Fort Pulaski

As we were leaving Tybee Island, we pulled into Fort Pulaski.  Our birding guide listed it as a prime spot.

 

 

As promised in the Birding Georgia guide,
we were greeted by Forester's Terns
when we drove over the bridge at the entrance.
These were new to our life list! 

However, the birding ended there.  We went to the spots detailed in the guide but were attacked by sand flees, saw birds already on our list, or saw nothing at all.  There is a L-O-N-G trail around the fort which would have likely yielded a few new birds, but we were beat.  We raised a little white flag to the birds and surrendered.  Before leaving the base, we toured the fort and took in a little history instead.

 

After the War of 1812, President Madison ordered the construction
of the "Third System" of coastal fortification.
Fort Pulaski is one of 30 forts built in the 1820s & 1830s to defend the American coast.
 

It is surrounded by a moat, and yes, there were GATORS
swimming around us.
Behind the draw bridge were a series of redoubts.

A final iron gate opens to lead into the fort itself.

Should you make it over the moat with alligators, past the
shooters behind the redoubts, and past the iron-gated entry,
a cannon will greet you.

This fort is an important part of Georgia's past and present.
You can read more about its history here,
its role in the Civil War here,
and its significance today here.

Wilbur made sure he had a turn at the cannon, too!

 

We left the fort at closing and drove to Perkins for dinner.  Michael and I had noticed the restaurant while driving to Skidaway the day before.  There was a Perkins close to our college alma mater's campus, and we ate there all.the.time.  When we saw the restaurant in Savannah, we raved about the muffins, bottomless pot of hot tea, and other goodies available.  Our story must have been good advertising because the boys begged to go!  We had tried to "rough it" and eat food we had packed and brought with us.  I have to admit I enjoyed a good sit-down (somewhere other than a picnic table or our Jeep) meal.  Turns out that is the only Perkins in the entire state of Georgia.  The boys want to return to Savannah to eat... not at Paula Dean's restaurant or other fine eatery, but at Perkins.  Lol!

 

The next morning we rose before the sun to head home.  Although our time on the coast had ended, we weren't quite finished birding....

 

Until next time...

Dawn