The Museum by the Bay - USS Lexington and Corpus Christi, Texas [April 3, 2017]

Russ on the USS Lexington Flight Deck

The retired USS Lexington aircraft carrier floats in the emerald green waters of Corpus Christi Bay, open to the public and teaching us what it was like to serve on this floating city.  You clamber up and down the ladders used to move from one level to another.  You can see the captain and crew quarters, stand on the bridge, and sit in a pilots briefing room.  You can walk along the flight deck, and touch and see vintage aircraft. There is a 20-minute 3-D movie about the history of naval warfare, and the importance of a strong navy to prevent future wars. It really is very interesting. 

Dana on the Bridge, boy is it crowded...

Pilots' Briefing Room

The Lexington from a distance

Some of the displays are a little old fashioned, but it is clear that this aircraft carrier is being cared for and displayed with great affection and with an eye to the opportunity to educate we landlubbers about life aboard a carrier and about WWII.  The USS Lexington was commissioned in 1943 and retired in 1991, as the oldest working aircraft carrier.  During WWII it served in the Pacific theater where it was nicknamed the Blue Ghost by the Japanese because it was reported by them as sunk 4 times only to return each time.  The last 29 years of its service was as a Naval Training Vessel.  

Downtown Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is a crescent shaped small city along the shores of lovely Corpus Christi Bay.  When compared by tonnage, Corpus Christi is the 5^th largest international deep-water port in the US.  We saw a huge tanker escorted into port by 3 tug boats, and then saw the tugs maneuver the tanker against the pier.  We also saw billowing black smoke and flames where a refinery mishap was being directed out two chimneys.

Corpus Christi Sea Wall

Downtown Corpus Christi has an interesting sea wall that is stair-stepped down from the road to the water.  It was designed to join the vistas of the city and the Bay by Gutzon Borglum, sculptor of Mount Rushmore.  It really is quite pretty and unique.  We returned to our campground by way of Ocean Blvd, passing attractive Spanish-style homes that overlook the water.  We liked Corpus.  It almost felt like Southern California, very laid back, and very appreciative of its natural surroundings.

This is what it looks like when an egret fishes off of a sea wall...