I last wrote of our times in Florida (Disney World and Universal Studios)  We next spent 2 weeks at Peace River, Florida, 70 Miles South of Orlando.  While at Peace River, Tom headed a bit north, solo, to Seabrook Island (near Charleston, SC) to attend the first, hopefully annual, Charleston Paddling Symposium.  This was hosted by two most excellent friends and paddling instructors, Ashley Brown and Jeff Atkins, who operate “WavePaddler” in Charleston, SC.  I have learned much from them over the years, and greatly benefited from their friendship.  The symposium brought together an amazing group of Sea Kayakers, many of whom I’ve met before.  It is a gorgeous setting, and we had great fun plying the ocean while further developing skills.

Tom returned to Florida, picked up Linda (and the RV) and headed back to Charleston.  We left Florida for a visit with our son in Charleston, SC.  A primary purpose for this visit was for Tom to drive Nate to Mobile, Alabama for Nate to pick up a 2004 Volkswagen Bug owned by his late grandmother.  Ok, it’s not exactly a “chick magnet”, but it is low mileage and reliable transportation.  We will call this “bonding time” for Tom and Nate. 

While there, Tom and Linda visited Fort Sumpter, in the Charleston harbor.  This was where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, when southern troops fired upon the federal fortress.  The fort was, at the time, much larger and imposing that the remaining ruins.  Eventually, after days of heavy bombardment, the Federal forces were allowed to retreat to the Federal ships which were then blockading Charleston harbor.  Did you know that the island upon which Fort Sumpter resides is man-made?  I didn’t, either.  There was probably a shoal there at the time, and it was built up to support the fort.  There is a land bridge to the island during low tides, but it is covered at high tide.

Tom also had the opportunity to do some sea kayaking with a few of his paddling buddies from the area.  We did some surfing one day, and just paddled around in the harbor on another.

Next stop was Lake Anna, in Virginia.  Every year, the Chesapeake Paddlers Association puts on a weekend Kayaking Clinic at Lake Anna.  It is a great location, as the water is the cooling pond for the nearby nuclear station, so the water is 10 – 15 degrees warmer than anything else around.  The focus of the clinic is on improving the skills and safety of new paddlers.  Tom has been an instructor there for several years, and has also been known to sing a few songs around the campfire.  We stayed at Lake Anna State Park, which is a little known gem.  Late April was empty, and quiet.  The park is well laid out, with spacious campsites and clean facilities.  While we were there, our friends William and Alma Casaverde came to visit for a day.  It was wonderful to see them and talk while we strolled the wooded trails around Lake Anna.  It was a very special time.

Onward to; Maryland.  This was primarily to feed Linda’s fiber addition.  No, not dietary fiber: sheep and wool.  The beginning of May sees the annual Maryland Sheep and Wool festival (yes, it’s a real thing).  Linda spent two days wandering among the sheep, goats, alpaca, and fellow fiberholics.  If you are into that stuff, it’s amazing.  If not, it’s inconceivable.

While we were in the area, we went to Gettysburg.  That was amazing!  It is apparently one of the most completely documented battlefields in America.  There are markers designating where corps and regiments fought.  The field where the most famous battle, Pickett’s Charge, took place just has to be seen to be believed.  The southern forces attacked across a wide open field into the face of Northern troops which held the high ground (ask Darth Vader how that works out!). 

General Lee thought that simultaneous attacks on the right and left flanks would spread the Union forces out and allow the charge to overwhelm the Northern Forces.  However, the flanking attacks never really materialized, and the men of Pickett’s Charge were mowed down like wheat.  The site marks the Northern most penetration of Southern Forces. 

After Gettysburg, Southern forces were pretty much in retreat until their surrender at Appomattox, VA, almost 2 years later.

We also visited the Antietam/Sharpsburg battlefield.  This was yet another example of mass charges across open ground, resulting in mass casualties.  There was also a Union charge across a heavily protected bridge, which required multiple attacks before the Federal Forces finally made it across and secured both sides. 

This was also the site of the infamous “Bloody Lane”, where opposing forces fired at each other across a sunken farm road, from a distance of less than 50 feet.  5000 troops died at this location alone.  By the end of the battle, the lane was so full of bodies that you couldn’t walk the lane without stepping on them.

What struck me most is that these two battles were not about securing a specific location.  The battles at Manassas/Bull Run, for example, were focused on disrupting rail traffic at a major junction.  That makes sense.  But Gettysburg and Antietam were simply about engaging the opposing army and killing as many of the opposing forces as possible.  I suppose that is a strategic outcome, but it makes it easy to understand why the Civil War was so deadly.  Well, at least the battles were army vs. army, and not the intentional killing of civilians we see today.