CROSSING THE LINE

From Georgia To Florida

Along the way we saw this. A strange structure with a very specific purpose.

We also saw two Navy ships also with a very specific purpose.

Adding to the mystery, two hangars that open on to the water. Any idea what we are dealing with?

It is all part of Kings Bay Nuclear Submarine Base near the Georgia - Florida state line. From what I could learn, there are three classes of subs that homeport here. 

Sometimes submarine resupply operations take place far from home, which is a service the two ocean going Navy tugs can provide (previous pictures). Also previously the two hangars can keep prying sky-eyes away from maintenance and munition duties. 

One of our passengers onboard was a navy vet and he said that the large steel frame cage in the top image was something called a degausser, which was developed during WW II to removes the magnetic field that exists in a ship steel hull that would cause a mine to detonate as it got close. Today the cage removes the magnetic signature from these sleek warships and, in theory, allows them to pass unnoticed from foreign listening devices.

Also passing frequently undetected for most all of the two weeks that we have been cruising have been porpoises. Occasionally the cry would go out, "Oh, look, fish!", and of course the porpoises would disappear. These two did not escape the camera.

We would hit pockets of industrial activity as we moved in and out of larger shipping channels. This is a paper mill.

We did see reminders of the destructiveness of Hurricane Sandy. Tidal surge can do more damage than the wind and rain.