SE North.Carolina, 2-26 & 27, 2013

Monday Feb. 25 we stayed another day at Huntington Beach State Park. About 10 am we went for a walk on the beach. The wind off the Ocean was so strong and it was chilly. So we only walked about 20 minutes. It was a good day to read about North Carolina and decide where we were going. It was overcast all day and started raining at 3 pm.

On the road again Tuesday Feb. 26. It's raining as we leave and very gusty winds.


Southport Maritime Museum (Beautiful quilt)


Ships in the Atlantic Ocean in this area were often raided by pirates.


They used lightweight cannons with a swivel arm. It could picked up and carried to another spot on the ship. They also used heavy weight and non moveable cannons.


Lots of model ships.





The most exciting thing for me was looking out a periscope. Even though it was foggy we could see a ferry boat and a pilot boat. Phil got sidetracked by a gentleman who wanted to know how we like our Roadtrek. We are repeatedly asked about our little home on wheels.


A sewing machine from 1863.


Can you guess what these are? Sharks's teeth.


Gill net, clam rake and gig.


There was a tribute to the many decades of shipbuilding in this area.


When we stopped at the N.C. Visitor Center we were delighted to learn we could take a ferry across Cape Fear River to Fort Fisher. Initially thought we would have to drive all the way around.


Type of ferry we took for the 25 minute crossing of Cape Fear River. It's another one of those: who would have thought we would be taking so many ferry rides!!! The movie Safe Haven (novel written by Nicolas Sparks) was filmed at Southport and used the ferry we are now traveling on. The ferry attendant said their quiet little town was really a bustling place when the filming was going on.


Fort Fisher was the last Naval battle of the Civil War. (It was mentioned in the movie Lincoln.). The Fort was constructed of sand because that could absorb the blows of the cannonballs.





The Fort was built in a L shape.


After several failed attempts to capture the Fort the Union brought 58 battleships and many supporting ships to attack the Fort. A Confederate said it looked like a forest of sticks out there, because the mast were down and so many ships.


The Union captured the Fort. This was the last Confederate seaport leading to the demise of the Confederate.


Earthen mounds and sally port, entrance.


Medal of Honor was given to 77 soldiers, sailors and Marines for their valor in the second attack on Fort Fisher.


Interesting to learn this is the Confederate battlefield flag.


Naval Jack.


Third Confederate flag. Second flag with so much white was mistaken fr a flag of truce. The red signifies"stained blood."


North Carolina flag has the dates it joined the Union and the date it seceded from the Union.


Bonny Blue flag, the unofficial flag of the Confederates States.

We stayed overnight at Walmart in Wilmington.

Location:Southport, Fort Fisher, Wilmington, Morehead City, N.C.