This morning the forecast is for thunderstorms, the possibility of hail, and the potential for tornadoes. While we really enjoyed Cumberland Island and wanted to spend another day there, we decided we should get off the anchor and get into a marina for maximum safety. A direct lightning strike on Great Laker could disable most or all of the electrical system and electronics and could cost a bundle of boat dollars.
We headed for St. Mary's, a small town about seven miles west up the St. Mary's River. This town was the site of the last battle of the War of 1812. British naval warships invaded St. Mary's and claimed victory, only to discover later that the British had surrendered, the war was over, and no one had informed either side here before the conflict.
On the way, we saw the Cumberland Queen II, which is the way the public gets over to Cumberland Island. There were many people aboard, many seeking to camp on the island and loaded down with duffel bags and coolers. With this weather, they are in store for a wet, muddy experience. We arrived and docked just as the storm hit and soon had almost zero visibility. The rain came down so hard that the drops hitting the water bounced back up almost an inch!
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| Cumberland Queen II |
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| Heavy rain in St. Mary's |
After lunch, the rain slowed enough that we ventured out, armed with rain coats and umbrellas, and discovered a very nice, well cared for, historic community. This town is near the Naval Submarine Base "Kings Bay" that is the East Coast home to Trident submarines. Therefore, we were not surprised that St. Mary's has a Submarine Museum which we decided to visit. It was full of pictures, descriptions, models, and plaques and paraphernalia of submarines from 1864 to the present Tridents. There were several mock-ups of submarine control panels and an actual working periscope that looked out over the roof.
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| St Mary's Submarine Museum |
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| A working periscope that could see the rain storm outside |
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