Today we continued our journey south to myrtle beach. Dominique blissfully asleep in the back while I drive albeit at 7 am
While approaching the city of Wilmington I noticed billboards advertising the North Carolina world war 2 battleship tours were ahead.
A quick detour and we found the parking lot which has the ship partially floating partially dry docked. I made breakfast woke Dom and off we went. I tried getting Dominique in the exhibit for free as 5 and under are free, but her size didn't fool the diligent clerk. Drats

The tour was incredible you were allowed access to 90 percent of the ship all 9 decks. We came to the signal admirals quarters and found it blocked off with viewing being through port holes only. Pretty spacious actually. As we were walking by the doorway a gentlemen (obviously someone in a position of authority in the exhibit ) was exiting the room. A conversation ensued and he quietly whisked us inside to the admirals quarters and gave us a tour and history lesson. Apparently there are
About 20 original ship mates still alive that have a yearly reunion on the ship. According to our guide last year was the first time they were ever allowed inside the admirals quarters.

Of note just off the admirals quarters is a cement bunker with two small slit viewing ports. During a battle a seaman would be locked in this bunker and if the pilot house was destroyed he could navigate the ship from this tiny room

We finished the tour, bought some nic Nacs

from the gift shop and continued south to myrtle beach. We did stop for supplies where an old gentlemen asked us if we knew where the cheapest doctor was. We told we were tourist and he said that's okay he's sure it's doctor pepper. How many times has he used that line?

We arrived at the briar cliff camp ground and cooked a fabulous rib meal. Walked to an adjacent series of shops which dom will explore further tomorrow while billy bubba and I go golfing
See ya