Day 13 – St. Mary’s to Savannah, Fort McAllister State Park

We only have a 2 hour drive today and we are enjoying a relaxful morning with coffee and breakfast outside again. We haven’t been able to do this since Okefenokee. Last night was cool once the sun went down and the gnats drove us inside anyway. This morning the Thermocell seems to be keeping them somewhat at bay. Temperatures into the mid-80s again today.

I have a meeting at noon and will log in while we travel. Zoom is usually better once we leave our campsites.

We went for a walk this morning before we pulled up camp. In the lawn behind the cottages we found large holes, some of which were occupied. The creators of these holes are Gopher Tortoises. This state park is one of their nesting sites.

The gopher tortoise is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to the southeastern United States. The gopher tortoise is seen as a keystone species because it digs burrows that provide shelter for at least 360 other animal species.

They frighten easily so getting a photo without a big lens is difficult. They scoot back into their holes as soon as anyone comes near.

There was a lineup at the dumpstation this morning and we had an opportunity to see how other RVs get rid of their wetstuff. It’s really the worst part of RVing. Our system is quick and simple in comparison! I think we have perfected our working methods re dumping, storage, packing for day travel and packing up for campsite changes. I do love being able to do food shopping and put it all away in the parking lot… with icecream directly into the freezer.

We arrived at Fort McAllister State Park in early afternoon, had a light lunch and then relaxed. We spotted the local seafood bar at the marina on the way in. It was closed until happy hour so we made the decision to go back for an early dinner. We don’t usually go out for⁰ dinner because of the logistics of unhooking the van but it’s close to the park and on the water so it seemed worth it.

Armadillo is a Spanish word meaning “little armored one” and refers to the bony plates that cover the back, head, legs, and tail of most of these odd looking creatures. Armadillos are the only living mammals that wear such shells. The armadillo is closely related to anteaters and sloths. There are 20 species, 19 of which are found only in Latin America. The other is found in the southern U.S.

Fort McAllister

Fort McAllister was a Confederate earthwork fortification near the mouth of the Ogeechee River in Bryan County. The fort played an important role in the defense of Savannah during the Union navy blockade of the Georgia coast.

Built in 1861 at Genesis Point, the fort was constructed on the plantation of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Longworth McAllister, for whom it was named. Fort McAllister provided protection from the U.S. Navy for the southern flank of Savannah, about fifteen miles to the north, during the Civil War (1861-65). It also afforded defense for the productive rice plantations of the lower Ogeechee River basin, and for the Savannah, Albany & Gulf Railroad Bridge, a key transportation link, farther upriver.

Fort  McAllister never fell to Union naval forces because of its unique earthen construction.