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Sunday 20 February 2011

I had a goal for today which was to visit the submarine museum in St. Mary's GA - we missed it last time we were here (in 2004) because Bob decided to leave early.

Summerville town square

We got underway about 9. We went down US 17

Following Route 17

through a place called Round O. We saw some wild turkeys by the road. The last place before we hit I-95 was Walterboro. I noticed several horse dealers in the area and also saw a sign advertising "concealed carry classes".

Georgia Welcome station

We stopped for lunch about noon just before we got to St. Mary's.

KFC

We ate at KFC and it was a very lively place with a lot of local people eating Sunday dinner there. Bob had

Three chicken strips

and I had

BBQ sandwich

When we got to St. Mary's we parked and went to the museum. Bob was in the U.S. Navy submariner reserve in high school and the following year before he went to the U.S. Naval Academy. So on our re-visit, the first thing we visited was this museum.

Submarine museum - left 2004 - right 2011

St. Marys Submarine Museum is in a converted historic movie theater (built in 1911) on the St. Marys waterfront. They have a working periscope, models of torpedoes, many displays made from actual submarines

Hatch

Control panel

Bunk

a deep-sea diving suit

Diving suit

and submarine uniforms, command plaques,

Wall of command plaques - The one on the left 2nd from the end is one we have because Bob served on that ship

Close-up of U.S.S. Conger plaque - Sub that Bob served on

photographs and models of submarines, an area for watching movies on submarines, working sonar panels,

Display

a history of submarines, a reading area, a reference area, gift shop and a display dedicated to the eight submariners who received the Medals of Honor. Bob is of the opinion that it needs a good organizing - it appears to be a collection of collections. It was fun though.
.
Then we checked into the Riverview Hotel We saw this hotel in 2004 when we were walking along the waterfront from the marina.

Bob reflected in the front window of the Riverview

When we came back to go to Cumberland Island, we booked in this hotel because it was the closest to the Cumberland Island ferries and I could walk across the street to them. The Riverview Hotel was built 1916. This tabby coated 105 Osborne Street hotel boasts a two story porch along its Osborne Street elevation.

Riverview Hotel

The hotel is clean and old. Not fancy old with bed flounces and lots of little pillows. It is just old. It has Mission Oak furniture and some of the stair carpet is worn. They have wi-fi which I can almost get in the room, but they also have a big staircase to climb every time we go up to our room. Definitely not handicapped accessible.

Upper hallway

This historic hotel was built in 1916. The rooms have all been named after people who have either stayed at the Riverview Hotel or are locally famous. The rooms are named after people as varied as Admiral Nimitz and the weatherman Willard Scott. We stayed in the Talmadge room - named after Georgia Governor Eugene Talmadge. We had two iron bedsteads - brass bedstead types with quilts, but the metal is painted black.

Wardrobe/shrank with bed reflected and TV on top

There is a shrank for a closet and our own bathroom.

Through the bathroom door

There are plantation shutters on the windows.

View from the hotel

The Riverview Hotel is an official SSCA Cruising station and will receive mail & packages for cruisers. This would be important to us - except for the rules that Georgia has against living aboard a boat which means that we can't stay here on our boat for more than a month.

Amenities include air conditioning, daily maid service, cable TV, HBO + ESPN, and continental breakfast. Hairdryers, alarm clocks, and iron available upon request.

Canon on the town square

We saw a President's Day parade at the waterfront.

President's day flag bearers

President's Day parade

Photographer

Then we went over to the NPS headquarters and checked on our reservation.

Cumberland Lady ferry

and looked at the exhibits.

Turtle nest diorama

Oyster Catcher

We were too late to get the trolley tour.

Trolley tours start here--last trolley tour leaving the waterfront

National Seashore offices in historic building

The new museum is on St. Mary's Street, right on the water. The NPS website says:"The exhibition uses pieces from the collection to highlight the people of the island. The lives of Native Americans, African Americans, the Carnegie family as well as others who lived on the island in the 19th and 20th centuries are seen in the island environment. The museum was designed to provide a glimpse of Cumberland Island to those who are unable to visit the island. These exhibits were funded through fees paid by island visitors and campers. A small portion of the total collection will be on display, primarily pieces that illustrate life on the barrier island.

Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum

“These are objects that have never before been on public display,” said curator John Mitchell. “We can learn from these items about how people lived in the past.”"

US Coast and Geodetic Survey Bench Mark

Available Facilities Public restrooms and water fountain

Some confusion in museum names has developed between the Cumberland Island Museum and the Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum.The Cumberland Island Museum is a separate entity and was incorporated in 1985 to assure the protection and maintenance of the library, archival materials, and natural history collections of Carol Ruckdeschel and C. Robert Shoop. Unlike some museums, The Cumberland Island Museum does not have exhibits or displays, but simply houses and curates the research materials. It is on Cumberland Island. It is open to the public.

Riverside park

Central street with Market on the Square on right

Market on the Square- They were having a sale

I thought we would eat at Langs (where we tried to eat before but they had too much of a wait)

Lang's is on the other side of the STOP sign

Bob walking back across to tell me it was closed

but they are not open until Weds.

So we drove out to the Silver Star Steakhouse - built in 1890

Front of the restaurant

Boot as a planter by the door

which used to be a grocery store.

Explanation on the menu

Inside of the restaurant

I ordered an oyster po-boy, but there were out of oysters, so I had a fish sandwich instead.

Fish sandwich

Bob had a cup of crab bisque and fish and chips.

Bob's Fish and chips $9.99

I brought home a key lime cheesecake but I couldn't find the plastic fork that I thought I had in my bag.

Night in St. Mary's

Later: The Key Lime Cheesecake was very good. I can't remember what I used to eat it with though.