9/2016 Geology and the Hurricane of 1938

Napatree Point Today

Before and After the Hurricane of '38

We are absolutely living the life!  Our new friends, Joanne and Jon (John's new golfing buddy), told us about the OLLIE Center at URI which has really cool classes for the "mature" generation. We have signed up for an 8 week class on the "Geology of Coastal Rhode Island" and a one day field trip to Napatree Point to discuss "The Hurricane of 1938".  First we read the fantastic book by R.A. Scott "Sudden Sea - The Great Hurricane of 1938" which gave first hand accounts from hurricane survivors.  Rhode Island's South County shoreline (Westerly to Newport) incurred the most damage and about 400 deaths.  Since our condo overlooks Misquamicut Beach (about 5 miles from Watch Hill and Napatree Point) which also got wiped off the map during the Hurricanes of '38, '44  and Carol in '54 and about half wiped out during Super Storm Sandy in 2012....our attention is peaked on this subject.

With Naturalist Janice, our group walked the remaining 2 mile sand strand of Napatree. Before the hurricane, the strand was about 4 miles long, but the section called Sandy Point was detached (see map) and relocated into the middle of Little Narragansett Bay by what the book describes "the surge was essentially a wind-induced tsunami that reached a height estimated by some to be 50 feet! That 50-foot wave rolled over Napatree Point and obliterated the 40 houses that once existed there on Fort Road."  39 died on the Point while others survived floating on roof tops and mattresses across the bay to Stonington, Connecticut.  A few chunks of cement stairs and some rocks from the old Fort is all that remains.  This sand peninsula continues to move toward the mainland leaving the old road buried in sand about 100 yards out in the ocean.

Sandy Point Detached from Napatree

The website beachsamp.org shows how past hurricanes have affected Rhode Island's shoreline. Maps of the storms mentioned above show the storm surge of all of them reaching very close to our condo's property line which is half a mile from the ocean and 40 feet above sea level.  Thank goodness we are on the third floor so the water may not get us but with nothing blocking our view of the ocean, nothing is blocking the wind either!!

Champlin Woods Glacial Signage

From our Geology class we learn that the RI shoreline is a moraine from the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. As the farthest point of glacial advance, the rock debris pushed in front of the glacier were dumped in a heap as the glacier melted and retreated. Explore RI describes the 134-acre Champlin Woods Glacier Park next to our condo as "a dramatic example of a recessional moraine, with kettle and kame topography, carved canyons, glacial erratic boulders and the moraine ridge. A number of the kettles are below the groundwater level, forming beautiful ponds. The morainal ridge over looks the glacial outwash plain (86-acre Lathrop Preserve owned by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island), Winnapaug Pond, the Misquamicut barrier beach, Block Island Sound, and the terminal moraine of Block Island and Long Island. A glacier geologist has reported that having all of these features in an undeveloped site is globally unique."

Folding Crust

A field trip takes us to the shores of Narragansett then over to Beaver Tail in Jamestown where results of continental drift and the smashing of land masses has produced unique folded rock formations below the Beaver Tail Lighthouse. So unusual that this exact formation is shown in every Geology book around the world.  We learn that Westerly was renowned for its high quality blue and pink granite used in buildings and monuments all over the world. The Washington Monument is an example.  The granite business started in Westerly in mid 1800's and by 1892 4,000 of Westerly's 7,000 residents were involved in the industry.  We learn that crystals from a massive vein of milky white quartz rolling in the surf for millions of years gives the namesake to smooth white stones found on nearby Moonstone beach.

Here we are having breakfast in front of Taylor Swifts Watch Hill house picking out great examples of pink and black feldspar formations among the massive barrier of RI pink granite. A walk among rocks will never be the same :)

Breakfast and Chatting At Taylor's House

8/2016 Rhode Island Summer

We  have been staying at the Ashaway RV resort now since June.  Guess what, it isn't as much fun living in the RV when it's not moving around the country.  The condo is really taking shape. With walls roughed in we can better see what it will look like. The builder was hoping to have us in by year end but we doubt that will happen.  The campground closes on October 15 which is fine as we are both ready for a change of living venue.

Coffee on Quonnie Pond

The condo association has been including us in events of which there are many!  A few we are attending are a dinner club luau, Men's Breakfasts, Genealogy, and Deb joined the book club.   We met a great couple in the campground, Karen and Jack, from Massachusetts who spend several days a week here kayaking, hiking and visiting family. We look forward to seeing them even after the camping season is over.  We have been hiking and kayaking on our own and with The Westerly Land Trust but especially love breakfasts on the beach or while kayaking Quonochontaug (Quonnie) Pond.  Our RV and truck are too heavy for the sand road to Quonnie Beach Campground BUT there is one we can get to at Ninegret Beach and we look forward to trying it out!  The miles and miles of shoreline salt water "ponds" and beautiful ocean beaches means seeing few people on our walks.

Quonnie Beach Camping

Deb has been spending a lot with her family, including a couple picnics at Esker Point where we used to go when our kids were little.  Zoe probably doesn't remember at age 2 when Aunt Sherrie and Aunt Dee took her to the Groton Fair after a long day of beaching.  In her pink tweety bird shorts with yellow shirt, she rode an elephant and had her face painted like a tiger.  They carry her in to gramma's house very tired but happy as a clam, sucking her thumb while Deb freaks out as she was FILTHY from head to toe!  While John golfs and writes articles (two on Wargaming getting published in War College Review), Deb helps Aunt Norma purge closets and drawers at her place and in between a couple of root canals continues work on tile, cabinet, carpet, paint, and new furniture.  She has changed her mind 1,000 times!!!

While watching the Rio Summer Olympics, John is reminded about his fathers Olympic disappointment.  He was an All American Long Distance Runner while at Dartmouth College.  During a beer ballgame he injured his ankle which took him out of contention for the Olympics.

Jack, John and Evelyn

Jack takes a break meeting up with his best high school buddies in Savannah and Charleston, then up to North Carolina for a college friends wedding.  Wow, realize our kids are getting older when you seem them with their friends babies.  But somehow, we don't seem to age:)

Zoe is still cranking away on her dissertation, to break the monotony of statistical analysis, she continues to participate in the field work while hiking Washington State mountains.  She and Gabe had a great road trip to Yosemite where they saw lots of wildlife and observed wolves feeding after a kill and took their canoe on challenging multi day adventures.

7/12/16 Hawaii To Meet Jack's Ship

USS Chung Hoon passing "Mighty Mo" (USS Missouri)

Last minute plans to fly to Hawaii and meet the Chung Hoon at the dock after a 6 month deployment was an experience no words can describe. Aunt Sherrie joined us for the homecoming. With the pier full of family, friends, hula dancers and a band, Jack's ship pulled in with the bow draped in a lei and with Jack standing by the front gun mount wearing orchid leis which he later presented to Mom and Aunt Sherrie.  We returned the aloha with leis for him and some shipmates who didn't have anyone greeting them.  

The Commanding Officer and Executive Officer both raved about Jack's performance saying he has a bright future in the Navy.  Who'da thought his first grade drama role would turn into a real life story.  Jack's fellow ensigns have nicknamed him "warship" due to his extensive knowledge of weapons systems and naval operations.  By the time we left the pier two more destroyers were stacked up next to his.Truly a sight to behold.

Jack and Zoe Catching Waves

We  stayed near Kailua Beach, about a 20 minute ride from Jack's fabulous house in Kaneohe.  Spent sunrises walking the beach to Kalapawai Market for coffee and scones then around the point to Lanikai to meditate.  Waves were unusually high and we spent hours boogy boarding.  Fourth of July on the

Even Sherrie Got In The Water

beach was a hoot with families setting up tents, grills, games, kids, dogs and flags as far as the eye  could see. From the beach was a birds eye view of the fireworks and a 5 minute walk back to the ohana house where we were staying.  Jack took us to Giovanni's shrimp truck on our way up the North Shore for snorkeling and our first fabulous acai bowl (acai sorbet, granola, honey, banana).

2016 and 2001

At a BBQ at Jack's house, Zoe surprised him with her arrival as he came through the door. It was great getting to know the other ensigns he lives with. 

What a difference 15 years make.  The bottom photo was taken when we lived in Hawaii while John was the Special Assistant for his friend Admiral Dennis Blair who was Commander In Chief Pacific Command.  John traveled extensively through Asia during these 3 years and helped develop the notion of security communities.  For our 20th Wedding Anniversary, we asked friend and Buddhist priest Dean N. to bless us on Kailua Beach, just down the street from where we lived.   

Hippy Beach Camper

In addition to lots of beach time, there was shopping for Hawaiiana, dinners with jack's 4th grade buddy Fred and his parents, dinner with Aikahi Park neighbors Jodi and family, and with Debra's  now defunct Investment Club ladies.   

Aunti took Zoe for a 30th birthday camp out in a 1976 Volkswagen tricked out hippy van. They toured the North Shore, snorkeled with lots of fish and sea turtles in Waimea Bay, and camped on the beach at Kaena Point.  They had a blast and set a precedent for future visits.  

Auntie with Jack at his House

We ended our wonderful visit watching the Chung-Hoon depart for RIMPAC 2016 while waving to Jack on the quarter deck.  Pearl Harbor  was filled with ships from 26 countries, in what the Navy says was "the worlds largest international maritime exercise".  40 ships and submarines, 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel participated in the exercise. Shortly after underway their ship and Marine helo crew were tasked to a real life search and rescue mission for a small downed plane off of Kona. Both pilots were rescued with only minor injuries! During the RIMPAC exercise with destroyers from Korea and Japan, they "demonstrated the combined forces ability to respond to a small boat attack as Chung-Hoon and Sejong the Great deployed their small boats to simulate attacks on the ships."  Jack also coordinated the visit of 

Japanese and Korean Destroyers During RIMPAC

old friend, retired Vice Admiral Denny McGinn to the Chung-Hoon.  VADM McGinn is the current Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment and one of Jack's references when he applied to the Navy. And if his plate is not full enough with his responsibilities as Auxiliary Officer, Legal Officer, and Energy Conservation Officer; Jack passed his SWO Board and can now wear the pin of a Surface Warfare Officer!  This is a massive milestone and one he accomplished in only 9 months!   

Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Soooooo fun seeing so many old friends and can't wait to go back for a month in January!  ALOHA

6/19/16 Westerly, RI and 45th Dartmouth Reunion

Condo Deck View

 It is wonderful to be back in Rhode Island at Ashaway RV Resort.   We walked through our Champlin Woods condo where inside walls have been

roughed in but the view of Misquamicut Beach is complete!  The builder hopes to have us in by the end of the year but we are not holding our breaths.  Hard to believe that we are home as we walk along the beach and look back to see our condo on the hill.

Mascoma Lake Campground

In between John's conference at the Naval War College and Deb's picking tile, bath fixtures, lighting, etc. etc., we take the RV up to Mascoma Lake Campground near Hanover, New Hampshire, spending five days at John's 45th Dartmouth College reunion. We have a wonderful time seeing over 100 of his classmates, reigniting old friendships and making new ones. We ran ourselves ragged on planned activities including delicious meal gatherings, hiking, panel discussions, campus tours, a concert by

award winning acapella group The Dartmouth Aires, and a fascinating presentation about the Thayer School of Engineering Mobile Virtual Player  (MVP) robotic tackling dummy which is used to simulate live tackling during practices.  

Dartmouth's MVP

Since using the MVP, a significant reduction in injuries and concussions has resulted from the college's policy of NO live tackling in practices.  Last Falls team's spectacular performance highlights the benefits of having healthier players.  Other colleges and the NFL are now trying the MVP in their programs.  

Protesters Confront ROTC Students

The mood of our country toward the military was quite different in the late 60's early 70's during the Vietnam War. John's experience as a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp (NROTC) student is reflected in this photograph of the war protesters and in the photo of a NROTC Dining-In where John (third from left) was the company commander hosting the nights speaker.  Dining-In's are formal military affairs following British traditions of rules of the mess, much toasting, and after dinner cigars and port.

It was fun listening to his buddy Dick, tell stories.  "You were hard ass ROTC; made me and Knolls look bad." "You must be really smart.  You would sit in back of Thermodynamics cutting your nails while I was furiously taking notes. Did you get an A or B in that class?"  To which John meekly replies, "I got a citation in that class." (That's like a A+++++!)

6/1/2016 Virginia, Bahamas, Zoe's PhD Board, Jack in Philippines

Zoe's River Canoe Trip

Zoe passed her PhD boards (YAHOO!!!!) complaining that they didn't ask her the really hard questions she spent months preparing for ;)  Her plans are to finish writing her dissertation by next May.  In between she is puttering in her garden, hiking in the Cascades with Gabe as they continue to check out wolf research sites, and take his girls down the St. Mary's River in Idaho in their new canoe!

Campsite Neighbor

  After an overnight stop at a KOA off I-95 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, we are back in our old stomping grounds at Bull Run Regional Park in Manassas, Virginia. We love camping in the spacious wooded campsites here, being awoken every morning by numerous bird calls.  A week goes by where we catch up with friends, make some professional connections, then put the RV in storage at Settles Truck & Auto where we bought it 4 years ago.

The Beautiful Boat

John flies to the Florida Keys to help some friends crew their boat to the Bahamas.  Having had an amazing time cruising around the Bahamian Islands on two prior occasions, Deb (wisely) chooses to remain  behind this time to work on design decisions for the condo (aka - to avoid the open ocean crossing) ;) Half way across, one (of two) engines fails so they limp into Alice City on Bimini.  Finding no qualified mechanic and no success at self-repair, they cruise to 

Bimini

Fort Lauderdale whereupon they experience a water in the bilge alarm.  After many buckets of water over the side, they arrive in FL, get repaired, tested and head back to Bahamas.  After two hours of smooth sailing the engine room fire alarm goes off.  While the Captain handles the boat, John's uses his Navy emergency training and several breath holding trips down into the engine room to put out the fire.  This trip is over and they return to Fort Lauderdale.  John says the trip was GREAT especially loving the opportunity to drive the boat, stand watch and help with the challenges.  The Captain's wife, on the other hand, was traumatized by these events.......(men are from Mars!)

Deb has a blast sacking out at her cousin Bruce's and various friends homes (Marie, Marcia,

Azalea Bonsai, National Arboretum 

Susan B.) while he was gone.  Visited the beautiful National Arboretum, attended a community theater production of "My Fair Lady" where our friend Joni played Professor Higgins fabulous secretary, and continues working on floor, kitchen plumbing and appliance decisions for the condo.  

Marcia, Jane, Actress Joni, Debra

John gets back in time to celebrate our 35TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!!!  We are blessed beyond words for the life we have had together and plan to continue to have in the future.  

After moving the RV back to Bull Run, we continue our marathon visiting with friends and family as we both finish up some consulting projects.  Had a great day at the Nationals Ballpark even though they lost.  Met up with Deb's Uncle Bill (drove Marine landing craft in Vietnam) on Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Day in DC at the Massachusetts Vigil Society exhibit he was manning.  The group formed in 1982 after the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial to maintain POW-MIA

Massachusetts Vigil Society Exhibit

awareness.  They recently added banners naming fallen veterans from the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars.  A very emotional and humbling experience as the Washington Monument rises behind the exhibit.

Jack had some well needed downtime on a recent port call in Subic Bay, Philippines.  His ship is involved in activities described in a newspaper headline: "Deploying ships, jet fighters, and reportedly, a high-tech surveillance drone, Beijing is moving quickly to cement its claims on strategic islands, while also forcefully rebuffing America’s own military moves in the region."   He is working hard at his new position as the ships Auxiliary Officer (AUXO) while at the same time putting max effort into qualifications for his Surface Warfare Officer pin. His first Fitness Report was EXCELLENT!!!

While reviewing condo plans recently, Debra asks John, what is the size of our deck?  He says 300 sq feet.  What is the size of the RV living area?  He says 310 sq. ft. Soooo we have been living on our deck for the past two years?? Yup, that about sums it up.  

John says you know it's time to bring this Freedom Folly to a close when Deb starts complaining about him leaving his soap in her makeup space (really John, I would have complained about that under any circumstances:).  We had a real hard laugh when John then complained because she left her book in his chair space. We continue to find it absolutely amazing that we still find humor in our ability to tolerate each other in such close quarters.

5/2/16 Savannah and Charleston

Zoe's 7th Grade Painting for Aunt Dee

Feels good to be at the Atlantic as we visit Deb's sister in beautiful Savannah, Georgia.  We store the RV at Hunter Army Airfield and stay with Dee at their lovely home overlooking a pond.  Zoe's 7th grade giraffe painting in their guest room reminds us of how her life resembles her childhood dreams. Stan cooks great meals, the boys go fishing in the kayak while the girls head to an orchid show and to the beach and shopping on Tybee Island.  There we reminisce about the family visit here 5 years ago for their sons' bar mitzvah and of the Ya Ya weeks us sisters and Zoe spent in Virginia Beach feeding

John, Shelbi and John

Cheetos to the gulls, getting massages at the Edgar Casey Center and shopping at the  "Voo Doo" store.  We top it off with a wonderful visit with Jack's best friend John and Shelbi (who is due in about a month!) at their lovely apartment outside of Savannah.  

Charleston Bike Taxi

Charleston, South Carolina is only a couple hours drive up the coast where we spend a few days each at the beautiful James Island County Park and then at the functional Lake Aire RV Park in Hollywood.  Campgrounds are getting full on weekends as summer is here.  We take a shuttle from James Island to Charleston and spend the morning on a great historic area walking tour.  Charleston is clean and beautifully preserved.  Hopping on a bike taxi, we are peddled to

Fort Sumpter

the dock and board a boat to the island of Fort Sumter.  The museum here is great and enough of the Fort remains to get a good feel of its history.   Another day we drive to Patriots Points Naval Museum where we tour the WWII era aircraft carrier the USS Yorktown, a destroyer and a submarine.  Great exhibits and a must do in Charleston. 

Derby Juleps with the Gibbons

For the last days in
Charleston we stay with Jack's other best friends parents who moved here from Fairfax about the same time we moved. Chuck and Dana built a lovely southern style home where we enjoyed mint juleps during the Kentucky Derby (hence the hats).  So good to talk to son Greg who skyped from Korea on Mothers Day!

4/26/16 Florida and Jack in Singapore

Cousins Marcus, Mark and Debra

On a river south of Tallahassee, Deb reunites with cousin Mark (and son Marcus) who she hasn't seen since childhood.  It's like being with an old friend and we can't wait to get together again soon.  

 


Further south, we find a little rustic RV park hidden in a small fishing village called Keaton Beach.  Old Pavilion RV Park turns out to be one of our most favorite stops in our Freedom Folly as our intended overnight stay turns into 3.  Cash or check only, no facilities, but quiet and the

Early Morning Moon Rise from our RV

Sunset from the Deck

nicest people ever.  Parked right on the water next to the parks deck, we enjoy watching birds, fish, crabs and the company of fellow RVers for nightly sunset cocktails.  John spends many hours fishing along the shoreline and catches a 19 inch speckled sea trout and a red fish - YUM.  Friendly kitties visit and neighbors Duane and Barb, and Chuck and Pippy Longstockings (dog) plan to reunite here again April 2018.

On to Leesburg where we spend the day with Deb's cousin Terry and family at the Mt. Dora Blueberry Festival.  So fun watching the twins play and fresh picked blueberry's were big and sweet.  Good fun was had as we visited John's sister Judy (and Bill).  While the girls went shopping, the boys went golfing and John nailed a 50 foot put from 10 feet off the green. Sounds like a fish story to me based on how he usually describes his golf outings but Bill backs him up.  We camp at rustic Griffin Lake Park with great trails and kayaking.   A dangerous coral snake crosses Deb's path on her morning walk and a photo to Zoe for confirmation comes back with this little ditty, "Red touches black safe for Jack.  Red touches yellow kills a fellow".  Don't ya just love having a wildlife ecologist in the family.

Singapore From Jack's Hotel

News headlines provide details of the continually rising tensions with the Chinese as Jack's "Great Green Fleet" patrols among shoals claimed by China in the South China and Philippine Seas.  A port call in Singapore, provides needed R&R, another beautiful hotel with an endless rooftop pool, touring and more Facetime with Jack.  John asks "hows your Mandarin", whence Jack replies, yes we have been communicating a lot with our Chinese counterparts.  Jack suspects the Chinese boats and planes that buzzed them recently were probably wondering what they were doing as they played corn hole during a "steel beach picnic" on the deck of the Chung-Hoon.  Jack got to

Sigsbee Ceremony (can't see Jack)

participate in the 21 gun salute during a ceremony honoring the ships name sake, Admiral Chung-Hoon, for his heroic actions in WWII while serving on the USS Sigsbee during a kamikaze attack.  

4/19/16 Mississippi and Alabama

Love driving on I-10 which is flat and pretty scenic once you get out of West Texas.   A morning drive into Mississippi to Davis Bayou Campground in Gulf Islands National Seashore Park and another state sticker gets added to our RV travel map. What a find this small campground nestled among dense forest beside the bayou.  We watched osprey catch and eat their dinners while kayaking among the swallows and jumping mullet.  

Gulf State Park Shore

Big winds expected later today so we depart early for the short drive to Alabama's Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores. Long late afternoon walks on the beach remind us of what we will be doing once settled into our new condo overlooking Misquamicut Beach. Of course Deb picks up pretty shells while John finds chunks of dried oil and shells coated in black.  It has been 6 years to the day since the horrific BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill devastated the flora and fauna in this part of the Gulf and the economy of nearby communities.  Oil flowed for 87 days spilling an estimated 5 million barrels. Although it looks beautiful now, oil contaminated 1,300 miles of shore line from Texas to Florida, where they continue to find significantly high levels of birth defects and low reproductive rates among fish and wildlife.

John, Linda and Steve

We visit old friends Steve and Linda I., spending the night at their lovely home in Fairhope, Alabama.  John and Steve served together on the USS Guitarro in the early 70's and we hung out with them when they moved to Connecticut in the late 70's.  We had 30 years of catching up to do and realized, crap, we are getting old!   Note the beautiful grey hair on these lovely ladies. Deb let hers grow out over the past year, deciding to get through this ugly stage while on the road and away from friends and family.  She had to cheat a little and have the front "salt" streaked with "pepper" to match the back.  


While driving near Mobile, John notes that his Great Great Grandfather (another John H.) fought in the Civil War at the Battle of Mobile Bay as part of the Minnesota 7th Infantry Regiment.  His mother gave him a 2 volume book published in 1888, "History of Minnesota Regiments in the Civil and Indian Wars", which was signed by this Grandfather.  How cool is that!

Debra's RV Workstation

It's somewhat melancholy as we add Alabama, the last state sticker to our map while on this Freedom Folly.   After this point, we will not be camping in any states we have not already visited. That leaves only Utah, Tennessee, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Alaska to explore on future folly's.  Oh yes, and Hawaii for which we will have to buy RV pontoons. 
  
Progress on the condo seems to be speeding up.  At this rate can't believe it will really take till February to finish up.  

Windows In and Deck Almost Done