behind.  It seems fitting for the sea to be their final resting place.

Bit rusty, I think

    

Our Visit To Cape Cod

     When we were invited by our Grandma and Poppy to visit Cape Cod in September, we got very excited.  We packed up our car for the two hour trip and when we finally got to the cottage they had rented, my brother Cooper and I decided to have a look around.  Since the sand the cottage was built on was sloped, the cottage was on the sand on one side and stilts held up the other side.
 

     There was a path of sand that led to the gravely road, and when you walked across it there was another path that led to the beach.  We checked out the beach, and the water was very cold!  I had brought along my surfboard, but I never rode it because the waves were very high, but I did skim board a lot.
     
     The whole of the week we stayed was as enjoyable as possible.  All around the house there was cool, soft sand, and we played in it every day.  The dunes were also very good for running on.  We also noticed that grasshoppers were common.  The people who owned the cottages had two dogs, Clover and a chocolate lab.  Since the water was cold, we usually did not go far out, but we did play and jump in the waves.  It was so cold we saw seals in the water all the time.
      
     Before the end of the week, our uncle, Tommy came to visit us.  The first day he was there, we spotted whales from the porch.  We saw their spouts and backs, and, occasionally, a tail.  When we had to go back to our boat, I almost wanted to stay there a little longer.  We had a great time there and saw many interesting things and places, but I loved the whales the best.                

    

The Monitor and the Virginia Battle it Out!

The deck of the Monitor's replica

It was March 8, 1862, and the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia sailed into the James river to battle with five major Union ships. The Virgina, formally the Merrimac, was at first gutted, old remains of a wooden ship in the Confederates' navy, and they decided to build an ironclad out of it. First, they made a wooden frame; then they built iron plating around it and added ten cannons and a smokestack. The first ironclad in the world was built. Many described it as,"A roof of a barn with a chimney pouring out smoke."

Now, as she cruised straight for the Cumberland, the Cumberland opened fire. But, to their surprise, the cannonballs bounced off the Virginia. Now it was the Virginia's turn. Outgunned as she was, she blew up many guns and killed many crew. At last, the Cumberland sank, and as she did crew still manned the guns. Having finished off the Cumberland, she headed toward a frigate, the Congress. After a while, the Congress, with several major fires, surrendered. Then another ship, the Minnesota, ran aground. By then, it was getting dark and the tide was receding, so the Virginia, being heavy on the draft, retired for the night. But all was not lost.

The Union was working on another ironclad; the Monitor. Built pretty much like the Virginia, it was dubbed,"The cheese box on a raft," and she was ready to take on the Virginia; and protect the Minnesota. When she arrived, many crews were doubtful it could save them, because it was so small and with less men than the Virginia.

A model of the Monitor's single turret

The battle began on March 9, 1862. It was the most important sea battle in the civil war. Early on, the Virginia ran aground, but shoved off. During the battle, the Monitor's captain was blinded and he passed command to Lieutenant Greene, who was only in command for that day. The Monitor's turret was revolving around and firing at the Virginia. Both vessels were dented and smoking by the time it was over. The battle was a draw.

A model of the Monitor underwater

Later on in the war, the Virginia was scuttled by her crew in order to avoid capture. As for the Monitor, she was rounding "The graveyard of the Atlantic," Cape Hatteras, she encountered heavy storms and sank; with four officers and twelve crewmen going down with her. The survivors eventually reached the Monitor's escort: the Rhode Island. Nearly two hundred years later, the Monitor's turret and two cannons were salvaged. You can see them in south Virginia's Mariner's Museum, today!

The "Spider" that brought the Monitor's Turret Up

The Monitor's turret in a chemical bath to preserve it

A cannon from the Monitor being preserved

The Wet-Foot Walk

We are in Bahia Honda Key and just attended the Wet-Foot Walk.  At 9:00 a.m. we came to Loggerhead Beach for the walk.  

Loggerhead beach

Our guide was Monet and she led us up the beach.  She explained that all the islands in the Keys were made of dead coral and sand washed up onto them to make the Keys.  On the walk we saw many crabs and crab-holes made by ghost crabs.  We also saw a live Horse Conch (pronounced 'konk') in the water next to a dead Queen Conch shell; it had eaten it.  We also saw many colorful fish and a peculiar fish called a Bat Fish.  

It does look a little like a bat

It walked along the seabed with it’s fins and looked a little bit like a frog with a long tail.  Many different sea pods washed up on shore.  We saw a sea heart pod with barnacles on it, and a type of pod that looked like beans. 
                                                                                 
After the walk I tried to eat an edible plant, called a Sea Purslane, and it tasted salty and bitter!  We also saw a plant called the Nickerbean.  

Nickerbean beans

It was thorny and had grey seeds inside them that were the size of a marble.  We had a good time with Monet and I learned a great deal!

Pirates

Will They Ever Go Away?

Pirates wanted money, valuable goods, and important people to ransom, but not all of them were cruel.  Stede Bonnet was a bad pirate; he would make foolish mistakes, but he was not at all cruel.  Charles Gibbs, however, would murder all the crewmen he captured in cold blood.  Not all pirates were men though, Anne Bonny was one pirate that was a girl!  Cuba was a haven for pirate families.  But most pirates cruel or not, would be hanged.  Charles Gibbs was hanged on April 27, 1831. Some pirates though, would ask for a pardon.  Thomas Pound was pardoned and when he died in 1803 he was honored by all as a respectable businessman.  Charles Towne, SC (now Charleston, SC) was a target for many pirates because it was very wealthy.  Blackbeard blockaded Charles Towne and subdued the proud port without firing a shot!

One famous pirate named John Davis attacked St. Augustine because a surgeon named Piques wanted revenge on the fort’s commander, Guerra, because he had cheated him out of money.  Davis did not want to attack the fort because he was only used to sea battles.  To encourage him, Piques told Davis that the fort was wooden and could easily be destroyed.  That made Davis confident.  He planned to attack at night, but when they were sneaking into the town, a man spread an alarm.  While they were attacking the fort, Piques saw Guerra and fired is gun, but he missed.  Davis also fired but it hit Guerra’s secretary instead.  Personally, I think Piques was tricking Davis into attacking the fort!

Meanwhile, the pirates were killing anyone who got in their way.  But instead of attacking the fort, they started plundering the town.  Davis tried to make them attack by firing pistols over their heads and the pirates started attacking the fort, but the Spanish repelled them time after time.  Finally, Davis withdrew.  He wanted to try to attack again, but behind his back pirates were taking the loot and rowing back to the ship to deliver it.  More pirate ships also came for their share of the booty.  Davis watched helplessly as 80 Spaniards arrived to reinforce the fort.  Finally, Davis went back to his ship without Piques , but when he got there he saw that his men had captured 70 men, women, and children.  What was he supposed to do with them?  He counted 11 pirates dead and 19 wounded.  John Davis never attacked a settlement again!