New London, CT

Yesterday was our last full day in Mystic, and we made he best of it. We've spent 4 full days here and have enjoyed it. But, it's time to head farther North on our easterly path to Maine ... the furthest state from California we can manage without getting wet, and a visit to Bar Harbor.

But first, here's a peak at yesterday's (day-4) excursions. We did breakfast out yesterday at Sift bake shop in Mystic; a locally famous and typically non-stop attraction about 20 minutes from our camp spot. We arrived at 9am in a light rain, but snagged a parking place right at the front door as another customer was leaving ... how lucky is that?

 

The bakery is directly behind glass on one end of this small shop, and as soon as items are purchased from the display cases, new (and still warm) replacements are brought out. We opted for a cinnamon roll, a ham and cheese quiche, and a chocolate croissant, split between us, of course. Wow!

Since it was still early, another 15-minute drive took us to the Submarine Force Library and Museum in New London ... another "must see" visit in this area. The museum is free and includes a self-guided tour of the first nuclear-powered submarine, Nautilus, commissioned in 1954. This venue is located directly adjacent to an active Navy sub base on the Thames River, so lots of Navy personnel around to answer questions. 

We spent more than an hour looking at the excellent displays of submarine history past and present ... oh, and a below-deck tour of Nautilus. A few static displays are presented near the entrance, the most impressive being a comparison between an old diesel boat and today's subs ... see the boat diameter rings below.

A few pix from inside the museum and onboard the Nautilus follow. Static displays inside the museum were excellent at comparing past and present, with good descriptions of the various submarine-related items. Kids (and me) enjoyed the simulated displays of electronics and real periscopes looking out into the harbor. Again, pictures won't do this excellent museum justice.

Today's sub-sailors have to know what each of those vales and switches do, and when and how to use them. Men and women who join this part of the Navy are as elite as the "top gun" fly-boys, and rigorous testing is involved to get a slot on a nuclear boat.

After the sub museum, we meandered along the coast line looking for lighthouses to visit and came across Fort Trumbull State Park. The visitor center was closed, but we walked around the old fort ... views of the Thames River were breathtaking from the top of the top of the parapet wall.

Walls were at least 2-feet thick to protect against canon balls from ships coming up the Thames. Ironically, the fort was never attacked by a foreign country.

A lot of history here ... One of the most interesting is that part of the fort was used to develop the science and technology used against the German U-boats in WW2; sonobouys. Sonobouys can be dropped from the air and ping into the ocean depths, looking for submarines and then radioing their position to sub-hunters, either in the air or on the water.

So, today we say goodbye to the Mystic area and head towards Boston, MA. Stay tuned and check back often.