Mississippi Gulf Coast Katrina damage

In our log from January 2005, we wrote "come back and explore" the Biloxi area. Such beautiful antebellum homes, surrounded by oak trees and a 16 mile boardwalk to bike between towns. Alas, we were too late as Katrina came and pounded the area at the end of August that year.

So we came here to see the damage left by the big hurricanes of 2005. Staying at the Biloxi, MS, Elks lodge (which escaped damage, even though it is only a block from the water) we toured along US hiway 90, which runs parallel to the coast, never more than 100 feet from the water except where it passes through a few towns.







For 20 miles west of Biloxi on the land side of the road, there was previously a continuous series of high-end residences, and a few churches, hospitals and offices. Along that 20 miles we saw about one house per mile still standing; the rest were driveways leading to pilings standing alone, or slab floors, or concrete steps and foundations where houses used to be. In some places, the destroyed homes were only on the first block from the water; in others, the first two blocks were simply gone. Some of the standing homes were in the process of re-building. We couldn't always tell if it was a complete new building or a "99% remodel". Others were gutted and awaiting some sort of further action. There were hundreds of "For Sale" signs, about half from realty outfits and half "by owner". We saw dozens of FEMA trailers in "parks" and empty lots, and alongside homes under repair. There are still 12,000 FEMA trailers in use.











In towns, we found entire shopping centers gone, and a few 8, 10, or 12-story hotels and casinos which had stood on the water side of the road either gone or standing empty and gutted. Three of the five casinos have re-located or re-built; the other two have no plans to rebuild. Particularly in the taller buildings, wires, pipes, fixtures and insulation strips hung from the ex-ceilings, swinging eerily back and forth in the wind.
Many of the structures had been built on stilts, to allow the water to flow underneath. We don't believe there was a terribly high water surge; we saw no driftwood or flotsam debris scattered around. The wind just blew the buildings away. There were rows of lots with stilts standing proudly, but no structures attached.







As in our previous blog about the Americus, GA, hospital that was destroyed by a tornado, we were once again reminded that Mother Nature still can show she is more powerful than all the scientific know-how of us rather insignificant humans. We learned that 230,000 homes were destroyed, and 320,000 tons of floating debris was removed by the Coast Guard. Just about every marina and private dock was destroyed, with only the pilings (sometimes) remaining. Two major hiway 90 bridges were destroyed along with two former hiway concrete bridges which were used for fishing piers. ( Replacement hiway bridges were just opened this year; one in November. The fishing bridges still lay where they fell.)


On the plus side, we saw half a dozen groups of RV's and tents from lodges, churches, civic groups or just "people", from all across the US, working to repair/rebuild homes. The local TV news tonight interviewed a fellow from New Zealand who had been here since 2005 "because they need me". One group sent the homeowners to Seattle for the holiday, to get away from the daily reminder of the situation which had befallen them. And some nice talented person has beautifully carved dolphins or storks in the bases of broken trees. It's a long haul for these people to rebuild. I wouldn't want to live here and know that perhaps by the time our home was ready to be occupied again that another hurricane (or two - or three) may knock it apart.

The National Museum of Naval Aviation, AKA the Pensacola Naval Air Museum

(NOTE: Non-airplane buffs can skip to the next entry.)

In 1963, the "Naval Aviation Museum" opened its doors in a converted residence in Pensacola. Its first, and practically only artifact, was the naval aviator's wings worn by astronaut Scott Carpenter. Over the next 11 years, it began to collect aircraft, which had to sit outside at the nearby naval airstation -- there certainly wasn't room in a house! The first phase of the current facility was opened in 1975. Two major additions later (another is planned next year), the facility encompasses nearly 300,000 square feet and houses 150+ airplanes under cover, along with displays of naval aviation heros, engine exhibits, space-age hardware, and the authentically re-created "Cubi Bar" cafe, removed piece-by-piece when the naval base at Subic Bay, the Philippines, was closed in 1996. All the airplanes here are navy aircraft, or in some way related to navy aircraft. ("Hey guys, that's an F-16 --- an Air Force fighter!!" "Not to worry, son; the navy bought 16 of them to be "agressor aircraft" at the Top Gun school. They're painted with Russian markings, and the aggressor pilots speak Russian when they're flying.")
We have visited twice before, but wanted to see what damage occured during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. It turned out the damage was minimal, and has been repaired. Otherwise, we didn't expect to see anything particularly new. Wrong! There were several new displays, and (we thought) different and more succinct descriptions of the aircraft. Dean spent nearly an hour watching the continuous big screen slow-motion pictures of "bad" aircraft-carrier landings during WWII. Sad, I suppose, as some of those were obviously fatal; but actually instructional, and absolutly riveting.
Another display showed actual navy on-board films of the 1967 fire on the carrier USS Forrestal. A Zuni rocket inadvertantly fired from an F-4 waiting in line to be catapulted, and impacted the auxilliary fuel tank hanging below an A-4 piloted by Lt. Cdr. John McCain (!!!) The tank and a 1000-pound bomb were ripped from the A-4. The tank spread fire across the deck; the bomb detonated a few seconds later and blew a hole in the deck, allowing the burning jet-fuel to enter the aircraft storage and other crew areas below. Before the fire was out some 13 hours later, 26 airplanes were destroyed and 31 damaged, twelve 500 or 1000-pound bombs had detonated, and 135 sailors lost their lives. Not every hero dies at the hands of the enemy.

Laurie pointed out something that we had not noticed before: The airplanes are situated around the floor without rope barriers. You can walk up to any of them and touch them (lovingly) if you wish. And there's not a speck of dust on any of them, even the ones suspended from the ceiling. One of the volunteers (there are 700 of them!) told us that paid employees clean, dust and polish the planes every evening. And still there's no entry fee!! The entire operation is financed through donations. In all, it took two half-days to enjoy the Pensacola Naval Air Museum one more time. (It closed early on Christmas eve.) Dean recommends it to fliers, would-be fliers, history buffs, and citizens-at-large.

The World of Coca Cola

And the other thing we wanted to do in Atlanta was to tour the Coke visitor center.

What fun! This World of Coke facility is new this year. Many displays on the history of the Coca Cola company starting from the druggist who came up with the syrup, to the first bottlers, through today with the hundred's of products across the globe: water, cola, iced teas, coffee, and vitamin-fortified and energy drinks.

Lots and lots of memorabilia. It was really stressed how important advertising and marketing is to the success of Coke.

We enjoyed several short films created for the kids in us including one in 4-D where we wore 3-D glasses and for the fourth dimension we were rock and rolled and had water lightly squirted on us.

A full room was set up with a bottling operation. A slowed-down uniquely designed bottling operation bottling 20 bottles a minute compared to the 2200 average at a commercial bottler.

The last area in the center was the tasting room. Where you can help yourself to a taste of a Coke product from Asia, Africa, Europe, South and North America. Still like our homegrown Coke the best.

We learned that Coke may taste different because of the sugar source used. In the US it is from corn, in Mexico from cane, and Europe from beets.

Cable News Network -- CNN

Think this is the 3rd time we've passed close to Atlanta without actually doing any exploring. We especially wanted to take the Inside CNN tour. Finally, we stopped in Atlanta long enough to do so.

After paying the "nominal" fee of 12 bucks apiece, we were taken on a one-hour tour of the facility, seeing how the news is gathered, researched, verified, scheduled, scripted for the teleprompter (and those sheets of paper you see the anchors holding), and brought to viewers "live". Breaking news bypasses all those steps, and the anchors are on their own to bring us the news in their own words. We watched several minutes of "on-the-air" programming from the main newsroom, saw two smaller studios used for certain occasions, and the separate newsroom and studio for "CNN Headline News".

The CNN headquarters building was at one time a large hotel/amusement park complex. Ted Turner bought it in 1986 and remodeled it to house the offices of the 3000 people it takes to manage the network, as well as the multitude of studios, newsrooms, and similar facilities. (A small portion of the building is still a hotel.) We were told the innumerable cameras, lights, monitors and other electrically-powered equipment throughout the facility use enough electricity daily to light 300,000 homes!

Security was much in evidence throughout the building. Several armed agents/officers/guards were stationed on the main floor lobby. We saw one in every stairwell and hallway we went through, and one accompanied us on the tour to ensure no one wandered off or stayed behind. Many doors were electronically or mechanically locked off-limits, and our guide had to push a keypad code as we entered and left each area. Surely makes sense in these times.

We had hoped to take home a book on CNN operations. At the gift shop we could buy magnets, hats, t-shirts, and paperweights but nothing on CNN. The clerk suggested we go to Walden Books in the building's mall who would have a book. But when we got to Walden Books they told us that they are forbidden to have anything that had to do with CNN in their store. And since Ted Turner is their landlord, they comply. What's that all about?

CNN headquarters is right across the street from the Atlanta Olympic Park which must have made it easy for their Olympic game reporting. They could have taken pictures from their windows.

While we're sure similar facilities exist for every other network, and to some extent every TV station, it was an enlightening experience.

It was a great ride!

Dateline: Gaffney, SC

 

Fall has come right now!  After enjoying a very long and comfortable Indian Summer from Pennsylvania south to Florida, the temperatures have dropped drastically today.

 

There have been record-breaking temperatures everywhere we've been these last 2 months and it has been wonderful being in T's, shorts, and sandals for this long. 

 

Time to pay the piper though.  Yesterday was 80 with a low of 55 degrees.  Today the high has been 45; it's currently 36; and a low of 23 is forecast for tomorrow.

 

We can live with rain as it reminds us of home and it is much needed here.  We would prefer they keep the sleet away!

Macon Mound Builders

While in Macon, GA, we visited the Ocmulgee National Monument. Before preserving history was in vogue, these mounds were almost decimated. The Ocmulgee Indians (Creek) were driven from this area and a railroad was built through these mounds. The fill used as the RR bed was from the mounds and the railroad found artifacts which piqued the interest of historians and archeologists. During the depression, the CCC aided in these digs.

It was fascinating to learn what has been discovered on this site. A Clovis spear point was found which would have been used by hunters passing through here during the Ice Age. There are pieces of decorative pottery dating back to 1000BC produced by the Woodland indians. When a society has enough necessities, time can be spent on extras like decorating pottery. Some pottery shards were decorated with weaving from cloth. Therefore, the knowledge of creating thread to cloth was known by these people.

There are 7 reconstructed mounds in this park. The mounds were originally built by the Mississippian Culture Indians from 900 to 1100 AD and these were similar to other mound village sites along the Mississippi. The funeral mound here is distinctive. When excavating what remained of the mound after the RR was built, it was determined it was built in 7 distinct stages. The soil color (Georgia's is bright red here) was different with each layer and steps were cut into some of the layers. It is suggested that the tribe chieftains were buried there with their finery. Shell and copper items were buried with the bodies.

The museum was being remodeled so many of the displays were closed (we run into this a lot: same story - different day!). There are suggestions that the Mississippian Culture mounds might be similar to ones built in South America. Though these mounds are not as ornate and they are dirt finished. One was faced with clay. One mound here is a large 55' high by 300' x 270'. That took a lot of manpower bucket by bucket.

The reconstructed earth lodge was fascinating also as the clay floor dates back 1000 years. You can see 50 seats and where their feet rested. It was noted that each seat closer to the chief got bigger and higher in elevation.

So much to learn; so much to guess.

Prisoners of War - Andersonville

We were taught in school about the atrocities at the Confederate Prison in Andersonville, Georgia where so many of the Union soldiers died. We visited the Andersonville National Historic Site and learned more.

Andersonville was open and occupied for 15 months. 42,000 soldiers were confined here during that time. 13,000 died from disease, malnutrition, overcrowding, and exposure to the elements. High numbers. This prison was built to hold 10,000 but at one time held 32,000 prisoners.

We came away with a better understanding of the events here. The Confederates were losing the war, their supplies were cut off, and the prisoner exchange with the Union had stopped. They didn't have the means to run a complex with this many prisoners as they were unable to feed, clothe, or provide medical care for them.

In perspective, during this war 30,000 Union soldiers died in Confederate prisons and 26,000 Confederates died in Union prisons.

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Andersonville serves as a memorial for all prisoners of war throughout our nation's history. On this site is the national Prisoner of War Museum. Informative and nicely done. It's a place where POW's and family may come to reflect. It's a place for civilians to learn of the sacrifices and courage of these soldiers and to fully understand the loss of freedom and to cherish it all the more.

The Sumter Regional Hospital -- Americus, Georgia

As noted earlier, we went to Americus (population 17,000) to visit the home of Habitat for Humanity "Global Villiage". While there, we discovered that last March a tornado cut through the town, leveling a few nondescript buildings, but also the Piggly Wiggly, the major grocery store in town. And also the largest and most modern building in town: The Sumter Regional Hospital.

This huge three-story brick and concrete building employing 712 personel, had most windows blown in, some of the brick facing torn off, and the roof lifted momentarily. The winds ripping through the interior tore out most interior walls, breaking the gas, oxygen, water and electric lines that are a fixture in virtually every hospital room anywhere. The ruptured water lines spewed water throughout the building. Fifty-three patients (no injuries reported) were moved to other hospitals, many far-removed from Americus.Initially, there was no capability to handle any type of sickness or injury locally. Several doctor's offices had been clustered around the hospital, as is usual around any hospital, and many of them were destroyed or damaged to the point that they were not usable. Some doctors left town. Even though some services have been restored in temporary locations around town that were spared by the tornado, there are no inpatient, surgical services or labor-and-delivery services available. After "prolonged negotiations" with their insurance carrier, the hospital was declared a total loss, and demolition has begun. A replacement hospital will not be completed until 2010. In the meantime, many functions will become available next spring when some temporary modular (warehouse-type) buildings from FEMA will be completed.

With a new hospital estimated to cost 125 million, the town and region embarked on a multitude of programs to raise money. One of the most innovative: This week, the winner of a raffle will win the right to swing the demolition ball at the first wall to be leveled.

It was a frightening thing to see, but refreshing to witness the area working together to climb out of a hole that mother nature dug for them.

Habitat for Humanity's Global Village

Americus, Georgia is the home of Habitat for Humanity which was formed in 1976 by Millard Fuller. Habitat has built with volunteers over 200,000 homes in 100 countries.

We found out more about their efforts in other countries at the Global Village. The walking tour took us through an example of substandard housing (slums) followed by 15 model homes that are being built by Habitat around the world.

These homes were styled for local preferences and each locale's needs; whether protection from heat or wind or rain or flooding. Global Village included samples the would be used in countries of South America, Africa, and Asia. Each of these homes could be sponsored (which is the cost of building one) for $1200 to $6500.

Peanut farmer of Plains

We were so close. We just had to visit Plains where former president Jimmy Carter grew up and lives today.

The main information center is in the old high school. We were disappointed that the area with displays on Jimmy Carter's life and career were closed undergoing renovation. But we saw a nice film and learned a lot about Rosalynn Carter in a room dedicated to her.

Every museum we go to we learn something new.

This quote was made before he became president, Nobel Prize winner, and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity among other things.

Jimmy Carter was planning a career with the Navy when his father died and he needed to return to Plains to run the peanut farm. Rosalynn liked traveling and being away from Plains. The display quoted her as saying that she only pouted for a year after they returned!

Maybe I was sleeping but I only remembered the couple having one child, daughter Amy. But they have 3 sons who were born between 1947 and 1952. Rosalynn describes Amy as her 40th birthday surprise. Amy was born in 1967.

When Carter decided to run for president he needed a campaign headquarters. The train depot in town was used as it was the only vacant building with a bathroom. Plains is such a small town. 600 people. Many of them were friends and went on the road campaigning for Jimmy.

One of the displays was a tour through their home. They are voracious readers and each room had multiple shelves of books. At the visitor center, we found quite a number of books written by Carter that we hadn't heard of.

We knew that he volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. We learned that he teaches Sunday school almost every week. He also preaches at his church several times a year and we just missed one of those occasions last weekend.

He enjoys woodworking and Rosalynn and he are avid birdwatchers.

They sound like real nice people that you would enjoy as friends.

Heading home

Gee!  We're actually traveling north, so we must be heading home.  The Orlando area, where we visited Laurie's niece (and tried to see the shuttle launch) was as far south-east as we expected to go.  So I guess we're on our way back.

 

To date, we've traveled through 22 states and 4 Canadian provinces.  Some of those states and provinces more than once.  We've traveled 8664 miles and used 814 gallons of diesel.  (10.6 miles/gallon.)  And we've driven Curvy (the CR-V) another 4350 miles sightseeing, away from the RV. 

 

There will be fewer states and miles on the return, but it will still take us until April to get there.  The plan (ha!) is to re-visit Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama; then strike west via Mississippi and Louisiana to Texas, where we'll spend a few weeks.  Then via New Mexico to Arizona for a few more weeks; and finally home via a route not yet planned.

 

We're told our house is still standing and the boat still floating after the horrendous rains and floods last week.  We're sure there will still be reminders of that long after we return.  It boggles the mind and saddens us greatly to hear and see the devastation in areas where we grew up and live now.

Way down upon the Pee Dee River

Or maybe that should be the Yazoo River? When Stephen C Foster was looking for a name of a southern river for his song "Old Folks at Home", these were two of his choices. He liked the sound of the Suwannee River but as he only needed two syllables to rhyme, Suwannee became the Swannee.

What I found fascinating was how many of the songs he penned in the mid-1850's are ones that we all know today. Like: "Oh! Susanna", "Camptown Races", "My Old Kentucky Home", "Beautiful Dreamer" and "Old Folks at Home" ("Swanee River")

Both Georgia and Florida have state parks named after Foster. And Florida's state song is "Swanee River" ("Old Folks at Home"). Foster lived in Pennsylvania and only once came south on a cruise to New Orleans.

Foster had an agreement with Edsin Christy of the the Christy Minstrels....(must be the Olde Christy Minstrals, huh?) to sing his songs and publish his compositions. He sold Swanee River to Christy for $15.00. It wasn't until a recopyright was done in 1879 that the song was published as being written and composed by Stephen Foster. Foster had died destitute 15 years before at the age of 37. Imagine the work he might have done if he'd lived to an old age.

Did you see the Space Shuttle launch?

Since we are in Florida only for 4 days this visit, it was pretty exciting to find out that a launch of the Space Shuttle was scheduled.

Today as we worked our way toward the coast where we hoped we'd find a good vantage point for the event, we caught the radio announcement out that today's launch was postponed. Darn, but I'd rather they'd be as safe as possible.

We'll watch the launch later on the TV.

Ponce De Leon loved pancakes

Today we visited the DeLeon Springs State Park. This park has a natural spring like Blue Springs State Park though the flow is much less. At this park visitors can swim in the man-made pool all year in the 72 degree water. No danger of manatees getting into the pool.

There are a bunch of myths about this park: that Ponce de Leon found the Fountain of Youth here; that the Spanish built a sugar mill here in the late 1500's. I think perhaps Ponce loved pancakes as much as Dean does.

We had lunch at the Old Spanish Sugar Mill restaurant where the table contained a pancake grill. We were brought two kinds of pancake batter and we made our own. We understand that in the high tourist season that it is not unusual to wait up to 3 hours to be seated. We were the only customers today.

Manatee watching at Blue Springs

We popped down to Florida to watch the manatees at Blue Spring State Park. We enjoyed watching them so much in 2005 that we really wanted to come back and spend more time.

The manatees need temperatures above 68 degrees and the Blue Springs is a constant 72 degrees. So in the winter as the St. John River cools off, the manatees come into the spring run to sleep and stay warm and only swim down to the St Johns River to eat. And eat they do! Up to 100 pounds of greens (water plants) each day.

The spring is oxygen deficient. Nothing grows there and only animals that have learned to come to the surface to breath are able to stay there. The fish we see swimming here pop to the surface and gasp.

Every morning Manatee Research comes out and does an approximate count of the manatees that spent the night in the run. There were 17 manatees in the run the night before our first visit; but the second morning the temps were in the 30's and we got there before 9 and saw many in the run. The count that day was 45.

It was fun to watch about 18 of these slow moving cows swimming close to the area of the dock we were standing on. There were a lot of small ones nuzzling up to nurse under mama's flipper. Several of them were moving under a floating log. Whether playing or scratching their back we don't know. And there were 8 of them under the dock. Maybe they were chomping on the moss on the pilings? Think maybe these two were kissing?

Had heard that the manatees were brought to this country to keep waterways clear but I wasn't able to find anything to substantiate that. Not even sure how they could have been transported. Though these manatees are called the West Indian manatees, they have been in Florida for many eras.

And, oh, yes, the Florida manatee species is being moved from "endangered" to "threatened". That is good news!

You can see pictures from our previous visit to Blue Springs http://www.geocities.com/wanderingsingers/wintertrekfeb2005.htm

A few things have changed at this park in two years - must be new park management. They won't let people in the water by boat or to swim or scuba dive in the winter when manatees might be in the spring run. And they have strung float lines across the run in about 6 places. And they won't let RV's camp in the park if they are larger than 30'. (Campground was 90% empty and 90% of the spots would have easily fit us. This may be a ploy that the chief ranger can use to talk his bosses into park improvements by telling them how many campers they had to turn away because the campsites were too small. Whatever.)

Doing the Okefenokee And Looking for Pogo

Always wanted to visit Okefenokee swamp in lower Georgia which was famous in Walt Kelly's Pogo comic strip. We entered from the east where the Suwannee Canal was dug in the 1890's to drain the swamp to facilitate harvesting the cypress trees. The original investors went bankrupt and the canal was abandoned.

Today the entire swamp is a National Wildlife Refuge and remnants of the canal are used as a starting point for canoe exploration and tour boat excursions.

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It was a nice sunny and warm day to explore and we took a boat ride up to the Chesser Prairie. Not the type of prairie we are used to out west, but a wet prairie with many feet of peat from decomposing vegetation beneath the water surface. We saw turtles and gators and lizards and no mosquitos (and no possums, either)!

This year 80% of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge burned. The fires were started by lightning. We could see a bit of damage in the distance but understand that there are always prescribed burns in this refuge just not to this extent.

Folkston Funnel or What happened to the trains?

Now we surely wouldn't travel to a little town in Georgia just to watch the train traffic but, hey, we were here anyhow so why not! Every community ought to have their claim to fame and the FOLKSTON FUNNEL for the folks of Folkston is theirs!

All the railroad traffic to Florida runs through this town. Two major CSX railroad lines merge here. Our campground is between the two tracks (which right here are a half-mile apart) and it's a busy place!

So we decided to check it out. At the Funnel is a covered platform with comfortable chairs, picnic benches, a BBQ grill, restrooms, free wifi, and a radio on the RR frequency.

Trains? Well, we arrived in time for a "happening" and just one train passed by. An Amtrak train had run over a piece of sheet metal on the tracks and had to stop and check if any damage had occurred. (We knew all this by listening to the RR radio.) The train finally got to town and past the Funnel. Not much further along it's route, the "Defect Detectors" kept automatically announcing that there was some damage on the train. The fellows at the Funnel could smell a hot brake so that may have been the problem. The Defect Detectors can detect heat and counts axles to identify the train. When detected, an auto voice came on the RR radio declaring a defect at such and such a milepost and how many axles the train had.

Guess this train did stop to correct the defect as no trains came by on the tracks near the campground for 2 1/2 hours.

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And we couldn't believe it but just as Mr. Amtrak train came to town, a pickup pulled out of line and around the traffic barricades and passed in front of the train! Death wish!